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Enforcement

Criminal Provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

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General descriptions of the criminal provisions under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act:

Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit
Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit
Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest
Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility
RCRA False Statement
Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records
Knowing Endangerment
Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste


Treatment, storage, or disposal without a permit

Elements:

  • A person
    • Knowingly
      • Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste without a permit

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)

Penalty:

  • 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

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Treatment, storage, or disposal in violation of a permit

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Knowingly
      • Treats, stores, or disposes of a hazardous waste in knowing violation of a material permit condition

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(B) and (C)

Penalty:

  • 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

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Transportation of Hazardous Waste without a Manifest

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Knowingly
      • Transport or causes to be transported a hazardous waste without a manifest where one is required by the regulations

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5)

Penalty:

  • 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent corrections

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Transportation to a Unpermitted Facility

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Knowingly
      • Transports or causes to be transported a hazardous waste to a facility that does not have a permit

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1)

Penalty:

  • 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations:40 C.F.R. 260 - 265


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RCRA False Statement

Elements:

  • A person owns or operates a source
    • Knowingly
      • Omits material information or makes any false statement in any document filed or used for purposes of compliance with Subtitle C (RCRA hazardous waste regulations) a document
      • The false statement or representation is material

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(3)

Penalty:

  • 2 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations

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Knowing Alteration, Destruction, or Concealment of Records

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Generates, stores, treats, transports, disposes of, exports, or otherwise handles hazardous waste and;
    • Knowingly alters, destroys, conceals, or fails to file records required to be maintained or filed pursuant to Subtitle C

Statute:42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(4)

Penalty:

  • 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations.

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

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Knowing Endangerment

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Knowingly
      • Transports, treats, stores, disposes of, or exports a hazardous waste in violation of 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) - (7) and;
      • Knew that such acts put another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(e)

Penalty:

  • 15 years and/or up to $250,000 or $1,000,000 if an organization

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R. 260 - 265

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Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste

Elements:

  • A Person
    • Knowingly
      • Exports a hazardous waste without consent of the receiving country or in violation of an international agreement between the United States and the receiving country

Statute: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(6)

Penalty:

  • 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day violation
    • Penalties double for subsequent violations

Relevant Regulations: 40 C.F.R 260 - 265

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