Summary: EPA DC is holding a national stakeholders meeting on June 18
to discuss appropriate regulation of laboratory chemical waste.

Note: The text in the Federal Register Notice below is a draft
version and may change.

- Ralph

Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 14:16:39 -0400
From: Davis.Kate**At_Symbol_Here**epamail.epa.gov
Subject: Invitation to Labs Public Meeting

              UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

                                                                OFFICE OF
                                                SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY
                                                                 RESPONSE

                                                       May 29, 2003

Dear Invitee:

EPA's Office of Solid Waste invites you to participate in a public
meeting we are hosting on Wednesday, June 18, 2003, to discuss issues
associated with hazardous waste management in research and/or
academic laboratories.  The purpose of this meeting is to present our
progress to date on research and academic laboratory issues and
solicit specific input on approaches to these issues.  The following
topics are planned for discussion: when/where to make a hazardous
waste determination, waste labeling requirements, personnel training
requirements, satellite accumulation, and types of treatment that are
performed in laboratories. We urge you to share this notice with
others in your organization and coordinate your attendance due to
space limitations.  Interested parties may choose to attend the
meeting in person or submit written comment.

EPA will hold the meeting in Washington, D.C.  Interested parties
also may participate via videoconferencing at the following
locations:  EPA Region I Laboratory, North Chelmsford, MA; EPA Region
V, Chicago, IL; and EPA Region IX, San Francisco, CA.  A Federal
Register Notice (FRN) announcing the public meeting and detailing
logistics and other pertinent information is expected to be published
the first week of June.  Please refer to the FRN to provide
background information, issues for discussion, and instructions on
how and where to participate. When the notice is published, you may
view it at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.

For your convenience, attached is a pre-publication FRN signed by the
Deputy Office Director for the Office of Solid Waste.  Please be
aware that this notice is subject to change until publication in the
FRN. Therefore, do not cite or quote this attachment.

We look forward to the opportunity to discuss and gain further
insight into issues that have been consistently identified by our
stakeholders. If you have questions regarding the FRN or registration
for the public meeting, please contact Kate Davis, Office of Solid
Waste (5304W), US Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-0091;
fax number: (703) 308-0514; e-mail address: davis.kate**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov.  All
other inquiries should be directed to Kristina Meson, Office of Solid
Waste (5304W), US Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.  20460; telephone number: (703)
308-8488; fax number: (703) 308-0514; e-mail address:
meson.kristina**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket No. RCRA-2003-0012; FRL-      ]

Announcement of a Public Stakeholder Meeting on Management  of
Hazardous Waste in Research and/or Academic Laboratories

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:   Notice of a public stakeholder meeting.

SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Solid Waste is holding a public meeting on
Wednesday, June 18, 2003, to discuss issues associated with hazardous
waste management  in research and/or academic laboratories.  The
purpose of this meeting is to present our progress to date on issues
specific to waste management in research and academic laboratories
and solicit input from individual stakeholders on approaches to
addressing these issues. A tentative agenda is available upon
request.  The following topics are planned for discussion: when/where
to make a hazardous waste determination, waste labeling requirements,
personnel training requirements, satellite accumulation, and types of
treatment that are performed in laboratories.  Interested parties may
choose to attend the meeting or submit written comment. The Agency's
goal is to improve the program to better protect human health and the
environment through standards that are harmonious with the way
laboratories operate.

DATES:  The stakeholder meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18
from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time. Submit written comments on
or before July 18.

ADDRESSES:  EPA will hold the meeting in Washington, D.C. at EPA East
(Conference Room 1153), 1201 Constitution Ave., NW. Interested
parties also may participate via videoconferencing at the following
locations:

1.  North Chelmsford - EPA Region I Laboratory (Kennebunkport Room),
11 Technology Drive, North Chelmsford, MA 01863

2.  Chicago - EPA Region V Office (Lake Erie Conference Room), 77 W.
Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604

3.  San Francisco -- EPA Region IX Office (Conference Room R1915), 75
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA  94105

Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or
through hand delivery/courier.  Follow the detailed instructions as
provided in Unit I.C. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kate Davis, Office of Solid Waste
(5304W), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-0091; fax
number: (703) 308-0514; e-mail address: davis.kate**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Meeting Apply to Me?

While the meeting is open to the public in general, the identified
topics may be of particular interest to persons who work in research
and/or academic laboratory settings or persons who are concerned
about the implementation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) in these settings. Potentially interested parties may
include but are not limited to: government laboratories; research and
development laboratories; academic laboratories; federal, state and
local regulators; academic institutions; non-governmental
organizations; and trade associations representing environmental
health and safety professionals at research and/or academic
laboratories.  If you have any questions regarding the applicability
of this meeting to a particular entity, consult the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Electronic Access to This Document and Other Related
Information?

1. Docket.  EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0012. The official public docket
consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any
public comments received, and other information related to this
action.  Although a part of the official docket, the public docket
does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official
public docket is the collection of materials that is available for
public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room
B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC.  The EPA Docket
Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  The telephone
number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1742, and the telephone
number for the EPA Docket Center is (202) 566-0270).

2.  Electronic Access.  You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the "Federal Register"
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. An electronic version of
the public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket
and comment system, EPA Dockets.  You may use EPA Dockets at
http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public comments, access
the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and
to access those documents in the public docket that are available
electronically.  Once in the system, select "search," then key in the
appropriate docket identification number.

Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA Dockets.
Information claimed as CBI and other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public
docket, will not be available for public viewing in EPA's electronic
public docket.  EPA's policy is that copyrighted material will not be
placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will be available only
in printed, paper form in the official public docket. To the extent
feasible, publicly available docket materials will be made available
in EPA's electronic public docket.  When a document is selected from
the index list in EPA Dockets, the system will identify whether the
document is available for viewing in EPA's electronic public docket.
Although not all docket materials may be available electronically,
you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials
through the docket facility identified in Unit I.B. EPA intends to
work towards providing electronic access to all of the publicly
available docket materials through EPA's electronic public docket.

For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper,
will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public
docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.  When EPA identifies a comment
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EPA's
electronic public docket.  The entire printed comment, including the
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket.

Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or
delivered to the docket will be transferred to EPA's electronic
public docket.  Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the
Docket will be scanned and placed in EPA's electronic public docket.
Where practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the
photograph will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along
with a brief description written by the docket staff.

For additional information about EPA's electronic public docket visit
EPA Dockets online or see 67 FR 38102, May 31, 2002.

C.  How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments?

You may submit comments electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or
through hand delivery/courier.  To ensure proper receipt by EPA,
identify the appropriate docket identification number in the subject
line on the first page of your comment.  Please ensure that your
comments are submitted within the specified comment period.  Comments
received after the close of the comment period will be marked "late."
EPA is not required to consider these late comments. However, late
comments may be considered if time permits.

1.  Electronically.  If you submit an electronic comment as
prescribed below, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing
address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the
body of your comment.  Also include this contact information on the
outside of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter
accompanying the disk or CD ROM.  This ensures that you can be
identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact
you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical
difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your
comment.  EPA's policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, and
any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a
comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the
official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public
docket.  If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be
able to consider your comment.

        i. EPA Dockets. Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to
submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for
receiving comments.  Go directly to EPA Dockets at
http://www.epa.gov/edocket, and follow the online instructions for
submitting comments.  To access EPA's electronic public docket from
the EPA Internet Home Page, select "Information Sources," "Dockets,"
and "EPA Dockets."  Once in the system, select "search," and then key
in Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0012.  The system is an "anonymous access"
system, which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address,
or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment.

        ii. E-mail.  Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail)
to rcra-docket**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov,  Attention Docket ID No. RCRA 2003-0012.  In
contrast to EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is
not an "anonymous access" system.  If you send an e-mail comment
directly to the Docket without going through EPA's electronic public
docket, EPA's e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail
address.  E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's
e-mail system are included as part of the comment that is placed in
the official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic
public docket.

        iii. Disk or CD ROM.  You may submit comments on a disk or CD
ROM that you mail to the mailing address identified in Unit 1.C.2.
These electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII
file format.  Avoid the use of special characters and any form of
encryption.

2.  By Mail.  Send your comments to: OSWER Docket, EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No.
RCRA-2003-0012.

3.  By Hand Delivery or Courier.  Deliver your comments to:  OSWER
Docket, EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, EPA West
Building, Room B-102, Washington, DC, 2004, Attention Docket ID No.
RCRA-2003-0012.  Such deliveries are only accepted during the
Docket's normal hours of operation as identified in Unit I.B.1.

4.  By Facsimile.  Fax your comments to:  (202) 566-0224, Attention
Docket ID. No.  RCRA-2003-0012.

II. Background

EPA recognizes the unique aspects of research and academic
laboratories compared with large manufacturing processes. For
example, research and academic laboratories generate small amounts of
many different wastes while large manufacturing processes tend to
generate large amounts of a few wastes. EPA supports developing
environmentally safe management alternatives for hazardous wastes in
research and academic laboratories. The Agency has participated in
several efforts to explore alternatives that may help target the
unique lab practices and wastes more effectively.  Recent efforts
include the New England Labs XL project and the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute (HHMI) Best Management Practices.  NE Labs XL is testing
the development and implementation of an Environmental Management
Plan designed to minimize and more effectively manage hazardous
laboratory wastes (http://www.epa.gov/projectxl/nelabs/index.htm).
HHMI partnered with EPA to identify best practices for managing
hazardous wastes in academic research institutions
(http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/specials/labwaste/r02008.pdf). The
June public stakeholder meeting builds on these efforts.

III. Tentative Agenda

Copies of the tentative agenda for this meeting are available via
mail, fax, or e-mail. If you would like a copy, please contact the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

IV. How Can I Participate in this Meeting?

You may attend this meeting in person or submit a written comment.
The meeting locations have the following capacities: Washington DC,
100 people; North Chelmsford, 50 people; Chicago, 30 people; San
Francisco, 17 people. Members of the public wishing to have access to
the Headquarters or Regional conference rooms on the day of the
meeting should register by June 11 by contacting  Kate Davis, Office
of Solid Waste (5304W), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:
(703) 308-0091; fax number: (703) 308-0514; e-mail address:
davis.kate**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov.  A photo ID will be required to gain access to
Headquarters and Regional conference rooms. Any person needing
special accessibility accommodations at this meeting should contact
the person identified above at least five business days before the
meeting so we can make the appropriate arrangements.

Any person who wishes to file a written statement may do so before
July 18.   EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under Docket ID No. RCRA- 2003-0012.  Please see Unit I.C. for
instructions on how to submit written comments.

V. On What Issues Will EPA be Soliciting Input?

Stakeholders repeatedly have identified three issues: hazardous waste
determination, satellite accumulation, and treatment in satellite
accumulation areas.

Hazardous Waste Determination: Currently, you must make a hazardous
waste determination at the "point of generation" of a waste.

1. When should the hazardous waste determination be made in a
laboratory setting?

2. What training is needed for lab personnel concerning hazardous
waste determinations (e.g., full RCRA training or training that is
made specific to chemical management duties)?

3. How should waste be labeled so it can be appropriately managed as
hazardous waste (e.g., the words "hazardous waste" or a detailed
chemical description)?

4. Where should the hazardous waste determination be made (e.g., on
the bench or in the 90 to 180 day storage area)?

Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA) Accumulation Time: If more than 55
gallons of hazardous waste or more than 1 quart of acute hazardous
waste is accumulated at a SAA, the excess must be removed within
three days.

1.   How should these requirements be applied in a laboratory context?

2.   How often do laboratories accumulate more than 55 gallons of
waste in their SAA?

3.   What, if any, difficulties do environmental health and safety
personnel have responding to waste pick-up calls, e.g., within the
three day time limit?

4.   How would a longer time-frame for removal impact the cost of
waste      management and the ability to protect human health and the
environment?

Treatment in SAAs:  We have heard from numerous stakeholders that
they would like to perform certain types of treatment.

1.   What types of treatment, other than neutralization, are
laboratory personnel currently performing or would like to perform?

2.   What would be the benefits of the desired types of treatment?

Other Issues:  The Agency also solicits your thoughts on other issues
specific to research and academic laboratories.  In reviewing issues
raised by hazardous waste identification and management in
laboratories, we will particularly focus on the way laboratories
operate, and we will also take into account factors such as
regulatory burden, cost, and protection of human health and the
environment.

Dated:

Matt Hale,

Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.

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