Managing Facilities, Due Diligence and Facility Transfers
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TABLE 3
RCRA AND
CERCLA COMPARISON
RCRA
CERCLA
Purpose:
Purpose:
To regulate all applicable hazardous waste
To perform remedial action on NPL sites.
management activities.
To protect human health and the
To protect human health and the
environment.
environment.
Enacted to regulate hazardous waste
Aimed at hazardous waste generators,
generators, transporters, and TSD facility
transporters, and TSD facility operators.
operators.
Only specified TSD components can be
Aimed at any threat to human health and
regulated. These are:
• Containers.
• Incinerators.
• Landfills.
• Land Treatment Units.
• Surface Impoundments.
• Tanks.
• Waste Piles.
HSWA also regulates solid waste units on
TSD facilities.
Incinerator operation is subject to minimum
acceptable performance standards.
Cost effectiveness is not a consideration
under this program.
the environment due to release of hazardous
substances.
Standards are interpretative, health based,
and set on a case-by-case basis.
According to 42 U.S.C. § 9604(c)
(CERCLA), remedial actions must be cost
effective.
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