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Hazardous Waste in the U.S.

The United States is one of the main contributors of hazardous waste in the world. The reason being is the United States’ interpretation of hazardous waste. In the U.S., hazardous waste is legally defined as any discarded solid or liquid material that (1) contains one or more of 39 toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic compounds at levels that exceeds established limits (including many solvents, pesticides, and paint strippers), (2) catches fire easily (gasoline, paints, and solvents), (3) is reactive or unstable enough to explode or release toxic fumes (acids, bases, ammonia, chlorine bleach), or (4) is capable of corroding metal containers such as tanks, drums, and barrels (industrial cleaning agents and oven and drain cleaners).
Even though this might be the official definition of hazardous waste, it does not include the many materials such as: radioactive wastes, hazardous and toxic materials discarded by households mining wastes, oil and gas drilling wastes routinely discharged into surface waters or dumped into unlined pits and landfills , liquid wastes containing organic hydro carbon compounds (80% of all liquid hazardous waste), cement kiln dust, produced when liquid hazardous wastes are burned in a cement kiln, and wastes from the thousands of small businesses and factories that generate less than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of hazardous waste per month.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is an act passed by the Congress, in 1976, and was amended in 1984. This particular law requires the EPA to identify hazardous wastes and set standards for their management by states, firms that store, treat, or dispose of more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of hazardous wastes per month to have a permit stating how such wastes are to be managed and permit holders to use a cradle-to grave system to keep track of waste transferred from point of origin to approved off-site disposal