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November 21, 2024
This e-newsletter delivers announcements from EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery on rulemakings, guidance documents, reports, research, upcoming webinars, and more.
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EPA Publishes Final “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution”
Today, EPA published the “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution,” part three in EPA’s Series on Building a Circular Economy for All. In the strategy, EPA shares actions that governments, businesses, non-profits, and consumers can take to eliminate the release of plastic waste into the environment. EPA also outlines interventions across the entire plastic life cycle to reduce the U.S. contribution to plastic pollution.
In the bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act of 2020, Congress charged EPA with developing a strategy to reduce plastic waste and other post-consumer materials in waterways and oceans. EPA published the draft strategy in April of 2023 and received nearly 92,000 comments during the public comment period. Many voiced concerns about how plastic pollution impacts human health and the environment. This final strategy incorporates that feedback and affirms EPA’s commitment to eliminating the release of plastic waste into the environment by 2040.
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EPA Celebrates America Recycles Day
This year, America Recycles Day fell on the third anniversary of the passage of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided EPA the largest investment in recycling in 30 years to support "National Recycling Strategy" implementation and build a circular economy for all. So, let’s celebrate the progress we've made as a nation to improve recycling infrastructure, reduce food waste, increase composting, and develop a circular economy! When we recycle right, we help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling more as a nation gives us opportunities to create new jobs, build a more resilient economy, and conserves valuable resources.
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This year we announced $117 million in funding between the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling and the Recycling Education and Outreach grant programs. These funds help create better waste management systems and combat climate change. Today EPA published the "National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution." In June 2024, EPA partnered with the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to release the "National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics.".
A lot has been done and yet there is always more to do. Remember your three R’s! REDUCE the amount you purchase at a time. REUSE any items that can be given another life. When those two avenues are exhausted, RECYCLE what is left, making sure to follow your local recycling rules. Visit the EPA recycling homepage for more about all that we do and guidance on recycling right.
Read the 2024 America Recycles Day Presidential Proclamation.
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EPA Publishes New and Updated Modules in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Model Permit
On October 28, 2024, EPA published the second module in the RCRA Model Permit titled “General Permit Conditions.” This new module contains the general conditions applicable for all RCRA permits in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 270.30. This includes the effect of permit, permit actions, duties and requirements, reporting requirements, and information repository, among others. EPA also updated the Permit Cover Page module.
The Model Permit is a guide to help permit writers draft and review permit conditions for incorporation into a RCRA hazardous waste permit. Using language that is based on best example language from actual permits that has been vetted by subject matter experts, including legal and enforcement experts, should reduce the time to issue permits, promote national consistency, and result in clearer, more readily implementable, enforceable permit conditions.
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EPA Hosts Regional Climate Trainings for RCRA Permitting and Hazardous Waste Cleanup
EPA is hosting a training series on integrating climate change adaptation into the RCRA permitting and hazardous waste cleanup process. The training series covers:
- The regional climate risks to RCRA facilities.
- The underlying authorities requiring consideration of climate change in the RCRA permitting and hazardous waste cleanup process.
- The process for conducting a climate vulnerability screening and a climate vulnerability assessment at a RCRA facility.
- Optional climate adaptation measures appropriate for RCRA permitting and hazardous waste facilities.
This virtual event features regional case studies and interactive activities to help participants engage with best practices for building climate resilience through the RCRA permitting and hazardous waste cleanup process. Register now for the remaining three trainings covering the following areas:
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EPA Posts Webinar Recordings about the New Requirements for International Shipments of e-Waste
On November 1, 2024, EPA posted recordings of webinars about the recently adopted Electrical and Electronic Waste Amendments to the Basel Convention. EPA held two webinars in late October – one for industry and one for federal, state, and local governments. During these webinars, EPA discussed the following topics and answered questions from webinar participants:
- Key takeaways from the new Amendments.
- An overview of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal.
- The typical prior notice and consent process.
- What is considered e-waste under the new Basel Amendments.
- What’s considered hazardous electrical and electronic waste.
- What’s considered non-hazardous electrical and electronic waste.
- Examples of scrap or waste not subject to Basel controls.
- What requirements will apply to e-waste trade within OECD.
- Requirements for U.S. exports and imports of e-waste and scrap.
- Export Notification form.
- International Movement document form.
- Key takeaways for complying with the new requirements.
Access the recordings on our website.
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EPA Updates the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Webpages
In October and November, EPA published several updates to the e-Manifest webpages including:
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EPA Updates Small Quantity Generator Notification Outreach Materials
On November 20, 2024, EPA updated the outreach materials that EPA regional offices, state environmental agencies, and hazardous waste facilities can use to remind their hazardous waste small quantity generators that they need to re-notify by September 1, 2025. Access the updated outreach materials and their translations on our website.
SQGs are required to re-notify EPA or their state environmental agency of their hazardous waste activities every four years. The next re-notification is due by September 1, 2025, and then every four years (e.g., September 1, 2029, September 1, 2033, etc.). The purpose of the re-notification requirement is to improve the SQG universe data and to maintain more accurate data into the future for outreach, compliance assistance and oversight activities. To re-notify, SQGs must complete and submit the Notification of RCRA Subtitle C Activities (Site Identification Form) in full, also known as EPA Form 8700-12, or state equivalent.
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In October and November, EPA posted summaries and presentation slides for the following two working sessions:
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On November 8, 2024, EPA amended the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia Notice of Funding Opportunity. We revised the list of eligible entities in Section III.A: Eligible Applicants to list “Indian Tribes” rather than “Federally Recognized Tribes.” You can access the revised NOFO on our Funding Opportunity webpage.
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EPA Posts Resources for Grant Applicants
Question and Answer Documents
In October and November, EPA published updated guidance for potential applicants of the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants for communities and Tribes and intertribal consortia as well as the Recycling Education and Outreach grant. Read the new questions and answers for each of the grants on our webpages:
Webinar Materials
EPA recorded webinars about round two of the SWIFR for Communities and the Recycling Education and Outreach Grant programs. In them, we provide overviews of the NOFOs, eligible entities for each, evaluation criteria, and more.
EPA hosted two webinars about the SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia. In the first webinar, EPA provided an overview of the NOFO, eligible entities, evaluation criteria, and the application process. In the second webinar, EPA covered procurement, subawards, budget, attachments, and other requirements.
We will post the recording of the second webinar soon.
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As part of EPA’s strategy to learn more about new and emerging technologies and alternative methodologies for regulating emissions from municipal solid waste landfills, EPA opened a non-regulatory docket to gather input on ways we can streamline, improve, and harmonize the current suite of emissions regulations that cover these sources. Please comment by January 23, 2025.
As part of this effort, EPA has developed a series of white papers on new and emerging technologies, alternative approaches to regulating landfill emissions, and landfill work practice methodologies that may assist with future rulemaking.
EPA encourages all interested parties, including technology developers, landfill operators, communities with environmental justice concerns, environmental justice leaders, environmental groups, and state, local, and Tribal air agencies, to provide input and comments on the white papers in the non-regulatory docket. Note that EPA does not intend to provide individual responses to each comment received. The Agency will provide a separate opportunity for public comment on any future proposed rulemaking(s) for municipal solid waste landfills through a formal comment period announced in the Federal Register.
Learn more about the non-regulatory docket and read the white papers.
View the docket and submit comments.
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EPA recently published two new infographics showing the climate impacts of wasted food and how composting food scraps reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
The wasted food and climate change graphic above shows the sources of greenhouse gas emissions that are embedded in the various parts of the food supply chain. The main purpose of this graphic is to show that when food is thrown away, all the emissions that are used to create the food are thrown away.
The compost and climate change graphic conveys how composting food scraps can help adapt to climate change. Four text boxes on the right side of the graphic outline the benefits of both creating compost and applying compost.
Check out these graphics along with others on this new webpage.
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