Nationwide Risk-Based Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Remediation Waste Disposal Approvals under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 761.61(c)
On this page:
- Approval to Dispose of Less than 50 Parts Per Million (ppm) PCB Remediation Waste Issued to Utility Solid Waste Activities Group (USWAG) Members
- Final Approvals Issued for New USWAG Members
- Approval to Dispose of Less than 50 ppm PCB Remediation Waste Issued to National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Members
Approval to Dispose of Less than 50 ppm PCB Remediation Waste Issued to USWAG Members
The USWAG Exit submitted an application to EPA on behalf of its member companies for national risk-based disposal approvals under 40 CFR section 761.61(c) requesting authorization for its members to dispose of low-level (less than 50 ppm) PCB Remediation Waste generated at secure utility assets in non- Toxic Substance and Control Act (TSCA) approved disposal facilities.
EPA has determined that PCB Remediation Waste with as-found concentrations of less than 50 ppm of PCBs disposed of in certain non-TSCA approved facilities poses no unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. These approvals give USWAG members approval to dispose of less than 50 ppm PCB remediation waste in non-TSCA approved disposal facilities without further approval. Each USWAG Member utilizing the approvals will submit a notification to EPA as a condition of their approval and each notice will be posted on this website and the member’s website.
- Final Approval Document
- Response to Public Comments
- Draft Approval Issued for Public Comment
- Disposal Notifications and Quarterly Membership Updates
Final Approvals Issued for New USWAG Members
USWAG submitted to the EPA an updated list of members that includes new members. The EPA is issuing final approvals containing the same terms as the approvals issued in 2014, with the same expiration date as the 2014 USWAG approvals and an appendix that includes the new members.
The new members are:
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Omaha Public Power District
- Santee Cooper
- South Carolina Public Service Authority
- Seminole Electric Power Cooperative
EPA issued draft approvals on February 16, 2016 and accepted public comments through March 16, 2016. One comment was received and it was fully supportive of the approvals. No changes were made to the draft approval. The final approvals can also be found below.
Approval to Dispose of Less than 50 ppm PCB Remediation Waste Issued to NRECA Members
NRECA Exit submitted an application to the EPA for national risk-based disposal approvals under 40 CFR section 261.61(c) requesting authorization for its member cooperatives to dispose of low-level (less than 50 ppm) on behalf of its member Cooperatives for national risk-based disposal approvals under 40 CFR section 761.61(c) requesting authorization for its members to dispose of low-level (less than 50 ppm) PCB remediation waste generated at secure electric cooperative assets in non-TSCA approved disposal facilities.
PCBs are regulated under TSCA and the PCB regulations provide certain disposal options for PCB remediation waste. The EPA has determined that PCB remediation waste with as-found concentrations of less than 50 ppm of PCBs disposed of in certain non-TSCA approved facilities poses no unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment (this determination rests on the EPA’s finding, when promulgating section 761.61(a) in 1998, that PCB remediation waste at less than 50 ppm may go to certain non-TSCA approved facilities). These draft approvals give NRECA members approval to dispose of less than 50 ppm PCB remediation waste in non-TSCA approved disposal facilities without further approval. Each NRECA member utilizing the approval will submit a notification to the EPA as a condition of their approval, and each notice will be posted on the EPA’s and the member's websites.
EPA issued a draft approval on November 18, 2015 and accepted public comments through December 18, 2015. Three comments were received and all three are fully supportive of the approval. Some minor changes were made to the draft approval, which are outlined in the “Changes: Draft to Final” document below. The final approval can also be found below: