April 10, 2025

Sufficient Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal Capacity Through 2049

In January 2025, EPA published its 2024 National Capacity Assessment Report for hazardous waste management. The report describes the nation’s long-term capacity for hazardous waste recovery, treatment, and landfilling at RCRA-permitted commercial treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs). The impetus for these periodic reports is the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). SARA Section 104(c)(9) requires a state to demonstrate 20 years’ worth of hazardous waste management capacity before a Superfund remedial action in that state can be federally funded. To help states fulfill this statutory requirement, EPA issued guidance for developing these reports in 1993, culminating in the first National Capacity Assessment Report in November 1996.

Data for the new report was collected primarily via 2021 biennial reports submitted by large quantity generators and TSDFs. RCRAInfo’s manifest data, consultations with commercial hazardous waste management facilities, and internet research were also used. Hazardous waste quantities associated with imports/exports were included, along with estimated amounts from small and very small quantity generators and state-only hazardous wastes. After compiling the 2021 “baseyear” data, EPA adjusted demand to 2024, which was then used to project national hazardous waste generation and management capacity through 2049.

The report lays out the tonnage of hazardous waste managed via various recovery, treatment, and disposal methods, concentrating on energy recovery, incineration, and landfilling at commercial TSDFs. Concluding the nation has recovery, treatment, and disposal capacity for managing all hazardous waste generated through 2049, the report provides some caveats. During the COVID-19 pandemic, generators had issues shipping wastes to incineration facilities due to trucking disruptions, labor shortages, and incinerator breakdowns. Consequently, EPA encourages states to engage in efforts to minimize hazardous waste that will be managed via incineration and landfilling and to develop additional capacity for the future.

If you have ever wondered about the various treatment technologies a TSDF might use when treating hazardous waste, the report (starting on page 139) provides a brief description of the technologies reviewed. These include 1) numerous technologies for recovering organics and inorganics; 2) energy recovery, fuel blending, and incineration; and 3) methods for treating wastewaters and sludges.

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This document addresses issues of a general nature related to the federal environmental regulations. Persons evaluating specific circumstances dealing with the environmental regulations should review state and local laws and regulations, which may be more stringent than federal requirements. In addition, the assistance of a qualified professional should be enlisted to address any site-specific circumstances.