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PA EPA ISSUES FINAL MUNITIONS RULE

Release Date: 02/07/97
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PA EPA ISSUES FINAL MUNITIONS RULE

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1997

EPA ISSUES FINAL MUNITIONS RULE

EPA has issued a final regulation that clarifies when conventional and chemical military munitions become a hazardous waste
under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Additionally, the rule amends existing regulations regarding
emergency responses and RCRA manifest requirements. This rule establishes the regulatory definition of solid waste as it
applies to: unused munitions; munitions being used for their intended purpose; and used or fired munitions. The rule
conditionally exempts from RCRA manifest requirements and container marking requirements non-chemical military munitions
that are shipped from one military-owned or operated treatment, storage or disposal facility to another in accordance with the
Department of Defense (DOD) military munitions shipping controls. This rule also exempts from RCRA Subtitle C hazardous
waste storage regulations, non-chemical military munitions that are subject to the jurisdiction of the DOD Defense
Environmental Safety Board storage standards. This rule specifically excludes chemical weapons from the conditional
exemption approach. The rule also exempts all generators and transporters, not just military, from the RCRA manifest
requirements for transportation of hazardous waste on public or private right-of-ways on or along the border of contiguous
properties under the control of the same person, regardless of whether the contiguous properties are divided by right-of-ways.
The Agency expects that this provision will reduce the manifest burden by nearly 60,000 hours on a national level. In
developing this rule EPA consulted with DOD, as required by the Federal Facilities Compliance Act of 1992. For a copy of
the fact sheet or the final rule contact the RCRA/Superfund hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or 703-412-3323.

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