Primary Goals of RCRA - Essay Example

Structure of RCRA: Primary goals of RCRA Structure of RCRA: Primary goals of rcra According to Kutz, the best option for disposing of hazardous waste material is the landfill system. He further says that hazardous waste materials ones dumped in landfill causes toxicity to the underground water, which he considers a threat towards human health. Kutz further goes ahead to explain the reason why the U.S in 1980 enacted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This act demanded that to different landfills be established.

One for solid household wastes and the other one for dangerous household wastes (Kutz 2009).According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in their manual entitled the RCRA Orientation Manual, explain the structure of the Act. In this manual, they have it that the RCRA is organized into the subtitle D and subtitle C. Subtitle D focuses mainly on the state and the local government. This is because these two entities are charged with the responsibility of regulating planning and overseeing the implementation for solid wastes that are not harmful.

This waste range from household garbage to nonhazardous industrial solid wastes. On the other hand, elimination of generated waste focuses on the hazardous wastes. According to this manual, it is this subtitle that came up with a federal program which ensured that hazardous wastes in the U.S were properly managed (U.S Environmental Protection Agency 1990)According to Luther, in the 1980, just a month before the hazardous waste regulation was passed, the RCRA was debated by the congress. Later on, a Representative Tom Bevill introduced an amendment to the solid Waste Disposal Act.

This required that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) bring to halt the obligation of the toxic waste regulatory constraints for fossil fuel combustion waste until collected data regarding potential dangers it posed on human health could be analyzed. The amendments passed in October 1980 excluded a number of wastes from subtitle C. She has it that, the wastes included refuse from the combustion of coal, solid wastes from the mining and dispensation of mineral resources and minerals, and cement dust.

Luther further says that RCRA subtitle D manages wastes effectively and is opted for by many states and industrial organizations. States are able to regulate wastes easily (Luther 2010) In a nutshell, the RCRA oversaw the proper management of the environment in the U.S. It ensured that human health was not tampered with in any way. Organization of the Act into subtitles also ensured that generation of wastes was eliminated. Lastly, it ensured that wastes provided an important resource for the production of energy.

ReferencesLuther, L. (2010). Managing Coal Combustion Waste (CCW): Issues with Disposal and Use: New York: Congress Research Services.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1990):RCRA Oriental Manual: Washington, DC Government Printing Office.Kutz, M. (2009).Environmentally ConciousMaterial Handling. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.