IS-0005.a: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials
1. Comprehensive Emergency Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (1980):
created a billion dollar trust fund to pay for Federal and State response actions when
hazardous materials pose or may pose a threat to human health or the environment
2. Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA): expanded and revised CERCLA
3. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986: Title III of SARA; subjects +300
hazardous substances to reporting to local, State, and Federal agencies; requires local
governments to create emergency plans
4. The National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP): the basis for
Federal action to minimize pollution damage from discharges of oil or hazardous substances;
Federal agencies assist in the development and evaluation of national, regional, and local oil
and hazardous substance pollution contingency plans
5. National Response Team (NRT): publish guidance on emergency response planning and
stand ready to assist States in the event of a major chemical emer- gency
6. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Deal with inland water
7. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): Deal with coastal water
8. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA): establishes a Federal program to
provide comprehensive regulation of hazardous waste, which includes certain materials held to
pose a potential threat to public health and safety when they are discarded; "cradle to grave
management of hazardous waste";
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, 9. How did the RCRA work?: Developed cleanup standards, tracks hazardous waste
shipments and developed a permit system for waste disposal sites
10.Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) (1975): DOT's Office of Hazardous Materials
Transportation (OHMT) issues regulations dealing with the shipping and packaging of
hazardous materials, including how they are classified and labeled.
11.Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: issues basic safety and health standards, assigns
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) employ- ees to inspect workplaces, and
forces industry to reduce or eliminate job hazards by imposing fines for identified violations
12.Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) (1989): a health and
safety standard to ensure the safety of workers performing hazardous waste cleanup or
response actions
13.The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (1976): chemical producers are required to
research the effects of new chemicals and notify EPA before they are
manufactured; EPA has the authority to ban or restrict chemical uses if there is sufficient eviden
that the substance poses an "unreasonable risk."
14.Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (1910): requires regulation of pesti- cides; amended in
1972 to require testing for short-term and long-term toxic effects prior to registration
15. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) (1938): requires the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to enforce residue limits by monitoring and seizing foods whose residues
are in excess of standards.
16.Clean Air Act (CAA) (1970): the basic Federal law for controlling toxic air pollution; requires
EPA to keep an up-to-date list of industrial pollutants that are hazardous to human health, and
set an emission standard for each "with an ample margin of safety;" requires EPA to review
public health standards for six major air pollutants every 5 years; can be based only upon a
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1. Comprehensive Emergency Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (1980):
created a billion dollar trust fund to pay for Federal and State response actions when
hazardous materials pose or may pose a threat to human health or the environment
2. Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA): expanded and revised CERCLA
3. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986: Title III of SARA; subjects +300
hazardous substances to reporting to local, State, and Federal agencies; requires local
governments to create emergency plans
4. The National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP): the basis for
Federal action to minimize pollution damage from discharges of oil or hazardous substances;
Federal agencies assist in the development and evaluation of national, regional, and local oil
and hazardous substance pollution contingency plans
5. National Response Team (NRT): publish guidance on emergency response planning and
stand ready to assist States in the event of a major chemical emer- gency
6. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Deal with inland water
7. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): Deal with coastal water
8. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA): establishes a Federal program to
provide comprehensive regulation of hazardous waste, which includes certain materials held to
pose a potential threat to public health and safety when they are discarded; "cradle to grave
management of hazardous waste";
1 14
, 9. How did the RCRA work?: Developed cleanup standards, tracks hazardous waste
shipments and developed a permit system for waste disposal sites
10.Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) (1975): DOT's Office of Hazardous Materials
Transportation (OHMT) issues regulations dealing with the shipping and packaging of
hazardous materials, including how they are classified and labeled.
11.Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: issues basic safety and health standards, assigns
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) employ- ees to inspect workplaces, and
forces industry to reduce or eliminate job hazards by imposing fines for identified violations
12.Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) (1989): a health and
safety standard to ensure the safety of workers performing hazardous waste cleanup or
response actions
13.The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (1976): chemical producers are required to
research the effects of new chemicals and notify EPA before they are
manufactured; EPA has the authority to ban or restrict chemical uses if there is sufficient eviden
that the substance poses an "unreasonable risk."
14.Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (1910): requires regulation of pesti- cides; amended in
1972 to require testing for short-term and long-term toxic effects prior to registration
15. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) (1938): requires the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to enforce residue limits by monitoring and seizing foods whose residues
are in excess of standards.
16.Clean Air Act (CAA) (1970): the basic Federal law for controlling toxic air pollution; requires
EPA to keep an up-to-date list of industrial pollutants that are hazardous to human health, and
set an emission standard for each "with an ample margin of safety;" requires EPA to review
public health standards for six major air pollutants every 5 years; can be based only upon a
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