Hazardous Waste

The majority of waste produced at exploration and production sites is exempt from regulation under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Subtitle C. These wastes largely include drilling muds, cuttings, and produced fluids, and they make a up a significant portion of the waste management efforts associated with the oil and gas industry. However, there are some wastes that are not RCRA-exempt. These wastes may require special handling or disposal. The Commission has jurisdiction over all hazardous, non-hazardous, and RCRA-exempt oil and gas waste, but waste management requirements vary with waste classification so it is important to know what class of waste you are generating or handling. The information below is intended to assist hazardous waste management under RRC jurisdiction.

RCRA Non-exempt Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste classification and management in the oil field can be a complicated task. Indeed, that task can be so complicated that an entirely separate manual was created to address it. Please see our Hazardous Waste Management Manual for more information.

Universal Waste Clarification

Rule 98 references Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as amended through November 7, 1995. As a result, hazardous wastes added to the "Universal Wastes" category after 1995 are still subject to Statewide Rule 98.

Annual Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Reporting

The Annual Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Report package consists of the "Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Report" (Form H-21) and the instructions for completing the Form. The instructions will also assist in calculating the required annual fee for the site's hazardous oil and gas waste generation.