Overview of the Tribal Waste Management Program

Under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the EPA’s Tribal Waste Management Program encourages environmentally sound waste management practices that promote resource conservation through recycling, recovery, reduction, clean up, and elimination of waste. The Tribal Waste Management Program provides national policy direction, and partners with the EPA Regions and other federal agencies to assist tribes with the management of their waste. The Tribal Waste Management Program also provides technical assistance, training and funding, facilitates waste program peer matches among tribes, education, and outreach to tribes.

The EPA’s main tribal solid waste priority, intended to address the most pressing waste-related environmental issues on tribal lands, is the promotion of sustainable tribal waste management programs through the development and implementation of Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMPs). Tribes are encouraged to develop and implement sustainable safe waste management practices in Indian country that are protective of human health and the environment.

In support of EPA’s main program priority EPA has one Government Performance Recovery Act (GPRA) performance measure as part of the FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. “By 2018, increase by 50 the number of tribes covered by an integrated waste management plan compared to 2013.” In addition, the following tribal waste management performance measure will be implemented and tracked as an internal Agency measure in FY 2015 and FY 2016:  “Number of tribes where waste management program capacity has been improved through technical assistance provided by EPA.”