Issues related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been top-of-mind for the environmental industry since the early 2000s, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised concerns about PFAS-related health effects. Over the past two decades, such substances have drawn increased attention, prompting state and federal regulators to grapple with the challenges of how to regulate this ubiquitous class of compounds. According to the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council, 12 states have adopted drinking water, surface water or groundwater screening level values equivalent to 70 parts per trillion as listed in the 2016 EPA drinking water health advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). While the EPA has not yet established a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS, states are already aggressively pressing the EPA to expand its approach to PFAS and establish MCLs for other PFAS compounds. The EPA already has used its Safe Drinking Water Act enforcement authority to require actions on known plumes at military sites. In the EPA’s PFAS Action Plan, the agency committed to listing PFAS as hazardous substances — a game-changing move that will require PFAS management in accordance with existing remediation programs and enable enforcement of regulations, which may require the investigation and remediation of PFAS contamination. The agency also committed to proposing an MCL for PFOA and PFOS in 2019 and collecting information to determine if regulation is needed for a broader class of PFAS. (more…)

The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act authorized EPA to implement a national electronic manifest system and required that the costs of developing and operating e-Manifest be recovered from user fees. In its 2018 User Fee final rule, EPA established a methodology by which the Agency would set user fees every two fiscal years. For FY2020/2021, the user fees are changing due to various factors, including changes in projected manifest usage rates as well as program costs during this period. These new user fees will be in effect from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2021. For more information, including the new user fees for FY2020/2021, please visit EPA’s e-Manifest website here.

 

Provided by U.S. EPA Daily Digest

Article provided by Laura Sugano, Roux Associates, Inc.

 

State Regulatory Agency Panel, the third session of the Annual Waste Conference, was moderated by Larry Falbe, Principal with Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C. Charles Breitenfeldt, Compliance Assistance & Voluntary Programs Partners for Clean Air Coordinator with Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) began the panel with IDEM regulatory updates. He was followed by Jack Schinderle, Director of the Materials Management Division with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), presenting EGLE regulatory updates. Darsi Foss, Director of Remediation and Redevelopment Program with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), and Kyle Rominger, Deputy Chief of Bureau of Land with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), closed out the panel’s presentations with their respective regulatory updates.

 

(more…)

The following article was provided by Cathy Hill, CEO, HOBI International.

Electronic waste and the dumping of IT assets is a worldwide concern. And while putting a stop to growing technology is impossible, there are ways to control how we manage our e-waste.  The easiest method is to partner with an IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) compliant service provider who specializes in the process of streamlining the disposition of IT assets.

 

In short, ITAD refers to the methodical process of removing retired and non-working IT equipment with the secure disposition of IT assets that are compliant with local, national and global environmental regulations. Given the rapid advancement of technology, secure and responsible ITAD has never been more critical than it is now, particularly at the enterprise IT level.

(more…)