Facilities

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Enacted as federal law in 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the principal law that governs disposal of hazardous waste in the United States. In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authorized the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to implement and oversee RCRA in California. Structures at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory under RCRA permits therefore must undergo this additional specialized process prior to removal. This process is focused on:

• Protecting human health and the natural environment from waste
• Conservation of energy and natural resources
• Reducing the amount of waste generated
• Disposing of waste in an environmentally sound manner

In California, RCRA stipulations are managed by DTSC. There are three main phases:

• Permitting: During this phase, an entity documents how it intends to manage toxic substances
• Operations: While operating, the entity demonstrates to DTSC how it is complying with the RCRA permit requirements
• Closure: During the closure phase, the entity removes all toxic materials and demonstrates there is no remaining contamination above standards

DOE prepared two RCRA permits for former operations at the ETEC site: one for the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility (RMHF), which was used for the storage and processing for subsequent shipment of chemical wastes and mixed wastes (containing chemicals and radionuclides); and another for the Hazardous Waste Management Facility (HWMF), which was used for the removal of sodium and potassium from metallic objects. 

Authorization for the RMHF to operate was received in 1997 under an interim status permit from DTSC and although the permit is still active, it has not been operated since 2007. The HWMF was permitted in 1983 and operations ended in 1997. 

The RCRA process is done in tandem with DOE’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as the state’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR). All reports must be completed in order to conduct remediation of the site. 

View the 2018 public comment period notice for Draft Closure Plans for RCRA Buildings.

Standard Operating Procedures and Building Survey Plan

The Building Survey Plan describes radiological characterization necessary to determine residual building contamination for planning of demolition and protection of workers and the public. 

The Standard Operating Procedure describes the master plan process for building demolition, provides references for regulations and standard procedures for Area IV decontamination and decommissioning (D&D), and also provides general approaches for waste disposition, demolition and documentation.