October 20, 2025

Upcoming Changes to the RCRA Regulations

EPA’s Spring 2025 regulatory agenda has been released. The following table summarizes the agency’s Office of Land and Emergency Management’s (OLEM) plans for proposing and finalizing new regulations. Among other things, OLEM is responsible for crafting RCRA regulations. The table is not all-inclusive of every OLEM regulatory action. Instead, it includes those actions McCoy and Associates believe to be of broad interest to the regulated community.

Spring 2025 OLEM Regulatory Agenda

Rule description

Action

Schedule date

Updates to RCRA permitting and technical corrections

NPRM

12/25

Paper manifest sunset

NPRM

01/26

Disposal of CCR—alternative closure of legacy CCR management units

NPRM

1/26

Universal waste regulations for solar panels and lithium batteries

NPRM

2/26

Definition of hazardous waste applicable to SWMUs

Final Rule

04/26

Listing nine PFAS as RCRA hazardous constituents

Final Rule

04/26

Revisions to standards for the OB/OD of waste explosives

Final Rule

04/26

Disposal of CCR—federal permit program1

Final Rule

12/26

Disposal of CCR—beneficial use criteria and piles1

Final Rule

TBD

Disposal of CCR—closure Part B, implementation of closure1

Final Rule

TBD

ANPRM = advanced notice of proposed rulemaking; CCR = coal combustion residues; NPRM = notice of proposed rulemaking; OB/OD = open burning/open detonation; SWMU = solid waste management units; TBD = to be determined

1Long-term actions: Items under development but for which the agency does not expect to have a regulatory action within 12 months after publication in the regulatory agenda.

Source: EPA’s Spring 2025 regulatory agenda; EPA’s Spring 2025 long-term actions.

 


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Considerable care has been exercised in preparing this document; however, McCoy and Associates, Inc. makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in connection with the publication of this information. McCoy and Associates, Inc. expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use or for the violation of any federal, state, or municipal law or regulation with which this information may conflict. McCoy and Associates, Inc. does not undertake any duty to ensure the continued accuracy of this information.

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.