EPA Raises Civil Penalties for RCRA Hazardous Waste Violations, More

Its that time of year again—the time when, since the passage of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, government agencies are required to raise civil penalties annually to match the rate of inflation.

Before the 2015 law, agencies like EPA and DOT were required to raise penalties for hazardous waste and hazmat shipping mistakes once every four years.

We'll cover major EPA programs with the broadest impact below. Read on or jump to the complete updated penalty amounts in the Federal Register here.

So if it seems like penalties rise more often lately, it’s because they do. And while the “maximum” penalty is not applied in all cases, knowing what’s at stake can help you demonstrate the risks of noncompliance and its impact on your company’s bottom line.

New US EPA RCRA Hazardous Waste Penalty

For violations of EPA’s RCRA hazardous waste storage, management, and disposal requirements, the maximum civil penalty will increase from $71,264 to $72,718 per day, per violation.

New RCRA hazardous waste rules are in effect now in many states—and your state could be next to adopt the major updates. With expert training, you can be confident you know what’s changing for 2018 and what it will take to keep your facility in compliance.

Join us for the expert-led RCRA Refresher Webinar for annual hazardous waste training on February 22. Or catch a Lion RCRA workshop in cities nationwide.

TSCA Chemical Management and Reporting Penalties

Given all the changes to the amended TSCA program under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act, or LCSA, a slight rise in the maximum civil penalty may be the least of chemical industry professionals’ worries.

That said, the maximum civil penalty for TSCA violations will rise about $800, from $38,114 to $38,892 per day, per violation.

To help EHS managers meet their responsibilities for inventory reporting, safe chemical management, and more, the TSCA Regulations Online Course covers the critical elements of this changing EPA program. 

EPCRA and Superfund Civil Penalties

Under both the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the maximum civil penalty will rise from $54,789 to $55,907 per day, per violation.

New! Have questions about EPCRA or CERCLA compliance? Get answers now: the Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online Course is now live at Lion.com.

Clean Air and Clean Water Act Penalties

The maximum civil penalties for violations of EPA’s many air and water compliance programs will rise, too: 

Clean Air Act: From $95,284 to $97,229 per day, per violation
Clean Water Act: From $52,414 to $53,484 per day, per violation
Safe Drinking Water Act: From $54,789 to $55,907 per day, per violation

And Finally, FIFRA Fines

The maximum EPA civil penalty for violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)—which sets requirements for applying pesticides—will rise from $19,057 to $19,446 per day, per violation.
 

20+ Hours of EHS Manager Training - Available Anytime, Anywhere

Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, EPCRA, CERLCA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field, or need an update on changing EPA rules, the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course will help you quickly build in-depth expertise.

Or, check out the latest individual EPA compliance training options here:
 
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online 
 
The 2018 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.

Tags: EPA, EPCRA, fines and penalties, RCRA, TSCA