Hazardous waste is regulated under RCRA by which federal agency?

• A. EPA
• B. OSHA
• C. DOT
• D. UN model codes and regulations

Answer: (A)

The agency that regulates hazardous waste under RCRA is the Environmental Protection Agency. RCRA is a federal environmental statute that governs the cradle-to-grave management of hazardous waste—generation, storage, treatment, transport, and disposal—and the EPA sets the federal standards and oversees enforcement. States can run their own programs, but only with EPA authorization and must meet or exceed federal requirements. OSHA handles workplace safety and health, not the overall management program for hazardous waste. DOT oversees the shipping and transportation of hazardous materials, not the RCRA program itself. UN model codes are international guidelines, not a U.S. federal agency. So the EPA is the correct regulator.