by Brianna Crandall — March 12, 2014—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released the Notice of Data Availability (NODA) for Hazardous Waste Management in the Retail Sector. EPA is responding to issues the retail industry has identified that they face in implementing hazardous waste regulations. This NODA provides stakeholders the opportunity to help the agency better understand their operations and identify options for possible further action, to help remove barriers that may affect the retail industry’s compliance with federal regulations.
The agency seeks comment on existing data on the retail industry universe and amount of hazardous waste it generates, and suggestions for improving hazardous waste regulations for retail operations. The NODA also seeks information and hazardous waste data on the following:
- Episodic generation
- Retails stores’ programs for handling hazardous waste
- Hazardous waste training for employees
- Aerosol cans
- Transportation and reverse logistics
- Reverse logistics centers
- Sustainability efforts undertaken by retail facilities
All comments on the NODA should be submitted by 60 days from publication date (February 6) and should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2012-0426. This NODA is part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to make regulatory programs more effective or less burdensome in achieving regulatory objectives. The EPA has already conducted multiple site visits at retailers to learn more about how they manage their pharmaceutical and retail waste, and issued guidance within the current regulatory structure to provide flexibility to stakeholders in managing pharmaceutical container hazardous waste residues. The Agency has also given presentations to industry associations and other stakeholders about retail sector compliance concerns and efforts that EPA is taking to understand and address these concerns, and offering to host listening sessions.
