1. U.S. Code
  2. title 42
  3. chapter 82
  4. subchapter II
  5. § 6914b-1

Collapse to view only § 6914b-1. Regulation of plastic ring carriers

§ 6911. Office of Solid Waste and Interagency Coordinating Committee
(a) Office of Solid Waste
(b) Interagency Coordinating Committee
(1) There is hereby established an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Activities which shall have the responsibility for coordinating all activities dealing with resource conservation and recovery from solid waste carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, and all other Federal agencies which conduct such activities pursuant to this chapter or any other Act. For purposes of this subsection, the term “resource conservation and recovery activities” shall include, but not be limited to, all research, development and demonstration projects on resource conservation or energy, or material, recovery from solid waste, and all technical or financial assistance for State or local planning for, or implementation of, projects related to resource conservation or energy or material, recovery from solid waste. The Committee shall be chaired by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency or such person as the Administrator may designate. Members of the Committee shall include representatives of the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Treasury, and each other Federal agency which the Administrator determines to have programs or responsibilities affecting resource conservation or recovery.
(2) The Interagency Coordinating Committee shall include oversight of the implementation of
(A) the May 1979 Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy;
(B) the May 30, 1978, Interagency Agreement between the Department of Commerce and the Environmental Protection Agency on the Implementation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.]; and
(C) any subsequent agreements between these agencies or other Federal agencies which address Federal resource recovery or conservation activities.
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2001, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2804; amended Pub. L. 96–482, § 4(c), Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2335; Pub. L. 96–510, title III, § 307(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2810.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6911

§ 6911a. Assistant Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency; appointment, etc.

The Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency appointed to head the Office of Solid Waste shall be in addition to the five Assistant Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency provided for in section 1(d) of Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1970 and the additional Assistant Administrator provided by the Toxic Substances Control Act [15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.], shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(Pub. L. 96–510, title III, § 307(b), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2810; Pub. L. 98–80, § 2(c)(2)(B), Aug. 23, 1983, 97 Stat. 485.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6911a

§ 6912. Authorities of Administrator
(a) Authorities
In carrying out this chapter, the Administrator is authorized to—
(1) prescribe, in consultation with Federal, State, and regional authorities, such regulations as are necessary to carry out his functions under this chapter;
(2) consult with or exchange information with other Federal agencies undertaking research, development, demonstration projects, studies, or investigations relating to solid waste;
(3) provide technical and financial assistance to States or regional agencies in the development and implementation of solid waste plans and hazardous waste management programs;
(4) consult with representatives of science, industry, agriculture, labor, environmental protection and consumer organizations, and other groups, as he deems advisable;
(5) utilize the information, facilities, personnel and other resources of Federal agencies, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Bureau of the Census, on a reimbursable basis, to perform research and analyses and conduct studies and investigations related to resource recovery and conservation and to otherwise carry out the Administrator’s functions under this chapter; and
(6) to delegate to the Secretary of Transportation the performance of any inspection or enforcement function under this chapter relating to the transportation of hazardous waste where such delegation would avoid unnecessary duplication of activity and would carry out the objectives of this chapter and of chapter 51 of title 49.
(b) Revision of regulations
(c) Criminal investigations
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2002, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2804; amended Pub. L. 96–482, § 5, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2335; Pub. L. 98–616, title IV, § 403(d)(4), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3272; Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5115(c), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1433.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6912

§ 6913. Resource Recovery and Conservation Panels

The Administrator shall provide teams of personnel, including Federal, State, and local employees or contractors (hereinafter referred to as “Resource Conservation and Recovery Panels”) to provide Federal agencies, States and local governments upon request with technical assistance on solid waste management, resource recovery, and resource conservation. Such teams shall include technical, marketing, financial, and institutional specialists, and the services of such teams shall be provided without charge to States or local governments.

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2003, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2804; amended Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(e), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3081.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6913

§ 6914. Grants for discarded tire disposal
(a) Grants
(b) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2004, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2805.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6914

§ 6914a. Labeling of lubricating oil
For purposes of any provision of law which requires the labeling of commodities, lubricating oil shall be treated as lawfully labeled only if it bears the following statement, prominently displayed:
“DON’T POLLUTE—CONSERVE RESOURCES; RETURN USED OIL TO COLLECTION CENTERS”.
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2005, as added Pub. L. 96–463, § 4(a), Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2056.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6914a

§ 6914b. Degradable plastic ring carriers; definitions
As used in this title—
(1) the term “regulated item” means any plastic ring carrier device that contains at least one hole greater than 1¾ inches in diameter which is made, used, or designed for the purpose of packaging, transporting, or carrying multipackaged cans or bottles, and which is of a size, shape, design, or type capable, when discarded, of becoming entangled with fish or wildlife; and
(2) the term “naturally degradable material” means a material which, when discarded, will be reduced to environmentally benign subunits under the action of normal environmental forces, such as, among others, biological decomposition, photodegradation, or hydrolysis.
(Pub. L. 100–556, title I, § 102, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2779.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6914b

§ 6914b–1. Regulation of plastic ring carriers

Not later than 24 months after October 28, 1988 (unless the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines that it is not feasible or that the byproducts of degradable regulated items present a greater threat to the environment than nondegradable regulated items), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall require, by regulation, that any regulated item intended for use in the United States shall be made of naturally degradable material which, when discarded, decomposes within a period established by such regulation. The period within which decomposition must occur after being discarded shall be the shortest period of time consistent with the intended use of the item and the physical integrity required for such use. Such regulation shall allow a reasonable time for affected parties to come into compliance, including the use of existing inventories.

(Pub. L. 100–556, title I, § 103, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2779.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6914b-1

§ 6915. Annual report
The Administrator shall transmit to the Congress and the President, not later than ninety days after the end of each fiscal year, a comprehensive and detailed report on all activities of the Office during the preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall include—
(1) a statement of specific and detailed objectives for the activities and programs conducted and assisted under this chapter;
(2) statements of the Administrator’s conclusions as to the effectiveness of such activities and programs in meeting the stated objectives and the purposes of this chapter, measured through the end of such fiscal year;
(3) a summary of outstanding solid waste problems confronting the Administrator, in order of priority;
(4) recommendations with respect to such legislation which the Administrator deems necessary or desirable to assist in solving problems respecting solid waste;
(5) all other information required to be submitted to the Congress pursuant to any other provision of this chapter; and
(6) the Administrator’s plans for activities and programs respecting solid waste during the next fiscal year.
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2006, formerly § 2005, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2805, and renumbered Pub. L. 96–463, § 4(a), Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2056; amended Pub. L. 98–616, title V, § 502(b), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3276.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6915

§ 6916. General authorization
(a) General administration
(b) Resource Recovery and Conservation Panels
(c) Hazardous waste
(d) State and local support
(e) Criminal investigators
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $3,246,000 for the fiscal year 1985, $2,408,300 for the fiscal year 1986, $2,529,000 for the fiscal year 1987, and $2,529,000 for the fiscal year 1988 to be used—
(1) for additional officers or employees of the Environmental Protection Agency authorized by the Administrator to conduct criminal investigations (to investigate, or supervise the investigation of, any activity for which a criminal penalty is provided) under this chapter; and
(2) for support costs for such additional officers or employees.
(f) Underground storage tanks
(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of subchapter IX (relating to regulation of underground storage tanks), $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1985 through 1988.
(2) There is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1985 through 1988 to be used to make grants to the States for purposes of assisting the States in the development and implementation of approved State underground storage tank release detection, prevention, and correction programs under subchapter IX.
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2007, formerly § 2006, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2805, renumbered Pub. L. 96–463, § 4(a), Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2055; amended Pub. L. 96–482, §§ 6, 31(a), Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2336, 2352; Pub. L. 98–616, § 2(a), (i), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3222, 3223.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6916

§ 6917. Office of Ombudsman
(a) Establishment; functions
(b) Authority to render assistance
(c) Effect on procedures for grievances, appeals, or administrative matters
(d) Termination
(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 2008, as added Pub. L. 98–616, title I, § 103(a), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3225.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 6917