Waste Management Everett Waste

Everett Spellman, Unit Chief - Data and Special Projects Unit
Jean Underwood, Unit Chief - Corrective Action & Geology Unit

The Hazardous Waste Permits (HWP) Program is responsible for administering the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C permits program, including the oversight for RCRA corrective action sites in the state of Kansas. This entails working with Kansas facilities that treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste, including those that are now closed but performed such activities in the past. Permitted hazardous waste facilities include onsite and off-site storage and treatment facilities, waste-fuel blenders and combustion facilities.

With the most recent RCRA authorization, Kansas is now responsible for implementing almost all federal hazardous waste regulations, including RCRA corrective action regulations. While the Hazardous Waste Permits Section takes the lead in implementing RCRA corrective action, the complete program implementation is a coordinated effort between the Bureau of Environmental Remediation (BER), the U.S. EPA and of course the Bureau of Waste Management (BWM). Various authorities and multiple oversight capacities are being used to address corrective action in the state. This is further explained in the fact sheet located at .

Hazardous Waste Permits Section staff review permit applications, issue/modify permits, provide oversight during closure and post-closure, and review and approve facility compliance reports. They also work with permitted and interim status facilities that provide post-closure care of RCRA regulated units, solid waste management units and areas of concern. Staff perform routine groundwater inspections to evaluate the adequacy of groundwater monitoring and corrective action systems, perform evaluation of engineering controls in place to eliminate or minimize the effects of contamination on human health and the environment. When waste materials are improperly stored, treated, or disposed, they can result in the release of hazardous constituents into the land, air, surface water, or groundwater.

Since these facilities are required to provide financial assurance so that designated monies are available for closure, cleanup, monitoring, post-closure care, and third party liability contingencies, staff review cost estimates and assure adequate available funding for long term oversight.