EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Revisions to Standards for Open Burning/Open Detonation of Waste Explosives

By Office of Advocacy On May 20, 2024

On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a notice in the Federal Register extending the comment period on proposed revisions to regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) related to the use of open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) to treat waste explosives by 30 days.

An OB/OD unit is a unit used for the treatment of waste explosives. The EPA is proposing changes to clarify how facilities would assess whether safe alternatives are available in lieu of OB/OD. In addition, for instances where OB/OD remains the only treatment method for waste explosives, the agency is proposing minimum technical standards for OB/OD units. The agency is also proposing a framework for permitting mobile treatment units, which could be used as an alternative to OB/OD.

Comments on the proposed rule are now due by June 20, 2024.

Read the notice extending the comment period.
Read The Office of Advocacy’s regulatory alert on the proposed rule.
Read the proposed rule and submit comments.
Advocacy contact: Send an email to Nick Goldstein at nick.goldstein@sba.gov.

EPA