[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63329-63330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31271]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5928-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Information Collection Request Number 1597.02:
Universal Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities, Reporting and
Recordkeeping Requirements
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Universal Waste Handlers and
Destination Facilities Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, EPA
ICR Number 1597.02, OMB Control Number 2050-0145, current expiration
date: 5/31/98. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and
approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the
proposed information collection as described below. Please note that
this action does not create any new regulatory requirements for persons
who manage universal waste.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 27, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their
comments referencing docket number F-97-UWIP-FFFFF to RCRA Docket
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Headquarters (EPA HQ), 401 M Street, SW, Washington,
DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the Arlington,
VA, address listed below. Comments may also be submitted electronically
by sending electronic mail through the Internet to: docket@epamail.epa.gov. Comments in electronic format should also be
identified by the docket number F-97-UWIP-FFFFF. All electronic
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special
characters and any form of encryption.
Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing
in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway 1,
1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, first floor, Arlington, VA. The RIC is
open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal
holidays. To review docket materials, the public must make an
appointment by calling 703-603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of
100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies
cost $.15/page.
Copies of the original ICR may be requested from the docket address
and phone number listed above or may be found on the Internet. On the
Internet, access the main EPA gopher menu and locate the directory: EPA
Offices and Regions/Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
(OSWER)/Office of Solid Waste (RCRA/hazardous waste-RCRA Subtitle C/
generators.
Follow these instructions to access the information electronically:
WWW: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/univwast.htm
FTP: ftp.epa.gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet address
Files are located in /pub/epaoswer.
The official record for this action will be kept in paper form.
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also
include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record
is the paper record maintained in the RCRA Information Center (the RIC
address is listed above in this section).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the
RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672 (hearing
impaired). In the Washington metropolitan area, call 703-412-9610 or
TDD 703-412-3323. For technical information, contact Bryan Groce at
703-308-8750.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Affected entities: Entities potentially
affected by this action are waste handlers and destination facilities
that collect and manage certain hazardous waste batteries, certain
hazardous waste pesticides, and hazardous waste mercury-containing
thermostats.
Title: Universal Waste Handlers and Destination Facilities
Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, EPA ICR Number 1597.02, OMB
Control Number 2050-0145, expiration date: 5/31/98.
Abstract: EPA promulgated the Universal Waste standards at 40 CFR
part 273. The Universal Waste standards govern the collection and
management of widely generated wastes known as universal wastes. EPA
has identified hazardous waste batteries, certain hazardous waste
pesticides, and hazardous waste thermostats as universal wastes. Other
wastes may be added to the universal waste Federal program if EPA
determines such regulation is appropriate. The regulations allow
universal waste handlers to manage universal wastes under a reduced set
of regulatory requirements. Destination facilities, on the other hand,
(i.e., those facilities accepting universal waste for treatment,
recycling, or disposal) remain subject to standards under 40 CFR parts
264 or 265.
The universal waste regulations at part 273 were promulgated by EPA
under the authority of Subtitle C in RCRA. This information collection
targets the collection of information for the following reporting or
recordkeeping requirements: notification, labeling and marking,
storage-time limitations, off-site shipments, tracking universal waste
shipments, and petitions to include other waste categories at the
federal level.
It is necessary for EPA to collect universal waste information to
ensure that universal waste is collected and managed in a manner that
is protective of human health and the environment. EPA requires, among
other things, large quantity handlers of universal waste (LQHUWs) to
notify the Agency for their universal waste management activities so
that EPA can obtain general information on these handlers, and so that
it can facilitate enforcement of the regulations at part 273. In
addition, EPA requires universal waste handlers to record the date on
which they begin storing universal waste on-site to ensure
[[Page 63330]]
that such accumulation is performed responsibly. EPA also requires
certain universal waste handlers to track receipt of universal waste
shipments as well as shipments sent off-site to ensure that universal
waste is properly treated, recycled, and disposed. Finally, the
submission of petitions in support of regulating other wastes or waste
categories under part 273 helps EPA (1) to compile information on these
wastes, and (2) to determine whether regulation as a universal waste is
appropriate.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
EPA would like to solicit comments to:
(I) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
(ii) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and
(iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
Burden Statement: The estimated number of likely respondents under
this collection of information is 79,510 (78,973 Small Quantity
Handlers of Universal Wastes (SQHUWs), 485 LQHUWs, and 52 Destination
Facilities). The bottom line annual reporting and recordkeeping burden
to respondents under this collection of information is 122,674 hours.
The average annual public reporting burden per response for SQHUWs
under this collection of information is 0 hours. The average annual
public reporting burden per response for LQHUWs is estimated to range
from 0 to 2.41 hours. The average annual public reporting burden per
response for destination facilities is estimated to range from 0 to
2.41 hours. The average annual recordkeeping burden per response for
SQHUWs under this collection of information is estimated to range from
1.12 to 1.62 hours. The average annual recordkeeping burden per
response for LQHUWs is estimated to range from 5.82 to 6.82 hours. The
average annual recordkeeping burden per response for destination
facilities is estimated to be 115.37 hours. The total average annual
burden cost for universal waste handlers, universal waste petitioners,
and destination facilities is: $5,303,419 in labor costs; $1,212 in
capital costs; and $244.25 in annual O&M costs (O&M costs include a
purchase of service component). Burden means the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain,
or disclose or provide information to or for a federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information;
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the
information.
Dated: November 20, 1997.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 97-31271 Filed 11-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
