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E-waste Regulations - U.S. Federal Legislation |
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U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
The U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was developed to establish a national policy for the environment and to provide for the establishment of a Council on Environmental Quality. NEPA was signed into law on Jan.1, 1970. The primary purposes of the Act include a national policy to encourage harmony between humans and the environment; to promote efforts to prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere; and to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the U.S. The U.S. Congress authorizes and directs the policies, regulations and public laws that are interpreted and administered in accordance with the policies set forth in the Act.
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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
The U.S. Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), giving the U.S. government broad authority to regulate hazardous substances, respond to hazardous waste emergencies and develop long-term solutions for hazardous waste problems. CERCLA, also known as Superfund, requires the parties responsible for hazardous waste contamination to conduct or pay for cleanup. If the Superfund program conducts the cleanup, the government can take court action against responsible parties to recover up to three times the cleanup costs. CERCLA was amended in 1986 by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). CERCLA response efforts are guided by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, commonly referred to as the National Contingency Plan (NCP 40 CFR Part 300). The NCP establishes a criteria, methods and procedures that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency follows to determine priority releases for long-term evaluation and response. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) serves as the repository for Superfund data in support of CERCLA.
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Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 was amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), which expanded the U.S. government's response authority and clarified that federal facilities are subject to the same CERCLA requirements as private industry. Under Section 120 of CERCLA, each U.S. government department or agency must comply with CERCLA in the same manner as any nongovernmental entity. SARA reflected the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s administering of the Superfund program during its first six years and made several changes and additions to the program. SARA also required the EPA to revise the Hazard Ranking System (HRS) to more accurately reflect the relative degrees of risk to human health and the environment posed by uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that may be placed on the National Priorities List (NPL).
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Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act (CERFA)
The Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act of 1992 (CERFA) (Pub. L. 102-426) amended CERCLA provisions dealing with U.S. government activities on any real property owned by the government. Section 4 of CERFA amends Section 120(h)(3) of CERCLA to clarify the extent of remedial action necessary to protect human health and the environment on property where hazardous substances were stored, disposed or released.
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1976 as the primary U.S. law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Specific objectives of RCRA are to: conserve energy and natural resources by recycling and recovery; reduce or eliminate waste; protect the public from the hazards of waste disposal; and clean up waste after improper disposal. RCRA amended the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965 and established three programs for solid waste, hazardous waste and underground storage tanks. RCRA was amended and strengthened by Congress in 1984 with the passing of the Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA). RCRA has been amended on two occasions since HSWA by the Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992 and the Land Disposal Program Flexibility Act of 1996. RCRA gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the authority to control hazardous waste, including the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA also set forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous wastes.
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The Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)
The Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) are amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) added in 1984 that required phasing out land disposal of hazardous waste. Some other mandates included increased enforcement authority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and more stringent hazardous waste management standards.
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Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 focused industry, government and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation and raw materials use. Pollution prevention includes practices that increase efficiency in the use of energy, water or other natural resources, and protect our resource base through conservation. Practices include recycling. The Act is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 was enacted by the U.S. Congress to give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the ability to track 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the U.S. The EPA repeatedly screens chemicals and can require reporting or testing of those that may pose an environmental or human-health hazard.
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Electronics Disposal Regulations |
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Obsolete electronic equipment is the fastest growing waste stream in the industrial world, growing at three times the rate of other waste material. Mounting pressures regarding the environmentally and socially responsible management of e-waste are stirring debate amongst legislators and triggering more stringent laws around the globe. Redemtech’s E-waste and Environmental Regulations Database delivers information about regulations, directives, established laws, national decrees, statutes, ordinances and pending legislation on e-waste and related environmental issues. |
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Data Security Regulations |
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Legislation governing the protection of consumer privacy and identify theft continue to propagate on a global, federal, state and local level. Redemtech’s Data Security and Privacy Regulatory Database documents applicable regulations, established laws, constitutional amendments and pending legislation for many nations around the globe. |
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