[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22000]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 7, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5066-6]

 

Public Meeting on the Draft National Waste Minimization Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Announcement of meeting.

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SUMMARY: On May 18, 1993, EPA Administrator Carol Browner announced, 
with the release of the Draft Hazardous Waste Minimization and 
Combustion Strategy, that EPA was taking a leadership role in reducing 
the amount of hazardous waste produced in this country and 
strengthening federal controls governing hazardous waste incinerators, 
boilers, and industrial furnaces.
    As part of that Strategy, EPA developed and released a Draft RCRA 
Waste Minimization National Plan in May of 1994. EPA's goal is to 
finalize the Phase I portion of the Plan by November 1994. Phase I is 
the primary vehicle for promoting source reduction and, secondarily, 
environmentally sound recycling of waste streams containing persistent, 
bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds, and particularly metals and/or 
halogens that are likely to be combusted in boilers and industrial 
furnaces or hazardous waste incinerators. Phase II of the Plan will 
focus beyond hazardous wastes managed in combustion units to promote 
source reduction and recycling for wastes managed by other practices.
    In order to gain early and substantive input on Phase I, EPA will 
hold a three-day focus group meeting September 20-22, 1994, with 
invited participants. Participants will include individuals from 
federal, state and local government, industry, public interest and 
environmental groups, technical assistance centers, and labor.
    EPA will convene separate Focus Group sessions on:
    (1) Prioritization of Wastes. Discussions will focus on the 
methodology that EPA has developed to prioritize waste minimization 
efforts associated with wastes that are combusted. A Federal Register 
Notice, 59FR 41442, dated August 12, 1994 announced the availability of 
a Draft Methodology Document and asked for comments on the draft by 
September 9, 1994.
    (2) Goals. Topics will include: development of a goal statement for 
minimizing hazardous wastes that are combusted, particularly when such 
reductions will lead to multi-media environmental benefits and will 
reduce persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic constituents; expediting 
continual improvement in seeking source reduction and environmentally 
sound recycling options at the top of the waste management hierarchy; 
and improving the recycling and management of wastes that cannot be 
reduced in a way that results in a net reduction of environmental 
loadings to all media.
    (3) Voluntary Programs and Incentives. Topics will include 
discussion of currently existing voluntary programs/incentives and how 
they either overlap with the goals of Phase I, or do not meet Phase I 
objectives; and options, both pro and con, of using existing programs/
incentives versus new initiatives to get real reductions of wastes of 
concern.
    (4) Incorporating waste minimization in RCRA permits. Discussions 
will include the status of federal and state efforts to incorporate 
waste minimization into RCRA permits, inspections and enforcement 
actions. Comments will be invited regarding the pros and cons of these 
approaches.
    Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting as 
observers. Written comments will be accepted at the meeting. 
Additionally, there will be time allotted following participants 
discussions to take comments from observers. The Meeting will be held 
Tuesday, September 20 through Thursday, September 22 at the Holiday Inn 
Bethesda, 8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland (301) 652-2000. 
Please contact the hotel directly for further information on the 
meeting facilities and lodging. For information on the meeting (e.g. 
the agenda and issues) or to request special needs services for 
observers such as sign language interpretation, contact Sandra Farrell 
at (703) 308-8402.
    An Executive Summary of the proceedings of the Focus Groups Meeting 
will be prepared and made publicly available following the Meeting.

    Dated: August 30, 1994.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 94-22000 Filed 9-6-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P