Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Study Guide

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Background

• Introduced to regulate the growing problem of solid and hazardous waste management in the United States

  • During the 1970s, many landfills and waste facilities operated without oversight, leading to soil and water contamination

  • The goal was to prevent future environmental disasters by ensuring safe, long-term waste handling and disposal

• RCRA is focused on active waste management — regulating how waste is generated, stored, transported, treated, and disposed of

• It complements CERCLA (Superfund), which deals with cleanup of past contamination, whereas RCRA aims to prevent contamination before it happens

Key Dates

• 1976: RCRA passed and signed into law

• 1984: Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) significantly strengthened the law

  • Banned land disposal of untreated hazardous waste

  • Increased emphasis on waste minimization and recycling

How the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act relates to the environment

• Gives the EPA authority to oversee waste from "cradle to grave"

  • Covers municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and hazardous waste

  • Requires tracking of hazardous waste shipments and strict handling procedures

• Promotes safe storage and disposal of materials that, if mismanaged, could pollute air, soil, or water

  • Prevents solid waste disposal issues such as leaching, methane production, and groundwater contamination

• Encourages recycling, composting, and other methods of minimizing waste generation

Evaluation

• Successes:

  • Helped eliminate unregulated landfills and storage sites

  • Improved hazardous waste tracking and transparency

  • Supports the development of safer waste treatment and recycling technologies

  • Encouraged industries to minimize waste production through reuse and recovery

• Challenges:

  • Enforcement and compliance vary between states and facilities

  • Some facilities have been found to evade regulations or delay corrective actions

  • Focuses more on hazardous waste — some critics argue it doesn’t adequately address modern waste types like e-waste or microplastics

  • Requires ongoing funding and inspection efforts to ensure long-term effectiveness