a) General
Import Requirements
1) Except for subsection
(a)(5), the importer of a shipment covered under a consent from USEPA to the
country of export issued before December 31, 2016 is subject to that approval
and the requirements that existed at the time of that approval until the
approval period expires. Otherwise, any person that imports hazardous waste
from a foreign country into the United States must comply with the requirements
of this Part and the special requirements of this Subpart H.
2) Where the country of export does not
require the foreign exporter to submit a notification and obtain consent to the
export prior to shipment, the importer must submit a notification to USEPA in
compliance with subsection (b).
3)
The importer must comply with the contract requirements in subsection
(f).
4) The importer must ensure
compliance with the movement documents requirements in subsection (d);
and
5) The importer must ensure
compliance with the manifest instructions for import shipments in subsection
(c).
b) Notifications.
Where the competent authority of the country of export does not regulate the
waste as hazardous waste and does not require the foreign exporter to submit a
notification proposing export and obtain consent from USEPA and the competent
authorities for the countries of transit, but USEPA does regulate the waste as
hazardous waste, the following requirements apply:
1) The importer is required to provide
notification in English to USEPA of the proposed transboundary movement of
hazardous waste at least sixty days before the first shipment is expected to
depart the country of export. A notification submitted prior to the electronic
import-export reporting compliance date must be mailed or hand delivered to
USEPA at the addresses specified in Section
722.182(e). Notifications submitted
on or after the electronic import-export reporting compliance date must be
submitted electronically using USEPA's WIETS. The notification may cover up to
one year of shipments of one or more hazardous wastes being sent from the same
foreign exporter, and must include all the following information:
A) The foreign exporter name, address,
telephone, fax numbers, and email address;
B) The receiving facility name, USEPA
identification number, address, telephone, fax numbers, email address,
technologies employed, and the applicable recovery or disposal operations, as
defined in Section
722.181;
C) The
importer name (if not the owner or operator of the receiving facility), USEPA
identification number, address, telephone, fax numbers, and email
address;
D) The intended
transporters or their agents; address, telephone, fax, and email
address;
E) "U.S." as the country
of import, "USA01" as the relevant competent authority code, and the intended
U.S. ports of entry;
F) The
International Standard ISO 3166-1:2013, incorporated by reference in 35 Ill.
Adm. Code
720.111, country name alpha-2 code, any code for the OECD/Basel
competent authority, and the ports of entry and exit for each country of
transit;
G) The International
Standard ISO 3166-1:2013, incorporated by reference in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
720.111, country name alpha-2 code, any code for the OECD/Basel competent
authority, and port of exit for the country of export;
H) A statement of whether the notification
covers a single shipment or multiple shipments;
I) The start and end dates requested for
transboundary movements;
J) The
planned means of transport;
K) A
description of each hazardous waste, including whether each hazardous waste is
regulated universal waste under 35 Ill. Adm. Code
733, spent lead-acid
batteries being exported for recovery of lead under Subpart G of 35 Ill. Adm.
Code
726, or industrial ethyl alcohol being exported for reclamation under 35
Ill. Adm. Code
721.106(a)(3)(A); the estimated total quantity of each hazardous
waste; the applicable USEPA hazardous waste numbers for each hazardous waste;
the applicable waste code from the lists in the OECD Guidance Manual,
incorporated by reference in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
720.111; and the United
Nations/USDOT identification number from the Hazardous Materials Table in 49 CFR
172.101, incorporated by reference in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
720.111, for each
hazardous waste;
L) Specification
of the recovery or disposal operations, as defined in Section 722.181;
and
M) A declaration and
certification signed by the exporter that states the following:
I certify that the above information is complete and correct
to the best of my knowledge. I also certify that legally enforceable written
contractual obligations have been entered into and that any applicable
insurance or other financial guarantee is or shall be in force covering the
transboundary movement.
Name:
Signature:
Date:
BOARD NOTE: The United States does not currently require
financial assurance for these waste shipments.
BOARD NOTE: The United Nations Environment Programme, Basel
Convention maintains an on-line list of competent authorities by country
(www.basel.int/Countries/CountryContacts/tabid/1342/Default.aspx).
The European Commission maintains a list of competent authorities for European
Union members
(ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/shipments/pdf/list_competent_authorities.pdf).
2) Notifications Listing
Interim Recycling Operations or Interim Disposal Operations. If the receiving
facility listed in subsection (b)(1)(B) will engage in any of the interim
recovery operations R12, R13, or RC3 or interim disposal operations D13 through
D15, the notification submitted according to subsection (b)(1) must also
include the final recovery or disposal facility name, address, telephone, fax
numbers, email address, technologies employed, and which of the applicable
recovery or disposal operations R1 through R11, RC1, and D1 through D12, will
be employed at the final recovery or disposal facility. The recovery and
disposal operations in this subsection are defined in Section
722.181.
3) Renotifications. If the
foreign exporter wishes to change any of the conditions specified on the
original notification (including increasing the estimate of the total quantity
of hazardous waste specified in the original notification or adding
transporters), the importer must submit a renotification of the changes to
USEPA using the methods in subsection (b)(1). Any shipment using the requested
changes cannot take place until USEPA and the countries of transit consent to
the changes and the importer receives an USEPA AOC letter documenting the
consents to the changes.
4) A
notification is complete when USEPA determines the notification satisfies the
requirements of subsections (b)(1)(A) through (b)(1)(M).
5) If USEPA and the countries of transit
consent to the proposed transboundary movements of the hazardous wastes, USEPA
will forward an USEPA AOC letter to the importer documenting the countries'
consents and USEPA's consent. If any of the countries of transit or USEPA
objects to the proposed transboundary movements of the hazardous waste or
withdraws a prior consent, USEPA will notify the importer.
6) Export of Hazardous Wastes Originally
Imported into the United States. Export of hazardous wastes that were
originally imported into the United States for recycling or disposal operations
is prohibited unless an exporter in the United States complies with the export
requirements in Section
722.183(b)(7).
c) RCRA Manifest Instructions for Import
Shipments
1) When importing hazardous waste,
the importer must meet all the requirements of Section
722.120 for the
manifest, with the following exceptions:
A)
(Block 5): In place of the generator's name, address and USEPA identification
number, the name and address of the foreign generator and the importer's name,
address and USEPA identification number must be used.
B) (Block 15): In place of the generator's
signature on the certification statement, the importer or its agent must sign
and date the certification and obtain the signature of the initial
transporter.
3) In the International Shipments
block (block 16), the importer must check the import box and enter the point of
entry (city and state) into the United States.
4) The importer must provide the transporter
with an additional copy of the manifest to be submitted by the receiving
facility to USEPA in compliance with 35 Ill. Adm. Code
724.171(a)(3) and
725.171(a)(3).
5) Instead of the
requirements of Section
722.120(d), if a shipment cannot be delivered for any
reason to the receiving facility, the importer must instruct the transporter in
writing via fax, email, or mail to do the following:
A) Return the hazardous waste to the foreign
exporter or designate another facility within the United States; and
B) Revise the manifest in accordance with the
importer's instructions.
d) Movement Document Requirements for Import
Shipments
1) The importer must make sure that
a movement document meeting the conditions of subsection (d)(2) accompanies
each transboundary movement of hazardous wastes from the initiation of the
shipment in the country of export until it reaches the receiving facility,
including cases in which the hazardous waste is stored or sorted by the
importer before shipment to the receiving facility, except as provided in
subsections (d)(1)(A) and (d)(1)(B).
A) For
shipments of hazardous waste within the United States by water (bulk shipments
only), the importer must forward the movement document to the last water (bulk
shipment) transporter to handle the hazardous waste in the United States if
imported by water.
B) For rail
shipments of hazardous waste within the United States which start from the
company originating the export shipment, the importer must forward the movement
document to the next non-rail transporter, if any, or the last rail transporter
to handle the hazardous waste in the United States if imported by
rail.
2) The movement
document must include the following:
A) The
corresponding USEPA AOC numbers and USEPA hazardous waste numbers for the
listed waste;
B) The shipment
number and the total number of shipments under the USEPA AOC number;
C) The foreign exporter name, address,
telephone, fax numbers, and email address;
D) The receiving facility name, USEPA
identification number, address, telephone, fax numbers, email address,
technologies employed, and the applicable recovery or disposal operations, as
defined in Section 722.181;
E) The
importer name (if not the owner or operator of the receiving facility), USEPA
identification number, address, telephone, fax numbers, and email
address;
F) A description of each
hazardous waste, quantity of each hazardous waste in the shipment; the
applicable hazardous waste numbers for each hazardous waste; the applicable
waste code for each hazardous waste from the lists in the OECD Guidance Manual,
incorporated by reference in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
720.111; and the United
Nations/USDOT identification number from the Hazardous Materials Table in 49 CFR
172.101, incorporated by reference in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
720.111, for each
hazardous waste;
G) The date
movement started;
H) The name (if
not the foreign exporter), address, telephone, fax numbers, and email of the
foreign company originating the shipment;
I) The company name, USEPA identification
number, address, telephone, fax, and email address of all
transporters;
J) Identification
(license, registered name or registration number) of the means of transport,
including types of packaging;
K)
Any special precautions to be taken by transporters;
L) A declaration and certification signed and
dated by the foreign exporter that the information in the movement document is
complete and correct;
M) The
appropriate signatures for each custody transfer (e.g., transporter, importer,
and owner or operator of the receiving facility);
N) Each person that has physical custody of
the waste from the time the movement starts until it arrives at the receiving
facility must sign the movement document (e.g., transporter, importer, and
owner or operator of the receiving facility); and
O) The receiving facility must send a copy of
the signed movement document to the competent authorities of the countries of
export and transit to confirm receipt within three working days after shipment
delivery to the foreign exporter. For shipments received on or after the
electronic import-export reporting compliance date, to USEPA electronically
using USEPA's WIETS.
e) Duty to Return or Export Hazardous Wastes.
If a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes cannot be completed in
compliance with the terms of the contract or the consents, the provisions of
subsection (f)(4) apply. If alternative arrangements cannot be made to recover
the hazardous waste in an environmentally sound manner in the United States,
the hazardous waste must be returned to the country of export or exported to a
third country. The provisions of subsection (b)(6) apply to any hazardous waste
shipments to be exported to a third country. If the return shipment will cross
any transit country, the return shipment may only occur after USEPA provides
notification to and obtains consent from the competent authority of the country
of transit, and provides a copy of that consent to the importer.
f) Import Contract Requirements
1) Imports of hazardous waste must occur
under the terms of a valid written contract, chain of contracts, or equivalent
arrangements (when the movement occurs between parties controlled by the same
corporate or legal entity). A contract or equivalent arrangements must specify
responsibilities for each of the foreign exporter, the importer, and the owner
or operator of the receiving facility, and each must execute the contract or
equivalent arrangements. A contract or equivalent arrangements is valid for
hazardous waste import only if all persons assuming obligations under the
contract or equivalent arrangements have appropriate legal status to conduct
the operations specified in the contract or equivalent arrangements.
2) Contracts or equivalent arrangements must
specify the name and USEPA identification number, where available, of the
following persons:
A) The foreign company from
which each import shipment of hazardous waste is initiated;
B) Each person that will have physical
custody of the hazardous wastes;
C)
Each person that will have legal control of the hazardous wastes; and
D) The receiving facility.
3) A contract or equivalent
arrangements must specify the use of a movement document in compliance with
Section
722.184(d).
4) A contract
or equivalent arrangements must specify which party to the contract will assume
responsibility for alternate management of the hazardous waste if the wastes'
disposition cannot be carried out as described in the notification of intent to
export submitted by either the foreign exporter or the importer. In these
cases, the contract must specify the following:
A) That the transporter or receiving facility
in possession or physical control over the hazardous wastes will immediately
inform the foreign exporter, the importer, and the competent authority where
the shipment is located of the need to arrange alternate management or return;
and
B) That the person specified in
the contract will assume responsibility for the adequate management of the
hazardous wastes in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including
arranging the return of the hazardous wastes, if necessary, providing the
notification for re-export as required by Section
722.183(b)(7).
5) A contract must specify that
the importer or the receiving facility performing interim recycling operations
R12, R13, or RC3 or interim disposal operations D13 through D15, as
appropriate, will provide the notification required by Section
722.183(b)(7)
prior to the re-export of hazardous waste. The recovery and disposal operations
in this subsection are defined in Section 722.181.
6) A contract or equivalent arrangements must
include provisions for financial guarantees, if required by the competent
authorities of any countries concerned, in compliance with applicable national
or international law requirements.
BOARD NOTE: Financial guarantees required by competent
authorities are intended to provide for alternate recycling, disposal, or other
means of sound management of the wastes in cases where arrangements for the
shipment and the recovery operations cannot be carried out as foreseen. The
United States does not require financial guarantees at this time; however, some
OECD Member countries or other foreign countries do. It is the responsibility
of the importer to ascertain and comply with any financial requirements; in
some cases, persons or facilities located in those countries may refuse to
enter into the necessary contracts absent specific references or certifications
to financial guarantees.
7)
A contract or equivalent arrangements must contain provisions requiring each
contracting party to comply with all requirements of Subpart H.
8) Upon request by USEPA, an importer or
disposal or recovery facility must submit to USEPA copies of the contract,
chain of contracts, or equivalent arrangements (when the movement occurs
between parties controlled by the same corporate or legal entity).
g) Confirmation of Recovery or
Disposal. The receiving facility must do the following:
1) Send copies of the signed and dated
confirmation of recovery or disposal to the foreign exporter and to the
competent authority of the country of export, as soon as possible, within
thirty days after completing recovery or disposal of the waste in the shipment
and within one calendar year after receiving the waste. For shipments recycled
or disposed of on or after the electronic import-export reporting compliance
date, reporting to USEPA must occur electronically using USEPA's
WIETS.
2) If the receiving facility
performed any of recovery operations R12, R13, or RC3, or disposal operations
D13 through D15, the receiving facility must promptly send copies of the
confirmation of recovery or disposal that it receives from the final recovery
or disposal facility to the final recovery or disposal facility that performed
one of recovery operations R1 through R11, or RC1 to RC3, or one of disposal
operations D1 through D12, or DC1 to DC2, to the competent authority of the
country of export within one year of shipment delivery. For confirmations
received on or after the electronic import-export reporting compliance date, to
USEPA electronically using USEPA's WIETS, or its successor system. The recovery
and disposal operations in this subsection (g)(2) are defined in Section
722.181.
h) Recordkeeping
1) The importer must keep the following
records and provide them to USEPA or the Agency upon request:
A) A copy of each notification that the
importer sends to USEPA under subsection (b)(1) and each USEPA AOC the importer
receives in response at least three years from the date the hazardous waste was
accepted by the initial foreign transporter; and
B) A copy of each contract or equivalent
arrangement established per subsection (f) for at least three years from the
date the contract expires or equivalent arrangement.
2) The receiving facility must keep the
following records:
A) A copy of each
confirmation of receipt (i.e., movement document) that the receiving facility
sends to the foreign exporter for at least three years from the date it
received the hazardous waste;
B) A
copy of each confirmation of recovery or disposal that the receiving facility
sends to the foreign exporter for at least three years from the date that it
completed processing the waste shipment;
C) For the receiving facility that performed
any of recovery operations R12, R13, or RC3, or disposal operations D13 through
D15 (recovery and disposal operations defined in Section 722.181), a copy of
each confirmation of recovery or disposal that the final recovery or disposal
facility sent to the receiving facility for at least three years from the date
that the final recovery or disposal facility completed processing the waste
shipment; and
D) A copy of each
contract or equivalent arrangement established under subsection (f) for at
least three years after the contract expires or equivalent
arrangement.
3) An
importer or receiving facility may satisfy these recordkeeping requirements by
keeping electronically submitted documents in the importer's or receiving
facility's account on USEPA's WIETS, if the copies are readily available for
viewing and production if requested by any USEPA or Agency inspector. An
importer or receiving facility may not be held liable for the inability to
produce the documents for inspection under this Section if the importer or
receiving facility can demonstrate that the inability to produce the document
is due exclusively to technical difficulty with USEPA's WIETS for which the
importer or receiving facility has no responsibility.
4) The periods of retention referred to in
this Section are extended automatically during any unresolved enforcement
action regarding the regulated activity or as requested in writing by USEPA or
the Agency.