The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. RCRA protects human health and the environment in two ways:

1. Prevention. Preventing future environmental problems from being caused by waste.
2. Corrective Action. Cleaning up current environmental problems caused by the mismanagement of waste.

RCRA Subtitle C provides a system for managing hazardous waste from the time it is generated until its ultimate disposal. Subtitle C regulations set criteria for hazardous waste generators, transporters, and treatment, storage and disposal facilities. This includes permitting requirements, enforcement and corrective action or cleanup.

RCRA Corrective Action usually (i) takes place at facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste, (ii) can take place while a facility continues operating, and (iii) may be required through a RCRA permit, order, administrative or judicial action, or a voluntary agreement.

In April 2010, the EPA announced the National Enforcement Strategy for RCRA Corrective Action (NESCA). NESCA will help the EPA have the Current Human Exposures Under Control Environmental Indicator in place at 95% of the 3,747 facilities believed to need corrective action, by the end of 2020.

On September 1, 2020, the Office of Land and Emergency Management set forth the vision, mission and goals for the RCRA Corrective Action program beyond 2020. To learn more about the RCRA Corrective Action program, visit the EPA’s Corrective Action website.

Learn More About the RCRA Corrective Action (CA) Enforcement Program:

• Types of and Approaches to RCRA CA Enforcement Actions
• Enforcing RCRA Corrective Action Permits
• Enforcement Strategy for Corrective Action
• RCRA CA Enforcement Authorities

RCRA Corrective Action Enforcement Resources:

• RCRA Corrective Action Cleanup Enforcement Policy and Guidance documents
• RCRA Corrective Action enforcement reports and publications