Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73
§6925 Permits for treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste
Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 82— - SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT › § 6925
Summary
EPA must make rules within 18 months after October 21, 1976, so that anyone who owns, runs, or plans to build a facility that treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste needs a permit. Once those rules take effect, you cannot handle or build such facilities without a permit. Permit applications must say what wastes will be handled (types, amounts, concentrations), how often or how fast they will be handled, and where the wastes or their treatment products will be stored, treated, or disposed. EPA or an authorized State will issue a permit if the facility meets the rules, may set deadlines for required changes, and can cancel permits if a facility breaks the rules. Permits last for a fixed term (no more than 10 years for land disposal, storage, or incineration/treatment sites), land-disposal permits must be reviewed five years after issue, and EPA must decide older pending applications by fixed deadlines set around November 8, 1984 (4 years for land disposal, 5 years for incinerators, 8 years for other facilities). There are special temporary rules for facilities that already existed on November 19, 1980 (or that later become newly covered) and that applied for permits; those facilities can have interim status but face deadlines (for land-disposal interim status often ends 12 months after November 8, 1984 unless certain steps are taken). Surface impoundments that accept hazardous waste must meet ground-water and other stricter rules and generally must stop receiving waste four years after November 8, 1984 unless they meet narrow exceptions or get a modification. EPA can issue one-year research and demonstration permits for experimental treatment technologies (renewable up to three times) and can halt operations to protect health or the environment. Effective September 1, 1985, any permit for on-site treatment, storage, or disposal must require the permit-holder to certify at least once a year that the waste generator has a program to reduce waste volume and toxicity and is using the most practical method available to minimize health and environmental risk. Definitions in the section include “liner” (a barrier to keep waste from moving offsite), “aggressive biological treatment facility” (a system of impoundments using strong aeration and short retention times), and “underground source of drinking water” (as defined under the Safe Drinking Water Act).
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §6925
The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Not later than eighteen months after October 21, 1976, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations requiring each person owning or operating an existing facility or planning to construct a new facility for the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste identified or listed under this subchapter to have a permit issued pursuant to this section. Such regulations shall take effect on the date provided in section 6930 of this title and upon and after such date the treatment, storage, or disposal of any such hazardous waste and the construction of any new facility for the treatment, storage, or disposal of any such hazardous waste is prohibited except in accordance with such a permit. No permit shall be required under this section in order to construct a facility if such facility is constructed pursuant to an approval issued by the Administrator under section 2605(e) of title 15 for the incineration of polychlorinated biphenyls and any person owning or operating such a facility may, at any time after operation or construction of such facility has begun, file an application for a permit pursuant to this section authorizing such facility to incinerate hazardous waste identified or listed under this subchapter.
(b)Each application for a permit under this section shall contain such information as may be required under regulations promulgated by the Administrator, including information respecting—
(1)estimates with respect to the composition, quantities, and concentrations of any hazardous waste identified or listed under this subchapter, or combinations of any such hazardous waste and any other solid waste, proposed to be disposed of, treated, transported, or stored, and the time, frequency, or rate of which such waste is proposed to be disposed of, treated, transported, or stored; and
(2)the site at which such hazardous waste or the products of treatment of such hazardous waste will be disposed of, treated, transported to, or stored.
(c)(1)Upon a determination by the Administrator (or a State, if applicable), of compliance by a facility for which a permit is applied for under this section with the requirements of this section and section 6924 of this title, the Administrator (or the State) shall issue a permit for such facilities. In the event permit applicants propose modification of their facilities, or in the event the Administrator (or the State) determines that modifications are necessary to conform to the requirements under this section and section 6924 of this title, the permit shall specify the time allowed to complete the modifications.
(2)(A)(i)Not later than the date four years after November 8, 1984, in the case of each application under this subsection for a permit for a land disposal facility which was submitted before such date, the Administrator shall issue a final permit pursuant to such application or issue a final denial of such application.
(ii)Not later than the date five years after November 8, 1984, in the case of each application for a permit under this subsection for an incinerator facility which was submitted before such date, the Administrator shall issue a final permit pursuant to such application or issue a final denial of such application.
(B)Not later than the date eight years after November 8, 1984, in the case of each application for a permit under this subsection for any facility (other than a facility referred to in subparagraph (A)) which was submitted before such date, the Administrator shall issue a final permit pursuant to such application or issue a final denial of such application.
(C)The time periods specified in this paragraph shall also apply in the case of any State which is administering an authorized hazardous waste program under section 6926 of this title. Interim status under subsection (e) shall terminate for each facility referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii) or (B) on the expiration of the five- or eight-year period referred to in subparagraph (A) or (B), whichever is applicable, unless the owner or operator of the facility applies for a final determination regarding the issuance of a permit under this subsection within—
(i)two years after November 8, 1984 (in the case of a facility referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)), or
(ii)four years after November 8, 1984 (in the case of a facility referred to in subparagraph (B)).
(3)Any permit under this section shall be for a fixed term, not to exceed 10 years in the case of any land disposal facility, storage facility, or incinerator or other treatment facility. Each permit for a land disposal facility shall be reviewed five years after date of issuance or reissuance and shall be modified as necessary to assure that the facility continues to comply with the currently applicable requirements of this section and section 6924 of this title. Nothing in this subsection shall preclude the Administrator from reviewing and modifying a permit at any time during its term. Review of any application for a permit renewal shall consider improvements in the state of control and measurement technology as well as changes in applicable regulations. Each permit issued under this section shall contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator (or the State) determines necessary to protect human health and the environment.
(d)Upon a determination by the Administrator (or by a State, in the case of a State having an authorized hazardous waste program under section 6926 of this title) of noncompliance by a facility having a permit under this chapter with the requirements of this section or section 6924 of this title, the Administrator (or State, in the case of a State having an authorized hazardous waste program under section 6926 of this title) shall revoke such permit.
(e)(1)Any person who—
(A)owns or operates a facility required to have a permit under this section which facility—
(i)was in existence on November 19, 1980, or
(ii)is in existence on the effective date of statutory or regulatory changes under this chapter that render the facility subject to the requirement to have a permit under this section,
(B)has complied with the requirements of section 6930(a) of this title, and
(C)has made an application for a permit under this section,
(2)In the case of each land disposal facility which has been granted interim status under this subsection before November 8, 1984, interim status shall terminate on the date twelve months after November 8, 1984, unless the owner or operator of such facility—
(A)applies for a final determination regarding the issuance of a permit under subsection (c) for such facility before the date twelve months after November 8, 1984; and
(B)certifies that such facility is in compliance with all applicable groundwater monitoring and financial responsibility requirements.
(3)In the case of each land disposal facility which is in existence on the effective date of statutory or regulatory changes under this chapter that render the facility subject to the requirement to have a permit under this section and which is granted interim status under this subsection, interim status shall terminate on the date twelve months after the date on which the facility first becomes subject to such permit requirement unless the owner or operator of such facility—
(A)applies for a final determination regarding the issuance of a permit under subsection (c) for such facility before the date twelve months after the date on which the facility first becomes subject to such permit requirement; and
(B)certifies that such facility is in compliance with all applicable groundwater monitoring and financial responsibility requirements.
(f)Notwithstanding subsection (a) through (e) of this section, any surface coal mining and reclamation permit covering any coal mining wastes or overburden which has been issued or approved under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 [30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.] shall be deemed to be a permit issued pursuant to this section with respect to the treatment, storage, or disposal of such wastes or overburden. Regulations promulgated by the Administrator under this subchapter shall not be applicable to treatment, storage, or disposal of coal mining wastes and overburden which are covered by such a permit.
(g)(1)The Administrator may issue a research, development, and demonstration permit for any hazardous waste treatment facility which proposes to utilize an innovative and experimental hazardous waste treatment technology or process for which permit standards for such experimental activity have not been promulgated under this subchapter. Any such permit shall include such terms and conditions as will assure protection of human health and the environment. Such permits—
(A)shall provide for the construction of such facilities, as necessary, and for operation of the facility for not longer than one year (unless renewed as provided in paragraph (4)), and
(B)shall provide for the receipt and treatment by the facility of only those types and quantities of hazardous waste which the Administrator deems necessary for purposes of determining the efficacy and performance capabilities of the technology or process and the effects of such technology or process on human health and the environment, and
(C)shall include such requirements as the Administrator deems necessary to protect human health and the environment (including, but not limited to, requirements regarding monitoring, operation, insurance or bonding, financial reponsibility,11 So in original. Probably should be “responsibility”. closure, and remedial action), and such requirements as the Administrator deems necessary regarding testing and providing of information to the Administrator with respect to the operation of the facility.
(2)For the purpose of expediting review and issuance of permits under this subsection, the Administrator may, consistent with the protection of human health and the environment, modify or waive permit application and permit issuance requirements established in the Administrator’s general permit regulations except that there may be no modification or waiver of regulations regarding financial responsibility (including insurance) or of procedures established under section 6974(b)(2) of this title regarding public participation.
(3)The Administrator may order an immediate termination of all operations at the facility at any time he determines that termination is necessary to protect human health and the environment.
(4)Any permit issued under this subsection may be renewed not more than three times. Each such renewal shall be for a period of not more than 1 year.
(h)Effective September 1, 1985, it shall be a condition of any permit issued under this section for the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste on the premises where such waste was generated that the permittee certify, no less often than annually, that—
(1)the generator of the hazardous waste has a program in place to reduce the volume or quantity and toxicity of such waste to the degree determined by the generator to be economically practicable; and
(2)the proposed method of treatment, storage, or disposal is that practicable method currently available to the generator which minimizes the present and future threat to human health and the environment.
(i)The standards concerning ground water monitoring, unsaturated zone monitoring, and corrective action, which are applicable under section 6924 of this title to new landfills, surface impoundments, land treatment units, and waste-pile units required to be permitted under subsection (c) shall also apply to any landfill, surface impoundment, land treatment unit, or waste-pile unit qualifying for the authorization to operate under subsection (e) which receives hazardous waste after July 26, 1982.
(j)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), (3), or (4), each surface impoundment in existence on November 8, 1984, and qualifying for the authorization to operate under subsection (e) of this section shall not receive, store, or treat hazardous waste after the date four years after November 8, 1984, unless such surface impoundment is in compliance with the requirements of section 6924(o)(1)(A) of this title which would apply to such impoundment if it were new.
(2)Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any surface impoundment which (A) has at least one liner, for which there is no evidence that such liner is leaking; (B) is located more than one-quarter mile from an underground source of drinking water; and (C) is in compliance with generally applicable ground water monitoring requirements for facilities with permits under subsection (c) of this section.
(3)Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any surface impoundment which (A) contains treated waste water during the secondary or subsequent phases of an aggressive biological treatment facility subject to a permit issued under section 1342 of title 33 (or which holds such treated waste water after treatment and prior to discharge); (B) is in compliance with generally applicable ground water monitoring requirements for facilities with permits under subsection (c) of this section; and (C)(i) is part of a facility in compliance with section 1311(b)(2) of title 33, or (ii) in the case of a facility for which no effluent guidelines required under section 1314(b)(2) of title 33 are in effect and no permit under section 1342(a)(1) of title 33 implementing section 1311(b)(2) of title 33 has been issued, is part of a facility in compliance with a permit under section 1342 of title 33, which is achieving significant degradation of toxic pollutants and hazardous constituents contained in the untreated waste stream and which has identified those toxic pollutants and hazardous constituents in the untreated waste stream to the appropriate permitting authority.
(4)The Administrator (or the State, in the case of a State with an authorized program), after notice and opportunity for comment, may modify the requirements of paragraph (1) for any surface impoundment if the owner or operator demonstrates that such surface impoundment is located, designed and operated so as to assure that there will be no migration of any hazardous constitutent 22 So in original. Probably should be “constituent”. into ground water or surface water at any future time. The Administrator or the State shall take into account locational criteria established under section 6924(o)(7) of this title.
(5)The owner or operator of any surface impoundment potentially subject to paragraph (1) who has reason to believe that on the basis of paragraph (2), (3), or (4) such surface impoundment is not required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1), shall apply to the Administrator (or the State, in the case of a State with an authorized program) not later than twenty-four months after November 8, 1984, for a determination of the applicability of paragraph (1) (in the case of paragraph (2) or (3)) or for a modification of the requirements of paragraph (1) (in the case of paragraph (4)), with respect to such surface impoundment. Such owner or operator shall provide, with such application, evidence pertinent to such decision, including:
(A)an application for a final determination regarding the issuance of a permit under subsection (c) of this section for such facility, if not previously submitted;
(B)evidence as to compliance with all applicable ground water monitoring requirements and the information and analysis from such monitoring;
(C)all reasonably ascertainable evidence as to whether such surface impoundment is leaking; and
(D)in the case of applications under paragraph (2) or (3), a certification by a registered professional engineer with academic training and experience in ground water hydrology that—
(i)under paragraph (2), the liner of such surface impoundment is designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with applicable requirements, such surface impoundment is more than one-quarter mile from an underground source of drinking water and there is no evidence such liner is leaking; or
(ii)under paragraph (3), based on analysis of those toxic pollutants and hazardous constituents that are likely to be present in the untreated waste stream, such impoundment satisfies the conditions of paragraph (3).
(6)(A)In any case in which a surface impoundment becomes subject to paragraph (1) after November 8, 1984, due to the promulgation of additional listings or characteristics for the identification of hazardous waste under section 6921 of this title, the period for compliance in paragraph (1) shall be four years after the date of such promulgation, the period for demonstrations under paragraph (4) and for submission of evidence under paragraph (5) shall be not later than twenty-four months after the date of such promulgation, and the period for the Administrator (or if appropriate, the State) to advise such owners or operators under paragraph (5) shall be not later than thirty-six months after the date of promulgation.
(B)In any case in which a surface impoundment is initially determined to be excluded from the requirements of paragraph (1) but due to a change in condition (including the existence of a leak) no longer satisfies the provisions of paragraph (2), (3), or (4) and therefore becomes subject to paragraph (1), the period for compliance in paragraph (1) shall be two years after the date of discovery of such change of condition, or in the case of a surface impoundment excluded under paragraph (3) three years after such date of discovery.
(7)(A)The Administrator shall study and report to the Congress on the number, range of size, construction, likelihood of hazardous constituents migrating into ground water, and potential threat to human health and the environment of existing surface impoundments excluded by paragraph (3) from the requirements of paragraph (1). Such report shall address the need, feasibility, and estimated costs of subjecting such existing surface impoundments to the requirements of paragraph (1).
(B)In the case of any existing surface impoundment or class of surface impoundments from which the Administrator (or the State, in the case of a State with an authorized program) determines hazardous constituents are likely to migrate into ground water, the Administrator (or if appropriate, the State) is authorized to impose such requirements as may be necessary to protect human health and the environment, including the requirements of section 6924(o) of this title which would apply to such impoundments if they were new.
(C)In the case of any surface impoundment excluded by paragraph (3) from the requirements of paragraph (1) which is subsequently determined to be leaking, the Administrator (or, if appropriate, the State) shall require compliance with paragraph (1), unless the Administrator (or, if appropriate, the State) determines that such compliance is not necessary to protect human health and the environment.
(8)In the case of any surface impoundment in which the liners and leak detection system have been installed pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (1) and in good faith compliance with section 6924(o) of this title and the Administrator’s regulations and guidance documents governing liners and leak detection systems, no liner or leak detection system which is different from that which was so installed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be required for such unit by the Administrator when issuing the first permit under this section to such facility. Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the Administrator from requiring installation of a new liner when the Administrator has reason to believe that any liner installed pursuant to the requirements of this subsection is leaking.
(9)In the case of any surface impoundment which has been excluded by paragraph (2) on the basis of a liner meeting the definition under paragraph (12)(A)(ii), at the closure of such impoundment the Administrator shall require the owner or operator of such impoundment to remove or decontaminate all waste residues, all contaminated liner material, and contaminated soil to the extent practicable. If all contaminated soil is not removed or decontaminated, the owner or operator of such impoundment shall be required to comply with appropriate post-closure requirements, including but not limited to ground water monitoring and corrective action.
(10)Any incremental cost attributable to the requirements of this subsection or section 6924(o) of this title shall not be considered by the Administrator (or the State, in the case of a State with an authorized program under section 1342 of title 33)—
(A)in establishing effluent limitations and standards under section 1311, 1314, 1316, 1317, or 1342 of title 33 based on effluent limitations guidelines and standards promulgated any time before twelve months after November 8, 1984; or
(B)in establishing any other effluent limitations to carry out the provisions of section 1311, 1317, or 1342 of title 33 on or before October 1, 1986.
(11)(A)If the Administrator allows a hazardous waste which is prohibited from one or more methods of land disposal under subsection (d), (e), or (g) of section 6924 of this title (or under regulations promulgated by the Administrator under such subsections) to be placed in a surface impoundment (which is operating pursuant to interim status) for storage or treatment, such impoundment shall meet the requirements that are applicable to new surface impoundments under section 6924(o)(1) of this title, unless such impoundment meets the requirements of paragraph (2) or (4).
(B)In the case of any hazardous waste which is prohibited from one or more methods of land disposal under subsection (d), (e), or (g) of section 6924 of this title (or under regulations promulgated by the Administrator under such subsection) the placement or maintenance of such hazardous waste in a surface impoundment for treatment is prohibited as of the effective date of such prohibition unless the treatment residues which are hazardous are, at a minimum, removed for subsequent management within one year of the entry of the waste into the surface impoundment.
(12)(A)For the purposes of paragraph (2)(A) of this subsection, the term “liner” means—
(i)a liner designed, constructed, installed, and operated to prevent hazardous waste from passing into the liner at any time during the active life of the facility; or
(ii)a liner designed, constructed, installed, and operated to prevent hazardous waste from migrating beyond the liner to adjacent subsurface soil, ground water, or surface water at any time during the active life of the facility.
(B)For the purposes of this subsection, the term “aggressive biological treatment facility” means a system of surface impoundments in which the initial impoundment of the secondary treatment segment of the facility utilizes intense mechanical aeration to enhance biological activity to degrade waste water pollutants and
(i)the hydraulic retention time in such initial impoundment is no longer than 5 days under normal operating conditions, on an annual average basis;
(ii)the hydraulic retention time in such initial impoundment is no longer than thirty days under normal operating conditions, on an annual average basis: Provided, That the sludge in such impoundment does not constitute a hazardous waste as identified by the extraction procedure toxicity characteristic in effect on November 8, 1984; or
(iii)such system utilizes activated sludge treatment in the first portion of secondary treatment.
(C)For the purposes of this subsection, the term “underground source or 33 So in original. Probably should be “of”. drinking water” has the same meaning as provided in regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act (title XIV of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.]).
(13)The Administrator may modify the requirements of paragraph (1) in the case of a surface impoundment for which the owner or operator, prior to October 1, 1984, has entered into, and is in compliance with, a consent order, decree, or agreement with the Administrator or a State with an authorized program mandating corrective action with respect to such surface impoundment that provides a degree of protection of human health and the environment which is at a minimum equivalent to that provided by paragraph (1).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, referred to in subsec. (f), is Pub. L. 95–87, Aug. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 445, which is classified generally to chapter 25 (§ 1201 et seq.) of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 1201 of Title 30 and Tables. The Safe Drinking Water Act, referred to in subsec. (j)(12)(C), is title XIV of act July 1, 1944, as added Dec. 16, 1974, Pub. L. 93–523, § 2(a), 88 Stat. 1660, which is classified generally to subchapter XII (§ 300f et seq.) of chapter 6A of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code see
Short Title
note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–119, § 4(6), substituted “polychlorinated” for “polycholorinated”. Subsec. (e)(1)(C). Pub. L. 104–119, § 4(7), inserted comma at end of subpar. (C). 1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–616, § 211, substituted “an existing facility or planning to construct a new” for “a”, inserted “and the
Construction
of any new facility for the treatment, storage, or disposal of any such hazardous waste”, and inserted at end “No permit shall be required under this section in order to construct a facility if such facility is constructed pursuant to an approval issued by the Administrator under section 2605(e) of title 15 for the incineration of polycholorinated [sic] biphenyls and any person owning or operating such a facility may, at any time after operation or
Construction
of such facility has begun, file an application for a permit pursuant to this section authorizing such facility to incinerate hazardous waste identified or listed under this subchapter.” Subsec. (c)(1), (2). Pub. L. 98–616, § 213(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 98–616, § 212, added par. (3). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98–616, § 213(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1), (2), and (3) thereof as subpars. (A), (B), and (C), respectively, designated existing provisions of previously redesignated subpar. (A) as cl. (i) and added cl. (ii), inserted “This paragraph shall not apply to any facility which has been previously denied a permit under this section or if authority to operate the facility under this section has been previously terminated.” to closing provisions of par. (1), and added pars. (2) and (3). Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 98–616, § 214(a), added subsec. (g). Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 98–616, § 224(b), added subsec. (h). Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 98–616, § 243(c), added subsec. (i). Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 98–616, § 215, added subsec. (j). 1980—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 96–482, § 10, substituted “
November 19, 1980” for “
October 21, 1976”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 96–482, § 11, added subsec. (f). 1978—Subsec (a). Pub. L. 95–609 inserted “treatment, storage, or” after “and after such date the”.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of certain
Enforcement
functions of Administrator or other official of Environmental Protection Agency under this chapter to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 6903 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 6925
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73