Articles

The environmental and health concerns resulting from the widespread applications of PFAS chemicals have been a high priority for TSCA to investigate ever since the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act became law in May of 2016. EHS professionals have scrambled to educate themselves on the [...]

One of the goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 (Title 42, U.S. Code, Chapter 82) is the management of solid and hazardous waste.  This means that to comply with this regulation it is necessary to understand how hazardous waste is defined under RCRA.  The following [...]

As a society, we are aware of the dangers of PFAS, microplastics, BPA, and other environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative compounds, but what can we do about them as individuals? The answer, or at least one of them, is all around you- specifically, what you’re wearing. Textiles, and the rise of [...]

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is in the process of transitioning their stormwater permits from a permit by Rule (previously referred to as “Rule 6”) to a Master General Permit. Rule 6 was codified into the Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) in 2003 and has remained unchanged since. Rule [...]

Phase I reports assist users, including stakeholders, property owners, investors, municipalities, developers, and sellers in identifying potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities. Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) evaluate both land and property improvements. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, and Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA) (42 USC § 9601), outlines the Landowner Liability Protections [...]

Lead paint has a long and troubled history that highlights the dangers of a widely used toxic material and the hurdles of regulatory efforts. Lead paint was once a popular choice for homes and buildings but now has become synonymous with significant health risks and environmental hazards. Understanding lead paint’s [...]

A feasibility study (FS), in terms of environmental consulting, is the process of identifying, screening, and analyzing potential remedial alternatives to address contaminants of concern (COCs) in different media (e.g. soil, groundwater, vapor) at sites. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) published a document titled Guidance for Conducting [...]

Hazardous waste can be an intimidating topic for industry. Find a handy guide below to the basics of common definitions and terms as well as good practices. Hazardous waste labels must include the following information: Hazardous waste warning: The words “Hazardous Waste” must be clearly displayed on the container Waste composition: The [...]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are the emissions released into the atmosphere that trap heat on earth and contribute to climate change. These emissions can result from a variety of processes including, but not limited to, the combustion of fossil fuel, agricultural practices, and other industrial processes. GHG [...]

Prescreening subsurface contaminated Sites is a crucial step before embarking on remediation efforts. This preliminary process involves evaluating the Site to better understand the nature and extent of contamination, which is vital for designing effective remediation strategies. The primary goal of prescreening is to identify contaminants and their distribution, assess [...]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent synthetic chemicals that are often found in landfills due to their widespread use in consumer products. The fate and transport of PFAS through landfills are of significant concern because these compounds do not easily break down, leading to their accumulation [...]

Recent enforcement statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that enforcement penalties have increased approximately 7% in 2023 from the maximum penalties in 2022, and those resulting from a  Clean Air Act violation ranged from 55,000 to $117,000 daily, and 446,000 maximum per violation. The EPA or the state [...]