Interim status standards for owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities--Environmental Protection Agency. Interim final rule and interim final amendments to rules and request for comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] has issued standards applicable to owners and operators of hazardous waste management facilities as required by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [RCRA]. One of these standards bans the disposal of most containerized liquid hazardous waste in landfills, effective November 19, 1981. As a result of reconsideration of this restriction, EPA is today promulgating an interim final rule to allow the disposal of small containers of liquid and solid hazardous waste in landfills provided that the wastes are placed in overpacked drums [lab packs] in the manner specified in today's rule. The purpose of today's rule is to provide an environmental sound disposal option for generators of small containers of hazardous wastes, such as laboratories.