Relevant Environmental Laws

 
Table of Contents
1. Clean Air Act
2. Clean Water Act
3. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

 
 

Clean Air Act
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  • Section 609 of the Clean Air Act - Prohibits the release of chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) during the servicing of motor vehicle air conditioners.
  • CFCs deplete the stratospheric ozone layer--a layer of gas that screens us from the sun's ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. An increase in UV-B radiation can potentially result in both health and environmental damage. The health risks include an increased incidence of certain skin cancers and cataracts. Also, the immune system may be suppressed. The environmental consequences include damage to crops and aquatic organisms.
  • One of the largest single uses of CFCs is as a refrigerant (CFC-12) used in automobile air conditioners. Section 609 of Title VI of the Clean Air Act prohibits service station mechanics from releasing ozone-depleting CFCs into the atmosphere when servicing motor vehicle air conditioners. Section 609 requires that any person who repairs or services a motor vehicle air conditioner be properly trained and certified, and properly use refrigerant recovery or recycling equipment. The final rule that establishes the standards and requirements for Section 609 was published on July 14, 1992, in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 82.

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    Clean Water Act
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    • Under the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES program, is aimed at reducing and eliminating pollution from discrete sources of wastewater, known as "point sources," to waters of the United States. According to the Act, all point sources must obtain an NPDES permit which regulates the facility's discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States.
    • Point sources are generally divided into two types-- industrial and municipal. Under the NPDES program, industrial point sources, which include commercial and manufacturing facilities discharging wastewater directly into a receiving stream, are required to be covered by a permit which specifies monitoring and reporting provisions and establishes limits on the pollutants that are discharged. If an automotive service/repair shop discharges wastewater directly from its facility (such as from a holding pond) to waters of the United States, that shop is considered an industrial point source and is subject to NPDES regulations. Wastewater (domestic wastes from households and indirect discharges of industrial wastes from manufacturing and commercial activities) discharged into rivers or streams from municipal sources (also known as publicly owned treatment works (POTWs)), are governed by the NPDES program, as well. Storm water from municipal separate storm water sewers and storm water associated with industrial activity, including automotive service/repair shops, are also considered point source discharges and are addressed by the NDPES program.
    In the Automotive Service industry, most facilities discharge their water (sewage, floor drain contents, etc.) into the public sewer system. Industrial wastes entering municipal wastewater treatment plants from commercial and manufacturing facilities are regulated under the Clean Water Act by the pretreatment program, which may require such industries to pretreat their wastes to prevent damage to the collection system, interference with the operation of the plant, pass through of pollutants from the plant into receiving waters, or threats to worker health and safety. Actual limits on the amount of industrial pollutants discharged into municipal wastewater treatment plants are determined by three types of standards that apply to industry: 1) prohibited discharge standards, which include general and specific prohibitions; 2) national categorical standards, which were developed by EPA and set industry-specific limits; and 3) local limits, which are developed by POTWs to address Federal standards as well as State and local regulations.
     

    Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
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    • RCRA was first enacted by Congress in 1976 as an amendment to the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Major amendments since then were the Used Oil Recycling Act in 1980 (UORA), and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA).
    • The primary objective of RCRA is to protect human health and the environment. A secondary objective is to conserve valuable material and energy resources by providing assistance to state and local governments for prohibiting open dumping; regulating the management of hazardous wastes; encouraging recycling, reuse, and treatment of hazardous wastes; providing guidelines for solid waste management; and promoting beneficial solid waste management, resource recovery, and resource conservation systems.
    • RCRA provides for "cradle to grave" tracking of hazardous waste, from generator to transporter to treatment, storage, or disposal.
    • Who must comply with RCRA? Anyone who generates, transports, treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste and anyone who produces, burns, distributes, or markets any hazardous waste-derived fuels must notify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their activities and comply with RCRA.

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