RCRA stands for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. Congress outlined four major programs in RCRA, including:
- Solid Waste (Subtitle D): Focuses on traditional non-hazardous solid waste, such as municipal garbage, medical waste and industrial waste that is not classified as hazardous waste;
- Hazardous Waste (Subtitle C): Requires EPA to develop and manage a nationwide program that identifies wastes that are hazardous and set standards for safely managing this waste from the moment it is generated, through storage, transportation, recycling, treatment, and ultimate disposal. Other components of the hazardous waste program are described here;
- Underground Storage Tanks (UST–Subtitle I): Requires EPA to establish standards for the design and operation of USTs to prevent leaks into the ground.