[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16672-16674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7517]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6957-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Universal 
Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements for Universal Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities, 
ICR Number 1597.04, OMB Control Number 2050-0145, Expiration Date 9/30/
01 (the general universal waste ICR). This ICR also consolidates the 
Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Generators of Hazardous 
Waste Lamps ICR (formerly having ICR Number 1699.02, OMB Control Number 
2050-0164, Expiration Date 9/30/02) into the general universal waste 
rule ICR. EPA is doing this consolidation because hazardous waste lamps 
are a new federal universal waste and their reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements are covered in the requirements for universal waste 
handlers. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA 
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-2001-UWHP-FFFFF to RCRA Docket 
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the 
Arlington, VA, address listed below. Comments may also be submitted 
electronically by sending electronic mail through the Internet to: 
[email protected]. Comments in electronic format should also 
be identified by the docket number F-2001-UWHP-FFFFF. All electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
    The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. 
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically 
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also 
include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record 
is the paper record maintained in the RCRA Information Center (the RIC 
address is listed above in this section).
    Commenters should not submit any confidential business information 
(CBI) electronically. An original and two copies of CBI must be 
submitted under separate cover to: RCRA CBI Document Control Officer, 
Office of Solid Waste (5303W), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing 
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, it is recommended that 
the public make an appointment by calling (703) 603-9230.

[[Page 16673]]

The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket 
at no charge. Additional copies are $0.15/page. This notice and the 
supporting documents that detail the Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements for Universal Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities 
ICR are also available electronically. See the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section for information on accessing them.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tab Tesnau by phone at (703) 605-0636, 
by facsimile at (703) 308-8638, by mail at the Office of Solid Waste 
(5303W), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Internet Availability: Today's notice and the supporting documents 
that detail the Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Generators 
of Hazardous Waste Lamps ICR are available on the Internet. Follow 
these instructions to access this information electronically:

WWWURL: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/univwast.htm
FTP: ftp.epa.gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet e-mail address
Path:/pub/epaoswer

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
waste handlers and destination facilities that collect and manage 
certain hazardous waste batteries, certain hazardous waste pesticides, 
hazardous waste mercury-containing thermostats, and hazardous waste 
lamps.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Universal Waste 
Handlers and Destination Facilities, OMB Control number 2050-0145, EPA 
ICR number 1597.04, expiration date: 9/30/2001.
    Abstract: EPA promulgated the Universal Waste standards at 40 CFR 
part 273. The Universal Waste standards govern the collection and 
management of widely generated wastes known as universal wastes. EPA 
has identified hazardous waste batteries, certain hazardous waste 
pesticides, hazardous waste thermostats, and hazardous waste lamps as 
universal wastes. Other wastes may be added to the universal waste 
federal program if EPA determines such regulation is appropriate. 
Additional wastes can be added by states as a ``state-only'' waste. The 
regulations allow universal waste handlers to manage universal wastes 
under a reduced set of regulatory requirements. Destination facilities, 
on the other hand, (i.e., those facilities accepting universal waste 
for treatment, recycling, or disposal) remain subject to their regular 
requirements. The universal waste regulations at part 273 were 
promulgated by EPA under the authority of Subtitle C in RCRA.
    This information collection targets the collection of information 
for the following reporting or recordkeeping requirements: 
notification, labeling and marking, storage time limitations, off-site 
shipments, tracking of universal waste shipments, and petitions to 
include other waste categories at the federal level. It is necessary 
for EPA to collect universal waste information to ensure that universal 
waste is collected and managed in a manner that is protective of human 
health and the environment. EPA requires, among other things, Large 
Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste to notify the Agency of their 
universal waste management activities so that EPA can obtain general 
information on these handlers, and to facilitate enforcement of the 
regulations at part 273. In addition, EPA requires universal waste 
handlers to record the date on which they begin storing universal waste 
on-site to ensure that such accumulation is performed responsibly. EPA 
also requires certain universal waste handlers to track receipt of 
universal waste shipments as well as shipments sent off-site to ensure 
that universal waste is properly treated, recycled, and disposed. 
Finally, the submission of petitions in support of regulating other 
wastes or waste categories under part 273 helps EPA (1) to compile 
information on these wastes, and (2) to determine whether regulation as 
a universal waste is appropriate.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
    EPA would like to solicit comments to: (i) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The bottom line annual respondent burden is 
estimated to be 218,168 hours with a cost of approximately $10,285,683. 
The bottom line burden to respondents over the three-year period 
covered by this ICR is estimated at 654,504 hours, with a cost of 
approximately $30,857,049.
    The average public recordkeeping burden for Small Quantity Handlers 
of Universal Waste (SQHUWs) under this collection of information is 
estimated to be 1.4 hours per year. This estimate includes time for 
reading the regulations, labeling universal waste, and maintaining 
records demonstrating the length of storage. The reporting burden for 
SQHUWs (for submitting notices of rejected or illegal universal waste 
shipments) is expected to be negligible. The recordkeeping burden for 
Large Quantity Handlers of Universal Waste (LQHUWs) under this 
collection of information is estimated to be 2.8 hours per year. This 
estimate includes time for reading the regulations, labeling universal 
waste, maintaining records demonstrating the length of storage, and 
maintaining records of universal waste received and sent. The reporting 
burden for LQHUWs is estimated to be 0.5 hours per year. This estimate 
includes time for notifying EPA of universal waste management, and 
preparing and submitting notices of rejected or illegal universal waste 
shipments. The recordkeeping burden for destination facilities is 
estimated to be 183.1 hours per year. This estimate includes time for 
reading the regulations and maintaining records of universal waste 
received. The reporting burden for destination facilities is estimated 
to be 18.4 hours per year. This estimate includes time for preparing 
and submitting notices of rejected or illegal universal waste 
shipments.
    This ICR estimates a total respondent universe of 129,839 LQHUWs, 
SQHUWs, and destination facilities (118,367 SQHUWs, 11,414 LQHUWs, and 
58 Destination Facilities). The frequency of response is on an as 
needed basis.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide information to or for a federal agency. This includes the time 
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information,

[[Page 16674]]

processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing 
information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously 
applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to 
respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete 
and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information.

    Dated: March 14, 2001.
Elizabeth A Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 01-7517 Filed 3-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P