From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] U.S. EPA Solid and Hazardous Waste December 2021 Updates
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2021 16:10:35 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: DE5D3B9F-33B3-47C9-B49C-5CD5245CBD2D**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org



December 2021
Solid and Hazardous Waste Newsletter
EPA Responds to New Mexico Governor and Takes Next Steps to Address PFAS Under the Nation's Hazardous Waste Law
In response to a petition from the Governor of New Mexico, EPA is taking steps to address PFAS chemicals under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and strengthen the ability to clean up PFAS contamination across the country. The Governor's petition requested that PFAS be identified as hazardous waste under RCRA, either as a class or as individual chemicals. 

In the response, EPA announced the initiation of two rulemakings. First, the agency will initiate the process to propose adding four PFAS chemicals as RCRA Hazardous Constituents under Appendix VIII, by evaluating the existing data for these chemicals and establishing a record to support such a proposed rule. The second rulemaking effort will clarify in our regulations that the RCRA Corrective Action Program has the authority to require investigation and cleanup for wastes that meet the statutory definition of hazardous waste, as defined under RCRA section 1004(5). 

EPA Administrator Regan Announces Comprehensive National Strategy to Confront PFAS Pollution
On October 18, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the agency's comprehensive Strategic Roadmap to confront PFAS contamination nationwide. The Roadmap is the result of a thorough analysis conducted by the EPA Council on PFAS that Administrator Regan established in April 2021. EPA's Roadmap is centered on three guiding strategies: Increase investments in research, leverage authorities to take action now to restrict PFAS chemicals from being released into the environment, and accelerate the cleanup of PFAS contamination.

e-Manifest December 2021 Webinar now available
e Manifest Monthly Public Webinar December 8, 2021 Meeting Recording
During this webinar, the e-Manifest team provided information about the e-Manifest system after its launch on June 30, 2018. For more information on upcoming webinars, visit the project's webinar home page or sign up for our ListServ.

e-Manifest Stakeholder Meetings and Python Demo
Recently, EPA hosted two virtual public meetings to discuss how to increase adoption of electronic manifests and solicit feedback from stakeholders. More information about the meetings including the agenda, presentation slides, and recordings are available on the e-Manifest website: https://www.epa.gov/e-manifest/electronic-manifest-public-meetings#supporting

EPA is accepting written feedback on increasing the use of electronic manifests. Any written comments should be submitted on or before December 30, 2021.

Image of Tribal Waste Journal.
Tribal Waste Journal Issue 12 Now Available
The Tribal Waste Journal is a publication focusing on various aspects of waste management and response programs. Each issue of EPA's Tribal Waste Journal features articles, interviews, resources, contacts, and a section for kids. 

EPA recently published Issue 12 of the Tribal Waste Journal, titled "Developing and Implementing Codes and Ordinances on Tribal Lands." This Issue will assist tribes with learning why waste codes are important and with developing their waste codes. Tribal codes often share one trait: they are created by and for the communities that they serve. Many tribal codes attempt to resolve issues identified in tribes' Integrated Waste Management Plans.

e-Manifest's Quick Sign Turns One Year Old!
In response to user needs and extensive collaboration with external and internal partners, EPA launched the "Quick Sign" feature in e-Manifest on December 4, 2020. Quick Sign is an easier, more streamlined approach to signing electronic manifests, particularly for generators and transporters. Since Quick Sign was implemented, the average daily use of electronic signatures increased by 31.6 percent. In addition, e-Manifest has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of generators who registered in the system since the year before.

Quick Sign only requires users to click the "Quick Sign" button to electronically sign, rather than requiring users to enter their login information and answer a challenge question. Quick Sign is also available for users with lesser permissions, thereby increasing access to electronic manifesting for industry users. If you would like to learn more about Quick Sign, visit e-Manifest's FAQ page at www.epa.gov/e-manifest/frequent-questions-about-e-manifest.
To sign up for the Solid and Hazardous Waste Newsletter, visit:
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide stakeholders with updates about the federal solid and hazardous waste programs. This listserv is used to send out announcements about rulemakings, upcoming webinars, guidance documents, open comment periods and other related communications.

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