EPA released a rule that would list nine PFAS as “hazardous constituents” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, an action that could lead to cleanups of disposal and waste management facilities.
RCRA gives EPA the authority to regulate hazardous wastes the moment waste is generated, meaning that it can oversee the wastes from cradle to grave. But listing the nine PFAS as hazardous constituents — instead of as hazardous wastes — limits the scope of the rule.
The rule would give EPA and states certain cleanup authorities, but it does not create a standard for how PFAS waste is handled and disposed of — something PEER has advocated for.