Criminal Provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

General descriptions of the criminal provisions under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act:

Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit
Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit
Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest
Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility
RCRA False Statement
Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records
Knowing Endangerment
Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste

Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit

Elements:

• A person
  • Knowingly
    • Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste without a permit

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)

Penalty:

• 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit

Elements:

• A Person
  • Knowingly
    • Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste in knowing violation of a material permit condition

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(B) and (C)

Penalty:

• 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest

Elements:

• A Person
  • Knowingly
    • Transport or causes to be transported a hazardous waste without a manifest where one is required by the regulations

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5)

Penalty:

• 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent corrections

Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility

Elements:

• A Person
  • Knowingly
    • Transports or causes to be transported a hazardous waste to a facility that does not have a permit

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1)

Penalty:

• 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

RCRA False Statement

Elements:

• A person owns or operates a source
  • Knowingly
    • Omits material information or makes any false statement in any document filed or used for purposes of compliance with Subtitle C (RCRA hazardous waste regulations) a document
    • The false statement or representation is material

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(3)

Penalty:

• 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records

Elements:

• A Person
  • Generates, stores, treats, transports, disposes of, exports, or otherwise handles hazardous waste and;
  • Knowingly alters, destroys, conceals, or fails to file records required to be maintained or filed pursuant to Subtitle C

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(4)

Penalty:

• 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations.

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

Knowing Endangerment

Elements:

• A Person
  • Knowingly
    • Transports, treats, stores, disposes of, or exports a hazardous waste in violation of 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) - (7) and;
    • Knew that such acts put another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(e)

Penalty:

• 15 years and/or up to $250,000 or $1,000,000 if an organization

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste

Elements:

• A Person
  • Knowingly
    • Exports a hazardous waste without consent of the receiving country or in violation of an international agreement between the United States and the receiving country

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(6)

Penalty:

• 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
  • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R 260 - 265