USEPA Federal Programs

RCRA  & TSCA

RCRA & TSCA are federal programs that regulate and guide the analytical processes connected with site investigations, remediation programs and management of hazardous waste.  

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates the control of the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. It also provides a framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes, guidance for hazardous waste management standards and a comprehensive underground storage tank program. The SW-846 guidance document provides general guidelines that laboratories can follow to generate data in compliance with RCRA programs and many states use this document as a foundation for their regulatory programs (please see MA DEP MCP and CT DEP RCP). Alpha provides analysis for the following parameters and SW-846 methods:

• Volatile Organics by EPA 8260
• Semivolatile Organics by EPA 8270
• Pesticides by EPA 8081
• PCBs by EPA 8082
• Herbicides by EPA 8151
• Trace Metals by EPA 6010, 6020, 7470/7471/7474
• Inorganic and Water Quality parameters by various EPA methodologies

Toxic Substances Control Act

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations relate to chemical substances and/or mixtures, with a specific focus on PCBs. These regulations also prescribe specific SW-846 extraction methods that are acceptable to this program. Alpha Analytical supports most SW-846 methods and is one of very few laboratories in the northeast with a large capacity for the Soxhlet Extraction technique (EPA Method 3540C) required for PCB analysis under TSCA.

For further information on the Resource Conservation & Recovery and Toxic Substances Control Acts, these links are provided as regulatory resources:

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, USEPA
• Toxic Substances Control Act, USEPA
• Hazardous Waste Test Methods, USEPA SW-846 On-line