Universal Waste Petition to EPA

Background

The federal universal waste rule put forth by EPA (in 40 CFR 273), streamline hazardous waste managements standards for certain types of hazardous waste that are typically generated through a wide range of establishments. Streamlining these regulations promotes the collection and recycling of these universal wastes, thereby significantly reducing the regulatory burden on retail sites and other businesses that collect or transport these wastes and encourages municipalities to develop environmentally sound programs that address recycling to reduce the amount of these types of wastes going to solid waste landfills or combustions sites. In 1993, EPA had acknowledged that at that time paint wastes could be a ideal candidate for including the universal waste regulations.

EPA recently designated aerosol products as a “universal waste” and many states are in the process of adopting this new rule. In addition, several states already consider paint wastes to be a universal waste. These states include Texas, Ohio, Maine, New York, and a few others.

ACA’s petition for rulemaking asks EPA to consider adding solvent-based paint wastes to the federal universal waste regulations. With an increased public awareness, a growing desire for recycling efforts, and increased efforts to seek alternatives measures for waste disposal, ACA and PaintCare see this as an opportune time to formally request EPA to revisit this topic.

ACA has scheduled a meeting with EPA to discuss the procedural path for the petition and will update the Board as to the results of this meeting.