[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 228 (Monday, November 27, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70678-70681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30111]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 258, 260, 261, 264, 265, 266, 270, and 279

[FRL-6908-4]


Waste Management System; Testing and Monitoring Activities; 
Notice of Availability of Draft Update IVB of SW-846

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is 
providing notice of the availability of, and requests comment on, 
``Draft Update IVB'' to the Third Edition of the methods manual, ``Test 
Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,'' EPA 
publication SW-846. SW-846 contains EPA-approved sampling and analysis 
methods for use under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 
Program. Draft Update IVB contains new and revised SW-846 methods. As 
part of Draft Update IVB, we are also providing references in SW-846 to 
four air methods that are, or may be in the future, used in the RCRA 
regulations.

DATES: We are opening a comment period for the limited purpose of 
obtaining information and views on the methods and chapters of Draft 
Update IVB. Send your comments to reach us on or before February 26, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment on this notice, submit an original 
and two copies of your comments referencing docket number F-2000-4BTA-
FFFFF to: The RCRA Docket Information Center, Office of Solid Waste 
(5305G), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460. You may also hand 
deliver comments to the Arlington, VA, address listed below. You may 
also submit comments electronically by sending electronic mail through 
the Internet to: [email protected]. You should identify 
comments in electronic format with the docket number F-2000-4BTA-FFFFF. 
Submit electronic comments as an ASCII (text) file and avoid the use of 
special characters and any form of encryption. If you do not submit 
comments electronically, we ask prospective commenters to voluntarily 
submit one additional copy of their comments on labeled personal 
computer diskettes in ASCII (text) format or a word processing format 
that can be converted to ASCII (text). It is essential that you specify 
on the disk label the word processing software and version/edition as 
well as your name. This will allow EPA to convert the comments into one 
of the word processing formats utilized by the Agency. Please use 
mailing envelopes designed to physically protect the submitted 
diskettes. We emphasize that submission of comments on diskettes is not 
mandatory, nor will it result in any advantage or disadvantage to any 
commenter.
    You should not submit electronically any confidential business 
information (CBI). You should instead submit an original and two copies 
of the CBI under separate cover to: RCRA CBI Document Control Officer, 
Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, DC 20460.
    You may view the official record of public comments and supporting 
materials in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal 
Gateway I, First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. 
The RIC is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding federal holidays. To review docket materials, you should make 
an appointment by calling (703) 603-9230. You may copy a maximum of 100 
pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies cost 
$0.15 per page. You may also view an electronic copy of the docket 
index and notice. See the Supplementary Information section of this 
notice for information on accessing it.
    You can download a complete copy of Draft Update IVB (pdf format) 
from the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/SW-846. A paper copy of Draft 
Update IVB is also located in the docket for this notice (see ADDRESSES 
above). The table below provides sources for both paper and electronic 
copies of the Third Edition of SW-846 and all of its updates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the 
RCRA Hotline, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 
EST, at (800) 424-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the 
Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call (703) 412-9810.
    For information on specific aspects of this notice or the Draft 
Update IVB methods, contact the Methods Information Communication 
Exchange (MICE) Service at (703) 676-4690, e-mail address: 
[email protected]; or contact Barry Lesnik, Office of Solid Waste 
(5307W), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20460, (703) 308-8855, e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

           Sources for SW-846, Third Edition, and Its Updates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Source                    Available portions of SW-846
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Superintendent of Documents, U.S.        --Paper copies of the SW-846,
 Government Printing Office (GPO),        Thrid Edition, basic manual
 Washington, DC 20402, (202) 512-1800.    and of certain updates,
                                          including Final Updates, I,
                                          II, IIA, IIB, and III, and
                                          Draft Update IVA. Subscriber
                                          must integrate the updates.
National Technical Information Service   --Paper copy of an integrated
 (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road,            version of SW-846, Third
 Springfield, VA 22161, (703) 605-6000    Edition, as amended by Final
 or (800) 553-6847.                       Updates I, II, IIA, IIB, and
                                          III.
                                         --Individual paper copies of
                                          the SW-846, Third Edition,
                                          basic manual and of certain
                                          updates, including Updates I,
                                          II, IIA, IIB, III, IIIA, and
                                          Draft Update IVA.
                                         --CD-ROM of integrated version
                                          of SW-846, Third Edition, as
                                          amended by Final Updates I,
                                          II, IIA, IIB, and III (pdf and
                                          WordPerfect electronic
                                          copies).
                                         --CD-ROM of Draft Update IVA
                                          (pdf and WordPerfect
                                          electronic copies).

[[Page 70679]]

 
Internet http://www.epa.gov/SW-846.....  --Integrated version of SW-846,
                                          Third Edition, as amended by
                                          Final Updates I, II, IIA, IIB,
                                          III, and IIIA (pdf electronic
                                          copy).
                                         --Draft Update IVA (pdf
                                          electronic copy).
                                         --Draft Update IVB (pdf
                                          electronic copy)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Do I Obtain Electronic Access to this Notice

    The docket index and the notice are available on the Internet at: 
WWW: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/up4ba.htm.

How Is This Notice Organized?

    We list below the order of the major sections of this notice.

I. What Is the Subject and Purpose of this Notice?
II. How Does This Notice Relate to EPA's Future Methods Development 
Efforts?
III. How Can I Use the Methods of Draft Update IVB?
IV. What Does Draft Update IVB Contain?

I. What Is the Subject and Purpose of this Notice?

    We are announcing the availability of, and requesting public 
comment on, Draft Update IVB to ``Test Methods for Evaluating Solid 
Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,'' EPA Publication SW-846. SW-846 
contains the analytical and test methods that we have evaluated and 
found to be among those acceptable for monitoring conducted in support 
of subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as 
amended.
    We change the content of SW-846 over time as new information and 
data are developed. We continually review advances in analytical 
instrumentation and techniques and periodically incorporate such 
advances into SW-846 as method updates. These updates support changes 
in the regulatory program and improve method performance and cost 
effectiveness. We add new SW-846 methods to the manual, and replace 
existing methods with revised versions of the same methods to reflect 
the advances and new techniques. To date, we have finalized Updates I, 
II, IIA, IIB, III, and IIIA to the SW-846 manual. We proposed and 
finalized these updates as part of a rulemaking.
    We are now developing the next update to SW-846. On May 8, 1998, we 
published a notice of availability for Draft Update IVA in the Federal 
Register (see 63 FR 25430-25438). We then began developing Draft Update 
IVB to the manual. As we finished the methods, we posted them on our 
Internet site at http://www.epa.gov/SW-846. Today, with this notice, 
and as requested in the Senate Committee Report No. 106-410 regarding 
EPA's 2001 appropriations bill, we are publishing and requesting 
comment on Draft Update IVB, as published on the Internet and found in 
the docket to this notice.

II. How Does This Notice Relate to EPA's Future Methods Development 
Efforts?

    We are releasing Draft Update IVB in a notice of availability for 
informational purposes. We are making these EPA-reviewed methods and 
revised chapters available to the public early, for guidance purposes. 
The methods can be used in all applications for which the use of SW-846 
methods is not mandatory and for which they are effective. We believe 
that Draft Update IVB will be valuable to the public as guidance 
because it makes new analytical technologies and improved procedures 
available for use. This approach will allow the regulated community and 
others an opportunity to participate early in the method review process 
with the submittal of comments on the draft methods. As we also 
explained regarding the release of Draft Update IVA in its notice of 
availability, we are not at this time formally proposing to revise SW-
846 by adding Update IVB, or to incorporate the update in the RCRA 
regulations for required uses.
    In addition, we expect to change our approach to releasing most SW-
846 updates in the future. The notice for Draft Update IVA (see 63 FR 
25430-25438) explains in detail the reasons for this change. To 
summarize, we continue to implement a performance-based measurement 
system (PBMS) in the RCRA program. As part of this effort, we are 
developing a proposed rule to remove unnecessary required uses of SW-
846 methods from the RCRA regulations. If this rule is finalized, we 
will generally only require the use of a particular method when it is 
referenced specifically in a regulation. Examples of such a requirement 
include the SW-846 methods specified in the RCRA regulations to 
determine whether a waste exhibits a hazardous waste characteristic 
(see 40 CFR part 261, subpart C). Several other RCRA regulations 
generally require the use of only SW-846 methods, but do not define 
regulatory parameters. In these cases, we plan to propose revisions to 
those regulations whereby another acceptable method may be used, 
provided it uses reliable techniques that are accepted as such by the 
scientific community and provided that it can be demonstrated to be 
appropriate for its intended use, i.e., it meets the data quality 
objectives (DQOs) or measurement quality objectives (MQOs) of the 
specific project.
    If the future proposed rule to remove unnecessary required uses is 
finalized, we will use rulemaking for only those updates to SW-846 
which include methods that are specifically required by our 
regulations. Rulemaking to revise or add required methods will remain 
necessary because the required use of those specific methods will 
continue. We will publish all other future SW-846 updates as guidance. 
In this manner, we will make most new and revised methods for RCRA-
related monitoring available to the public in a faster and more 
efficient manner. We will still follow Agency guidelines to ensure that 
SW-846 methods are scientifically sound, including the peer review of 
method documents as necessary. We will also continue to request public 
comment on methods through Federal Register notices prior to their 
incorporation into SW-846.

III. How Can I Use the Methods of Draft Update IVB?

    Although the Draft Update IVB methods passed our Technical 
Workgroup review, you cannot use the methods of Draft Update IVB for 
compliance with the regulations that require the use of SW-846 methods. 
However, there are other sampling and analysis requirements in 40 CFR 
parts 260 through 270 that do not specify the use of SW-846 methods and 
in those cases you may use any reliable analytical method, including 
the methods found in Draft Updates IVA and IVB. We recommend that you 
consult with the appropriate regulating entity before using these 
methods to comply with a regulation.

[[Page 70680]]

IV. What Does Draft Update IVB Contain?

    Draft Update IVB contains revised and new documents for SW-846, 
each of which is dated ``November 2000'' in its footer. Tables 1 
through 3 list the documents found in Draft Update IVB.
    Table 1 provides a listing of the fifteen revised SW-846 methods 
and seven revised chapters or other SW-846 documents found in Draft 
Update IVB. We request public comment on all revised sections 
identified by Table 1. We are interested in comments from the public on 
the identified sections and chapters because some or all of their text 
represents significant revisions from the promulgated version of the 
document currently in the Third Edition of SW-846, as amended by 
Updates I through IIIA. (Note: Unless otherwise indicated as former 
sections, the section numbers in Table 1 refer to the section numbers 
in the Draft Update IVB version of the method.) Significant revisions 
include text deletions, additions, or other revisions that change a 
method's procedure or the intent or meaning of the text. Significant 
revisions do not include typographical or grammatical corrections, 
table reformatting (where the information is not changed), logical 
outgrowths of other revisions (e.g., the renumbering of sections to 
account for the addition of a new section), or other edits that are not 
substantive changes to text intent or the analytical procedure (e.g., 
the replacement of ``Teflon'' with ``PTFE''). Nonsignificant 
revisions also include the movement of otherwise unchanged information 
to another appropriate location in the method. We will, however, 
consider comments on the reordering of otherwise unchanged information 
in future revisions of Draft Update IVB.
    As indicated in Table 1, some of the revised methods were also in 
Draft Update IVA (documents dated January 1998). Based on further 
review, we revised those documents and are releasing them again as part 
of Draft Update IVB. You should replace your Draft Update IVA versions 
with the Draft Update IVB versions. These documents include the Table 
of Contents, Chapters Two through Five, and Methods 3535A, 3545A, 
8081B, 8082A, 8141B, and 8321B (see Table 1 for the titles of these 
methods).
    Table 2 provides a listing of the twelve new SW-846 methods found 
in Draft Update IVB. EPA is interested in comments on the content of 
all sections or parts of the new methods. Finally, Table 3 identifies 
the four air methods for which we are providing references in SW-846 as 
part of Draft Update IVB. These one-page references for each method 
indicate how one may obtain a copy of the method. We want to provide 
this information in SW-846, for the convenience of the user, because 
the methods are referred to by the RCRA regulations.

    Table 1.--Revised Methods and Chapters of SW-846 Draft Update IVB
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Method or chapter    Sections or parts open
        Method No.                title                for comment
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           Table of Contents*.  All parts.
                           Chapter Two*.......  All parts.
                           Chapter Three*.....  All parts.
                           Chapter Four*......  All parts.
                           Chapter Five*......  All parts.
                           Chapter Six........  All parts.
                           Chapter Ten........  All parts.
3500C....................  Organic Extraction   1.2; 5.4.1; 5.5; 5.6;
                            and Sample           7.1; 7.9; 7.10; 7.11;
                            Preparation.         8.2.4.7; 8.3.1; 9.2;
                                                 Table 1.
3535A*...................  Solid-Phase          1.1; 1.5; 4.3.2; 4.3.3;
                            Extraction (SPE).    4.4; 4.17; 5.5.7;
                                                 5.5.8; 7.0-7.11
                                                 (including all
                                                 subsections); 8.1-8.5;
                                                 10.0 Refs. 3-7; Table
                                                 1.
3545A*...................  Pressurized Fluid    1.3; 1.5; 2.1; 2.2; 2.3;
                            Extraction (PFE).    3.3; 3.4; 5.3.4; 5.4;
                                                 5.5; 5.6.2; 5.6.3; 5.7;
                                                 5.7.4; 5.7.6; 5.7.7;
                                                 7.1; 7.1.3; 7.1.5;
                                                 7.1.6; 7.2; 7.2.1-
                                                 7.2.3; 7.3; 7.5; 7.6;
                                                 7.9.1-7.9.3; 7.12.1;
                                                 7.12.2; 8.4; 8.5; 9.4;
                                                 9.5; 10.0 Refs. 3 and
                                                 4.
3550C....................  Ultrasonic           1.4; 1.5; 1.6; 1.7; 5.4;
                            Extraction.          7.0; 7.3; 7.3.6; 7.4.2;
                                                 7.4.3; 7.4.5; 7.4.9;
                                                 7.5; 7.5.1-7.5.5; 7.6;
                                                 7.6.1-7.6.2.2; 8.3;
                                                 Table 2.
3620C....................  Florisil Cleanup...  1.5; 5.6.3.7; 5.10;
                                                 5.11; 5.12.
6010C....................  Inductively Coupled  All parts.
                            Plasma-Atomic
                            Emission
                            Spectrometry.
8015C....................  Nonhalogenated       1.2; 1.2.1; 1.2.3; 1.4;
                            Organics by GC/FID.  2.2; 2.6; 2.7; 2.9;
                                                 2.10; 4.2; 4.2.5;
                                                 5.8.8; 7.1; 7.1.1.2;
                                                 7.1.3; 7.2.6; 9.1; 9.2;
                                                 9.4; 9.5; 10.0 Refs. 7
                                                 and 8; Table 8; Table
                                                 9.
8041A....................  Phenols by Gas       1.4; 1.6; 3.2; 3.5; 3.6;
                            Chromatography.      4.1; 4.2.3; 5.6; 7.0;
                                                 7.1.1.2; 7.1.3.2; 7.5;
                                                 7.5.1-7.5.3; 7.8; 8.5;
                                                 9.5; 10.0 Ref. 4;
                                                 Tables 4 and 5.
8081B*...................  Organochlorine       1.8; 4.2; 5.3; 5.3.1;
                            Pesticides by Gas    5.3.2; 7.1; 7.3.1;
                            Chromatography.      7.3.2; 7.4.6; 7.5.4;
                                                 7.5.9; 7.6.2; 9.1; 9.5-
                                                 9.10; 10.0 Refs. 11-15;
                                                 Tables 12-21; removal
                                                 of former sec. 7.7.6.
8082A*...................  Polychlorinated      1.3; 1.9; 4.2; 4.2.3.3;
                            Biphenyls (PCBs)     5.2; 5.6.3; 5.9.3;
                            by Gas               5.10; 6.2; 7.1.1;
                            Chromatography.      7.1.3; 7.5; 7.6.2.3;
                                                 7.6.2.4; 7.6.3; 7.6.6;
                                                 7.6.8; 7.7; 7.8.3;
                                                 8.2.1; 8.2.2; 8.3;
                                                 8.3.1-8.3.3; 8.5; 9.4;
                                                 9.4.1-9.4.3; 9.5; 9.6;
                                                 9.7; 10.0 Refs. 11-14;
                                                 Tables 11-22; Figures 1-
                                                 6; removal of former
                                                 secs. 7.10.4, 7.10.5,
                                                 8.3.1.1, and 8.3.1.2.
8141B*...................  Organophosphorus     1.1; 1.6; 1.7; 2.1.1;
                            Compounds by Gas     2.1.2; 2.2; 4.2; 5.4.2;
                            Chromatography.      5.4.3; 6.2; 7.1; 7.2;
                                                 7.2.1-7.2.5; 7.3; 7.3.1-
                                                 7.3.3; 7.4; 7.5; 7.5.1-
                                                 7.5.2; 7.7; 7.7.1-
                                                 7.7.3; 7.8; 7.8.1-
                                                 7.8.3; 7.9; 7.9.1-
                                                 7.9.4; 8.3; 8.3.1-
                                                 8.3.3; 8.4; 8.4.1-
                                                 8.4.6; 8.5; 8.6; 9.1-
                                                 9.6; 10.0 Refs. 15 and
                                                 16; Tables 11-15;
                                                 removal of former secs.
                                                 8.3.3.1, 8.3.3.1.1-
                                                 8.3.3.1.5, 8.3.3.2,
                                                 8.7, 8.7.1-8.1.7.5.
8318A....................  N-Methyl Carbamates  1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4;
                            by High              2.1.1-2.1.3; 2.2; 2.3;
                            Performance Liquid   4.1; 4.1.4-4.1.7; 4.2-
                            Chromatography       4.8.4; 7.1-7.9 (and all
                            (HPLC).              subsections); 8.1-8.4
                                                 (and all subsections);
                                                 9.1; 9.3; 10.0 Ref. 7;
                                                 Tables 5 and 6.
8321B*...................  Solvent-Extractable  1.1; 1.5-1.9; 2.2.2;
                            Nonvolatile          3.11; 4.2; 4.3; 4.3.1;
                            Compounds by High    4.3.2; 4.19; 5.9; 5.15;
                            Performance Liquid   5.16; 7.1; 7.1.3;
                            Chromatography/      7.3.1; 7.3.1.7; 7.4;
                            Thermospray/Mass     7.4.1-7.4.5; 7.5; 7.5.1-
                            Spectrometry (HPLC/  7.5.4; 7.6.1; 7.8.1.1;
                            TS/MS) or            7.8.1.2; 7.8.2.2;
                            Ultraviolet (UV)     7.8.3; 7.9.4; 7.9.5;
                            Detection.           7.10.3; 9.3-9.5; 10.0
                                                 Refs. 10 and 11; Table
                                                 2; Tables 18-20;
                                                 removal of former secs.
                                                 7.5.2.8, 8.2.4, 9.2,
                                                 9.2.1, and 9.2.2;
                                                 removal of former
                                                 Tables 3, 10, 13, 14,
                                                 17, 18, and 19.

[[Page 70681]]

 
9056A....................  Determination of     All parts.
                            Inorganic Anions
                            by Ion
                            Chromatography.
9210A....................  Potentiometric       All parts.
                            Determination of
                            Nitrate in Aqueous
                            Samples with Ion-
                            Selective
                            Electrode.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The documents with an asterisk (*) were also in Draft Update IVA,
  dated January 1998, and are being released again as part of Draft
  Update IVB, with some revisions and a new date of November 2000.


            Table 2.--New Methods of SW-846 Draft Update IVB
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Method no.                          Method title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1040...................................  Test Method for Oxidizing
                                          Solids.
1050...................................  Test Methods to Determine
                                          Substances Likely to
                                          Spontaneously Combust.
3546...................................  Microwave Extraction.
3815...................................  Screening Solid Samples for
                                          Volatile Organics.
4425...................................  Screening Extracts of
                                          Environmental Samples for
                                          Planar Organic Compounds
                                          (PAHs, PCBs, Dioxins/Furans)
                                          by a Reporter Gene on a Human
                                          Cell Line.
8085...................................  Compound-Independent Elemental
                                          Quantitation of Pesticides by
                                          Gas Chromatography with Atomic
                                          Emission Detection (GC/AED).
8095...................................  Explosives by Gas
                                          Chromatography.
8261...................................  Volatile Organic Compounds by
                                          Vacuum Distillation in
                                          Combination with Gas
                                          Chromatography/Mass
                                          Spectrometry (VD/GC/MS).
8510...................................  Colorimetric Screening
                                          Procedure for RDX and HMX in
                                          Soil.
8535...................................  Screening Procedure for Total
                                          Volatile Organic Halides in
                                          Water.
8540...................................  Pentachlorophenol (PCP) by UV-
                                          Induced Colorimetry.
9058...................................  Determination of Perchlorate
                                          Using Ion Chromatography with
                                          Chemical Suppression
                                          Conductivity Detection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


     Table 3.--Method References Provided by SW-846 Draft Update IVB
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Method no.                          Method title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
25D....................................  Determination of the Volatile
                                          Organic Content of Waste
                                          Samples.
25E....................................  Determination of Vapor Phase
                                          Organic Concentration in Waste
                                          Samples.
207-1..................................  Sampling Method for
                                          Isocyanates.
207-2..................................  Analysis for Isocyanates by
                                          High Performance Liquid
                                          Chromatography (HPLC).
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: November 17, 2000.
Matthew Hale,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 00-30111 Filed 11-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U