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Biennial Report Overview

Introduction
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the States, biennially collects information regarding the generation, management, and final disposition of hazardous wastes regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended. The purpose of this website is to communicate the findings of EPA's hazardous waste reporting data collection efforts to the public, government agencies, and the regulated community.

RCRA Hazardous Waste
The term "RCRA hazardous waste" refers to solid waste assigned a Federal Hazardous Waste Code and regulated by RCRA. Some States elect to regulate wastes not specifically regulated by EPA; these wastes are assigned State Hazardous Waste Codes. In regards to the Biennial Report, EPA has asked the States to exclude data for waste with only State Hazardous Waste Codes (i.e., the waste description does not include any Federal Hazardous Waste Codes). A more detailed explanation can be found in the RCRA Orientation Manual and in the Code of Federal Regulations in 40 CFR Parts 260 and 261. Details regarding the information submitted by the regulated community can be found in the RCRA Subtitle C Reporting Instructions and Forms.

Generation
RCRA hazardous waste generation information is obtained from data reported by RCRA Large Quantity Generators (LQGs). A generator is defined as a Federal Large Quantity Generator if:

  • •the generator generated, in any single month, 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds or 1.1 tons) or more of RCRA hazardous waste; or
  • •the generator generated, in any single month or accumulated at any time, 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of RCRA acute hazardous waste; or
  • •the generator generated or accumulated at any time, more than 100 kg (220 pounds) of spill cleanup material contaminated with RCRA acute hazardous waste.
All sites that were LQGs in the reporting year are required to provide EPA with waste generation and management information. It is important to note that the generators have been included based on the most current information made available to EPA by the States. However, the generator counts may include some generators that, when determining whether they were LQGs, used a lower State-defined threshold for LQGs, counted wastes regulated only by their States, or counted wastes exempt from Federal regulation. Hazardous waste received from off-site for storage/bulking and subsequently transferred off-site for treatment or disposal is excluded from generation quantities.

Management
RCRA hazardous waste management information is obtained from the data reported by sites that treated, stored, or disposed of RCRA hazardous wastes on-site during the reporting year. Hazardous wastes that are stored, bulked, and/or transferred off-site with no prior treatment or recovery, fuel blending, or disposal at the site, are excluded from the management quantities.

Shipments and Receipts
RCRA hazardous waste shipment information is obtained from data reported by both RCRA LQGs and sites that treated, stored, or disposed of RCRA hazardous wastes on-site during the reporting year. RCRA hazardous waste receipt information is obtained from data reported by sites that treated, stored, or disposed of RCRA hazardous wastes on-site during the reporting year. All reported shipments identified by the State, or implementing EPA office, for inclusion in the National Biennial Report are included in the waste shipment quantities, even if the waste was shipped to a transfer facility. In some instances, waste is transferred within a physical location that has more than one EPA Identification Number. These waste transfers are treated as shipments.

Data Presented in the National Biennial Report
It is the responsibility of individual States or implementing EPA offices to properly identify data that is to be included in or excluded from the National Biennial Report. The National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report includes all data that was identified by the State or implementing EPA office for inclusion, with the following two exceptions:

  • 1) hazardous waste received from off-site for storage/bulking and subsequently transferred off-site for treatment or disposal is excluded from generation quantities; and
  • 2) hazardous waste that is stored, bulked, and/or transferred off-site with no prior treatment/recovery, fuel blending, or disposal at the site is excluded from management quantities.