Question

Differentiate between whether TSCA, RCRA, and/or CERCLA apply to different situations:

The situations:

1) Developing a genetically engineered strain of soybeans to resist cold and draught

2) Groundwater contamination on a closed parcel of land from TCE contamination in 1945

3)Soil contamination from 1980 –all carcinogens –wants to redevelop the site for new use

4) Solid waste from the buildings, machine shop, and motor pool

5) Hazardous waste (generated daily) from three ethylene crackers

6) Low level hazardous waste from two ammonia production facilities

7) Final research and development of a novel agricultural pesticide that will likely hit the market next year

8) Production of a new food additive/preservative

9) Production of a new cosmetic. The company also wants to know under what act they can be fined if their production disposal practices and storage practices are not appropriate

Answer 1

• TSCA: Toxic substances control act; food drugs, cosmetics, pesticides have been removed from this act.
• RCRA: resource conservation and recovery act
• CERCLA: comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act
• EPA: environmental protection agency
• 1) Developing a genetically engineered strain of soybeans to resist cold and draught comes under environmental protection agency, EPA in USA.
• 2) Groundwater contamination on a closed parcel of land from TCE contamination in 1945 comes under RCRA act.
• 3) Soil contamination from 1980 –all carcinogens –wants to redevelop the site for new use comes under comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act, CERCLA.
• 4) Solid waste from the buildings, machine shop, and motor pool comes under RCRA act.
• 5) Hazardous waste (generated daily) from three ethylene crackers comes under resource conservation and recovery act, RCRA through EPA.
• 6) Low level hazardous waste from two ammonia production facilities comes under comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act, CERCLA.
• 7) Final research and development of a novel agricultural pesticide that will likely hit the market next year comes under federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act, FIFRA which works under environment protection agency (EPA).
• 8) Production of a new food additive/preservative comes under food drug and cosmetic act, FFDCA.
• 9) Production of a new cosmetic comes under federal food drug and cosmetic act, FFDCA.