EPA Marks 50 Years of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) with Updates to Modernize Waste Regulations to Support Economic Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, in celebration of RCRA's 50thanniversary, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Common Sense RCRA Reform, an initiative to modernize the nation's waste management program, including through permitting reform, use of emerging technologies and novel solutions, and acceleration of cleanups to ensure protection of human health and the environment. Through this initiative, EPA is reducing unnecessary burdens on industry and costs for American communities with common sense actions like eliminating paper-based reporting and enabling the use of abandoned scrap tires as fuel.

"This month, the Trump EPA is proud to mark the 50th anniversary of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, by refocusing our efforts on ensuring protections for Americans while boosting the economy by streamlining and modernizing regulations," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. "We're ensuring RCRA is modern, efficient, and protective."

Prior to the passage of RCRA 50 years ago, companies dumped an estimated 30 to 35 million tons of hazardous waste directly onto the ground every year. Without RCRA's strict regulations, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and spent solvents would have continued to seep into the ground to contaminate American communities. This includes major agricultural aquifers and municipal drinking water supplies across the country, leading to negative human health impacts such as cancers, birth defects, and waterborne illnesses. To build on this success and look toward the next 50 years, the agency is taking action to modernize the RCRA program:

• Reduce unnecessary burdens in RCRA permitting to lower the cost of living for Americans.
• Recover critical minerals and materials that have been trapped in waste streams.
• Respond with solutions to unusual or unique waste management scenarios.
• Revitalize waste management to reflect today's innovative technologies.
• Retain environmental and human health protection while supporting economic growth.
• Renew efforts to accelerate the pace of cleanups. 

EPA is already advancing several actions consistent with this approach and is working on more than 25 additional actions. On March 5, 2026, the agency proposed eliminating paper reporting in the hazardous waste tracking system, moving to a fully electronic e-Manifest to reduce burdens and improve transparency. On March 23, EPA proposed steps to help clean up millions of abandoned scrap tires across the country by allowing their use as fuel, accelerating removal and reducing community risks.

RCRA also regulates the nation's gas stations and other fuel storage facilities with the Underground Storage Tanks program. Starting in the mid-1980s, the national Underground Storage Tanks program has cleaned up more than 530,000 petroleum releases-over 90 percent of known UST releases-reducing groundwater contamination risks and supporting community revitalization. Leaking tanks were once a national public health concern. Now, underground fuel storage is managed by a strong program where EPA, states and industry use practical standards to ensure safe storage and handling of the fuel that keeps our country going.

EPA recently finalized a varianceExit EPA's website allowing the use of innovative technologies to treat elemental mercury, which helps keep a toxic heavy metal out of the air, water, and food supply. In addition, the agency is preparing to modernize the hazardous waste permitting program. EPA will also update guidance to help corrective action facilities complete cleanup and move toward redevelopment.

Learn about the many actions in progress to modernize the RCRA program on EPA's Common Sense RCRA Reform webpage.

EPA Marks 50 Years of Progress under RCRA

For 50 years, RCRA has protected people and places, prevented contamination before it happens, and preserved the land everyone depends on. The RCRA Permitting Program protects the 5.3 million people living within a mile of hazardous waste facilities by maintaining permits to protect human health and the environment for 6,700 hazardous waste units at 1,300 permitted facilities. What began as a groundbreaking hazardous waste law is now an engine for public health, community vitality, and economic growth. 

Signed into law in 1976, RCRA set standards for responsible solid waste management and established safeguards for hazardous waste, from generation to transportation, treatment, storage and disposal. Today, the RCRA waste management program monitors billions of tons of solid, industrial and hazardous waste resulting from the manufacturing and use of goods throughout the economy and oversees almost 4,000 cleanups across the country each year. In addition, approximately 534,000 underground storage tanks nationwide store petroleum or hazardous substances. Under RCRA, these tanks are managed with safeguards against the contamination of groundwater, which serves as the source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans.