[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 122 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35594-35596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14458]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2004-0005; FRL-7778-9]


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 1597.06, OMB Control Number 2050-0145. This ICR is scheduled 
to expire on November 30, 2004. 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 August 24, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID No. RCRA-2204-
0005 to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to: 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center (5305T), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, OSWER Docket, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460. Follow the detailed instructions provided in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tab Tesnau, Office of Solid Waste 
(5303W), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460, (703) 605-0636, or by e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR

[[Page 35595]]

under Docket ID No. RCRA-2004-0005. Documents in the official public 
docket are listed in the index list in EPA's electronic public docket 
and comment system, EDOCKET. Documents may be available either 
electronically or in hard copy. Electronic documents may be viewed 
through EDOCKET. Hard copy documents may be viewed at the OSWER Docket 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading 
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OSWER Docket 
is (202) 566-0270. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through EPA Docket (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/docket.
    You may use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of 
information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing 
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in 
the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified 
above.
    Certain types of information will not be placed in EDOCKET. 
Information claimed as CBI, and other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public 
docket, will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. EPA's 
policy is that copyrighted material will not be placed in EDOCKET but 
will be available only in printed, paper form in the official public 
docket. Publicly available docket materials that are not available 
electronically may be viewed at the EPA Docket Center.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is 
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, 
will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public 
docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The 
entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be 
available in the public docket.
    Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or 
delivered to the docket will be transferred to EDOCKET. Public comments 
that are mailed or delivered to the Docket will be scanned and placed 
in EDOCKET. Where practical, physical objects will be photographed, and 
the photograph will be placed in EDOCKET along with a brief description 
written by the docket staff.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. You may submit comments electronically, by 
mail, or through hand delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by 
EPA, identify the appropriate docket identification number in the 
subject line on the first page of your comment. Please ensure that your 
comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments 
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' 
EPA is not required to consider these late comments in formulating a 
final decision.
    If you submit an electronic comment as prescribed below, EPA 
recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail 
address or other contact information in the body of your comment. Also 
include this contact information on the outside of any disk or CD ROM 
you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying the disk or CD ROM. 
This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the comment 
and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA cannot read your comment due 
to technical difficulties or needs further information on the substance 
of your comment. EPA's policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, 
and any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a 
comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the 
official public docket, and made available in EDOCKET. If EPA cannot 
read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you 
for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    Your use of EDOCKET to submit comments to EPA electronically is 
EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. Go directly to EDOCKET 
at http://www.epa.gov/edocket, and follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments. Once in the system, select ``search,'' and then 
key in Docket ID No. RCRA-2004-0005. The system is an ``anonymous 
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail 
address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body 
of your comment.
    Electronic comments may also be sent through the federal-wide 
eRulemaking Web site at www.regulations.gov.
    Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected], Attention Docket ID No. RCRA-2004-0005. In contrast to 
EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an 
``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to 
the Docket without going through EDOCKET, EPA's e-mail system 
automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses that are 
automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as part of 
the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made 
available in EDOCKET.
    You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM that you mail to the 
mailing address identified below. These electronic submissions will be 
accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file format. Avoid the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
    Send your comments to: OSWER Docket, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mailcode 5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 
20460, Attention Docket ID No. RCRA-2004-0005.
    Deliver your comments to: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 
1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID No. 
RCRA-2004-0005. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's 
normal hours of operation as identified above.
    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 1597.06, expiration date: 11/30/2004.
    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

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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 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: SQHUWs, LQHUWs, and Destination 
Facilities.
    Estimated Number of Respondent: 119,738 (118,367 SQHUWs, 1,313 
LQHUWs, and 58 Destination Facilities).
    Frequency of Response: as needed.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 185,682 hours.
     Over a 3 year period: 556,872.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $2,098.
     Over a three year period: $6,295.
    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, 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: June 15, 2004.
Robert Springer,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 04-14458 Filed 6-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P