RCRA: impacts on coal utilization in america

Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is directed to develop criteria and regulations for the management of solid waste materials throughout the United States. The most profound impact of RCRA was expected to fall on the newly emerging synthetic-fuels industry. Under circumstances where the waste produced by the synthetic-fuels process falls within the classification of hazardous wastes, the costs of waste management and the difficulties with the siting of coal gasification and liquefaction facilities may be substantial. 5 refs.