EPA calls these sites Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites. They describe the sites regulated by RCRA, enacted by Congress in 1976, as follows.
"RCRA's primary goals are:
"RCRA regulates the management of solid waste (e.g., garbage),
hazardous waste, and underground storage tanks holding petroleum
products or certain chemicals.
Hazardous wastes are wastes that exhibit certain characteristics that
may be regulated by RCRA. A waste may be considered hazardous if it is
ignitable (i.e., burns readily), corrosive, or reactive (e.g.,
explosive).
Waste may also be considered hazardous if it contains certain amounts
of toxic chemicals.
In addition to these characteristic wastes, EPA has also developed a
list of over 500 specific hazardous wastes. Hazardous waste takes many
physical forms and may be solid, semi-solid, or even liquid.
According to the EPA regulations, solid waste means any garbage, or refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semi- solid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations, and from community activities."
Click here to go to EPA's website about RCRA sites.
What Impact Can Active Hazardous Waste Sites Have on My Community?
These sites actively produce or store hazardous chemicals. It means that these chemicals must be transported through your community, often on residential roads. Storage tanks can leak, contaminating drinking water supplies.