United States


Environmental Protection Agency


Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)


Multi-Year Research Plan:


Fiscal Years 2003 to 2010


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Research and Development 

Washington, DC 20460 

May 2004 

This research plan has not yet been peer-reviewed. 
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Table of Contents 

Major Acronym List ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ... iv


Introduction ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ .......... 

Background ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........


Legislative History ............ ............ ............ ............ .......... 2


Current Priorities of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response ............


The Resource Conservation Challenge ............ ............ ............ ..... 4


Summary of OSW and Regional Needs for ORD Research ............ ............ .


Emerging research topics ............ ............ ............ .......... 5


Ongoing research topics ............ ............ ............ ...........


Development of the Research Program ............ ............ ............ ...........


Figure 1. Logic Model Encapsulating the ORD RCRA Research Program ............ 8


Multimedia Decision-Making Long Term Goal ............ ............ .......... 9


ORD Program Shifts ............ ............ ............ ............ .. 9


Principal Areas of Research Activity ............ ............ ............ 11


Site-Specific Corrective Action ............ ............ ............ .... 11


Multimedia Modeling for Nationwide and Other Assessments ........... . ... 12


Multimedia Decision-Making Science Questions ............ ............ . 14


Leveraging With Outside Agencies ............ ............ ............ . 15


Progress to Date on Multimedia Decision-Making ............ ............ 15


Outreach and Communication ............ ............ ............ ..... 16


Critical Path to the Multimedia Decision-Making Long Term Goal ........... 16


Figure 2. Resource Conservation and Corrective Action Flow Diagram 

............ ............. ............ ............ ..... 18


Figure 3. Multimedia Modeling Flow Diagram ............ ......... 19


Table 1. Multimedia Decision-Making APGs and APMs ............ 20


Waste Management Long Term Goal ............ ............ ............ ..... 26


Principal Areas of Research Activity ............ ............ ............ 26


Landfills, Containment Systems, and Landfill Bioreactors ........... . ...... 26


Waste Management Science Questions ............ ............ .......... 27


Leveraging with Outside Agencies ............ ............ ............ . 28


Progress to Date on Waste Management ............ ............ ......... 28


Outreach and Communication ............ ............ ............ ..... 29


Critical Path to the Long Term Waste Management Goal ............ ....... 30


Figure 4a. Waste Management (Landfills, Hazard Waste Treatment, 

Landfill Bioreactor ) Flow Diagram ............ ............ 31


Figure 4b. Waste Management (Combustion) Flow Diagram ......... 32


Table 2. Waste Management APGs and APMs ............ ......... 33


Resource Trends for the RCRA Research Program ............ ............ ............ . 36


Table 3 Resource Trends Table for RCRA ............ ............ ............ . 36


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Potential Additions to the Research Program ............ ............ ............ ...... 36


OSW’s RCRA Vision 2020 ............ ............ ............ ............ .. 36


Improved Approaches to Waste & Materials Management ........... . ...... 37


RCRA Corrective Action ............ ............ ............ ......... 39


Sampling and Analytical ............ ............ ............ ......... 39


APPENDIX A: GPRA Goal 3 and Its Associated Objectives and Sub-Objectives ............ 41


APPENDIX B: Multi-Year Plan Research Needs Provided by the Office of Solid ........... 43


APPENDIX C: Statement of Research Needs from the Regional Offices ........... . ...... 54


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Major Acronym List 

APG annual performance goal OSW Office of Solid Waste 

APM annual performance measure OSWER Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 

Response 

BDAT best demonstrated available treatment ORD Office of Research and Development 

BIF boiler and industrial furnace PBT persistent bioaccumu lative toxic 

CA corrective action PCB polychlorinated biphenyl 

CEAM Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling PCDD polychlorinated dibenzodioxins 

CEM continuous emissions monitoring PCDF polychlorinated dibenzofurans 

CERCLA Comprehe nsive Environmental Response PM particulate matter 

Compensation and Liability Act 

DNAPL dense non-aqueous phase liquid QSAR quantitative structure activity relationships 

FRAMES Fra mework f or R isk Analysis in Multime dia RCC Re sou rc e C onservat ion Ch alle nge 

Environme ntal Systems 

FY fiscal year RCT Research Coordination Team 

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

GW ground water REMPI resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization 

HSWA Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments RSA Re giona l Sensit ivity Analysis 

HWC hazardous waste combustors SA/UA sensitivity analysis/u ncertainty analysis 

HWIR Hazardous W ast e Identifica tion Rule SAB Science Advisory Board 

ITRC Interstate Technical Regulatory Cooperation Sup er MUSE Supercomputer for Modeling Uncertainty and 

Sensitivity Evaluation 

LHS latin hypercube sampling SW surface water 

LTG long-term goal TCLP toxicity characteristic leaching procedure 

MACT maximum achievable control technologies TIO Technology Innovation Office 

MCL maximum contaminant level TOE total organic emissions 

MDM multimedia decision-making TSDE tree-structured density estimation 

MOU memorandum of understanding UCPR uniform coverage with probabilistic rejection 

3MRA Multimedia, Multireceptor, Multipathway Risk VI vapor intrusion 

Assessment 

MYP multi-year plan VOC volatile organic contaminant 

NCER National Center for Environmental Research WDP waste-derived product 

NCEA National Center for Environmental Assessment WM waste management 

NERL National Exposure Research Laborat ory WMPC Waste Minimization Priority Chemical 

NRMRL National Risk Management Re search Laboratory 

OAQPS Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards 

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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 


Multi-Year Research Plan: 


Fiscal Years 2003 to 2010


1. Introduction 

The Office of Research and Development (ORD) uses multi-year planning to direct our research 

program over a period of five to ten years. This approach promotes ORD’s focus on the highest 

priority issues and provides a coordinated approach for contributing to the achievement of 

Agency goals. 

The purpose of the Multi-Year Plans (MYPs) is to provide a framework integrating research 

across ORD’s Laboratories and Centers and Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

goals in support of the Agency’s mission to protect human health and to safeguard the natural 

environment. The MYP is composed of three parts: 1) a narrative description of the plan, 2) 

flow diagrams to show the sequence and interrelationship of our annual performance goals 

(APGs) in achieving each long-term goal (LTG) and 3) tables describing the APGs and 

associated annual performance measures (APMs) needed to meet our long-term goals. The 

MYP tables relate the APMs/outputs in a particular year with the APGs they support, even if 

the APG is in an out year. The budget is assumed roughly constant at approximately $10 

million annually from FY03 through FY10. 

By identifying the impact of potential annual planning decisions, MYPs will aid in the 

evaluation of research options and will foster the integration of strategic risk-based 

environmental protection and the anticipation of future environmental issues. They also allow 

for a more comprehensive understanding of changes needed to emphasize a new direction or 

accelerate an existing program. The Program Offices and Regions were part of the writing 

teams that updated these plans; as key users of ORD research products, it is critical that their 

perspectives are addressed. MYPs are intended to be living documents and will be updated 

approximately biennially to reflect changes in Agency strategic thinking, program and regional 

office priorities, available resources, and the current state of the science. 

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Multi-Year Plan describes FY03-10 

research in support of Agency Goal 3, “Preserve and Restore the Land.” This is the second 

version of the plan, neither of which have undergone peer review to date. The goal states1

: 

Preserve and restore the land by using innovative waste management practices and cleaning up 

contaminated properties to reduce risks posed by releases of harmful substances. Three 

objectives within Goal 3 (see Appendix A) address the RCRA program: 

Objective 3.1: Preserve Land. By 2008, reduce adverse effects to land by 

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2003-2008 EPA Strategic Plan, September 2003, EPA-190-R-03-003, 

http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/2003sp.pdf 

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reducing waste generation, increasing recycling, and ensuring proper 

management of waste and petroleum products at facilities in ways that prevent 

releases 

Objective 3.2: Restore Land. By 2008, control the risks to human health and the 

environment by mitigating the impact of accidental or intentional releases and by 

cleaning up and restoring contaminated sites or properties to appropriate levels 

Objective 3.3: Enhance Science and Research. Through 2008, provide and apply 

sound science for protecting and restoring land by conducting leading-edge 

research and developing a better understanding and characterization of 

environmental outcomes under Goal 3 

2. Background 

Legislative History 

The Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965 was the first law to require safeguards and encourage 

environmentally sound disposal methods for household, municipal, commercial, and industrial 

refuse. Congress amended this law in 1970, the Resource Recovery Act, and again in 1976, 

with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Congress revised RCRA in 1980 and 1984. 

The 1984 amendments, the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA), significantly 

expanded the scope of RCRA. The major subtitles are 

•	 Subtitle C - establishes a program for managing hazardous waste from generation 

to ultimate disposal, including the clean up of sites contaminated by hazardous 

waste spills and other releases to the environment. 

•	 Subtitle D - establishes a program for managing solid (primarily nonhazardous) 

waste, such as household waste. 

Section 6902 of RCRA (42 USC 82 Subchapter I, Sec. 6902 (a)) describes the intent of 

Congress to promote the protection of health and the environment and the role of research by: 

•	 “promoting a national research and development program for improved solid 

waste management and resource conservation techniques, more effective 

organizational arrangements, and new and improved methods of collection, 

separation, and recovery, and recycling of solid wastes and environmentally safe 

disposal of non-recoverable residues;” and 

•	 “promoting the demonstration, construction, and application of solid waste 

management, resource recovery, and resource conservation systems which 

preserve and enhance the quality of air, water, and land resources.” 

RCRA as amended by HSWA has led to significant regulatory programs for the safe 

management of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. The Agency is increasingly focusing on 

improvements to the regulatory framework based on the most current science and greater 

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emphasis on resource recovery. In addition, legislation mandates that EPA require the 

investigation and cleanup, or remediation, of these hazardous releases at RCRA facilities. This 

program is known as RCRA Corrective Action (CA). EPA enforces RCRA CA primarily 

through statutory authorities established by HSWA. 

Current Priorities of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response 

The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) set six priorities for FY03 

(http://www.epa.gov/oswer/Mission.htm), a number of which have also reached the 

Administrator’s agenda for the Agency. These include partnerships with states, municipalities 

and the private sector to encourage waste minimization, recycling, and "beneficial reuse" of 

wastes and products. The importance of these activities to the Agency is further highlighted by 

the Science Advisory Board’s (SAB’s) recent “Commentary on Industrial Ecology”(April 2002) 

in which the SAB emphasizes recycling, re-use and related topics in their recommendations to 

the Administrator. 

Five of the six priorities have research needs that fit well with ORD’s research capability: 

•	 Counter-Terrorism: Refer to the National Homeland Security Research Center 

(NHSRC) research strategy for ORD activities to support OSWER and Regional 

research needs in Homeland Security (waste disposal and analytical issues). 

•	 Revitalization: Broadly promote the lessons learned by the Brownfields program 

and how revitalization can complement our traditional cleanup programs and 

lead to faster cleanups. See the Contaminated Sites MYP for related ORD 

Brownfields activities. 

•	 One Cleanup Program: Create a national dialogue on the future of Superfund 

and other waste/cleanup programs. 

•	 Recycling and Energy: Promote recycling and energy for both hazardous and 

non-hazardous wastes. See the Resource Conservation Challenge as described 

below. 

•	 Retail Initiative: Connect with consumers and households to get them focused 

on making purchasing decisions that are better for the environment and create 

interest in the environment, while promoting environmental stewardship at the 

manufacturing level. See the Pollution Prevention MYP for details on ORD’s 

activities in industrial ecology, green chemistry and engineering, etc., and see 

also the Resource Conservation Challenges described below. 

Separately, the Office of Solid Waste (OSW) engaged in a process of developing a vision of the 

future of the RCRA program. Two documents, The Draft OSW Strategic Plan of October 2002 

and Beyond RCRA: Prospects for Waste and Materials Management in the Year 2020 describe 

a future program where there are three goals. These goals were endorsed by the Assistant 

Administrator of OSWER,2 and are: (1) reduce waste and increase the efficient and sustainable 

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Memorandum from Marianne Horinko to the RCRA Vision Paper Steering Committee and RCRA Vision 

Workgroup dated October 17, 2002 

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use of resources; (2) prevent exposures to humans and ecosystems from the use of hazardous 

chemicals; and (3) manage waste and clean up chemical releases in a safe, environmentally 

sound manner. In this vision, humans and the environment are protected while the removal of 

barriers to recycling and reuse are explored. In addition to remediating past releases of 

hazardous chemicals, the importance of returning idle or underutilized properties to productive 

use is recognized. 

The Resource Conservation Challenge 

As a way to enhance recycling and energy conservation, OSW established the Resource 

Conservation Challenge (RCC) on September 9, 2002. The RCC strives to reduce waste by 

promoting the reuse of recycled products to conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas 

emissions, save energy and ultimately preserve our ecosystems. The RCC positions the Agency 

in a leadership role in fostering significant national progress toward reducing the amount of 

waste going to landfills; reducing the amount of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes 

generated; increasing recycling; cultivating opportunities for converting waste to energy and 

raw materials (e.g., by piloting new cleaner technologies, such as gasification, which convert 

waste into a gas that can be burned as fuel); and ensuring that wastes and petroleum products 

are safely and appropriately managed to prevent future contamination of the land. 

This major national effort is being carried out by a variety of activities that involve businesses, 

manufacturers, and consumers that include: forming voluntary partnerships for waste 

minimization, providing infrastructure development that makes it easier to meet RCC goals, 

technical support and outreach to various organizations, engaging youth, and educating people. 

OSWER has established a set of demonstration projects for reducing waste and recovering 

energy, and has provided ORD with a list of research needs to support key areas such as a rulemaking that would allow wastes to be used where appropriate as a type of fuel in essentially 

closed “gasification” systems; partnerships to encourage waste reduction and recycling, e.g. in 

the areas of electronic wastes and carpeting; bioreactors to more efficiently manage municipal 

waste streams; and beneficial reuse of waste derived products such as roadbed. 

Summary of OSW and Regional Needs for ORD Research 

In December 2002, OSW provided a thorough compilation of research needs (Appendix B), as 

did the Regions (Appendix C), and States (Appendix B, Item 3), for use in revising this multiyear research plan. OSW’s research needs stress the equal importance of both emerging 

research areas and “core” research activities that focus on hazardous chemicals. They also 

emphasize the need for technical support for corrective action and combustion. The State needs 

strongly reinforce the importance to the Agency of research in waste management technologies 

and resource conservation challenges, and also reinforce the importance of an appropriate degree 

of technical support activities. The regions’ needs also emphasize the importance of research 

deliverables that support program implementation and the solution of problems, not just the 

identification of problems. 

Emerging research topics that are receiving increased emphasis within OSW and the Regions 

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include resource conservation programs (e.g., beneficial reuse of waste, electronics waste 

recycling and waste minimization), homeland security (needs are expected to be funded through 

the new Homeland Security Research Center), vapor intrusion, risk assessment, and analytical 

method support. OSW noted that to address emerging research topic needs ORD will need to 

continue emphasizing a multi-program approach, and that the Waste Research Coordination 

Team (RCT) needs to leverage extensively with other RCTs and other programs, especially 

Superfund and Pollution Prevention. For example, waste minimization and green chemistry 

topics concerning targeted reductions in use of 30 Waste Minimization Priority Chemicals 

(WMPCs) should be a high priority for funding under pollution prevention; and development of 

analytical methods should be closely coordinated with Superfund. 

Ongoing research topics: The ongoing research that underpins current applications technology 

and anticipates OSW long-term needs remains essential to this program. Because these needs 

have been identified by OSW, they are unique to RCRA; and hence, they are not funded under 

other programs or RCTs. The research, development and technical support components of this 

work may be grouped into three main areas: waste management, waste-related multimedia 

science, and corrective action technical support. Waste management research needs include 

hazardous waste combustion topics (e.g., risk identification and technology development), 

improved understanding of leaching mechanisms and definition of representative analytic 

methods (which is critical for both the RCRA and CERCLA programs), treatment technology 

for hard-to-treat wastes, notably arsenic and mercury, and liners. 

Multimedia science and modeling also remains a need for use in a variety of national, regional 

and site-specific applications. One major tool that ORD is developing to support this need is 

the Multimedia, Multireceptor, Multipathway Risk Assessment (3MRA) model. Future 

directions in the development of multimedia modeling will depend on the recommendations of 

the Science Advisory Board, who conducted a review of the modeling system in FY03. The 

schedule and effort to improve the science, technology and data for use in multimedia modeling 

will depend on the outcome of the SAB review and client needs. 

Support for corrective action at RCRA sites is an important component of the ORD program. 

EPA estimates that over 6500 facilities are potentially subject to RCRA corrective action 

statutory authority.

3 The contamination resulting from RCRA facility releases poses potentially 

significant risk to human health and the environment, in a manner very similar to that found at 

Superfund sites. Most of ORD’s research efforts on corrective action address three areas: 1) 

ground water to indoor air contamination, 2) ground water/surface water interactions, and 3) 

natural attenuation of metallic contaminants. An important component of the ORD program is 

technical support through the Ground Water, Engineering, and Monitoring/Characterization 

Technical Support Centers. 

3 See the EPA Corrective Action web site at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/ca/backgnd.htm for more 

information. 

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3. Development of the Research Program 

ORD developed a research program to address the core research needs of the RCRA program4, 

and as new needs have emerged (see Appendix B), ORD has adapted the program to address the 

shifting priorities. The program as a whole is described in this section and the next, but to 

highlight changes in the research program that are beginning in early 2003, a special section 

then follows describing shifts to address new priority areas. 

Figure 1 shows a logic diagram5 that summarizes the features of the research program. As read 

from right to left, the model describes the long-term outcomes of the RCRA program (the 

“clients”). The OSW statement of research needs indicate areas within this framework where 

ORD should direct its efforts. Nine areas of focus are indicated as intermediate outcomes on 

the logic diagram. These are listed to indicate how ORD is dividing its effort and has 

developed its research program. The nine areas are beneficial reuse of waste, waste 

minimization priority chemicals, vapor intrusion from contaminated ground water to indoor air, 

landfill liners/covers, landfill bioreactors, waste leaching, combustion emissions, multimedia 

modeling approaches to decision-making, and corrective action technical assistance. Generally, 

the thrust of work in each area is to provide OSW with better information for decision-making 

or improved assessment (note: resources are not allocated equally to each area). 

Because of common elements between these research areas, ORD has developed two long-term 

goals (LTGs) to meet the needs of the RCRA program, including corrective action: waste 

management and multimedia decision-making. All nine areas fall into one of these LTGs. The 

rationale for the ORD LTGs and each research area is given below. ORD’s short term 

outcomes or the annual performance goals are also stated for each of the nine research areas. 

The research activities that support the goals include laboratory and field studies, development 

of measurement techniques, development and evaluation of models, and generation and 

assessment of exposure scenarios. The products produced include reports, synthesis reports, 

papers, guidance, fact sheets, software and user’s guides and technical support. These products 

are distributed to EPA and the interested community through the ORD annual products lists, 

4 In addition to using the GPRA Goals and Objective, discussion and written input from OSW (Appendix B) and the 

Regions (Appendix C), the following references have been used in developing the research plan: 

1. Waste Research Strategy, 1999, EPA/600/R-98/154. 

2.	 A National R&D Strategy for Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Solid Waste, the Committee on Environment and 

Natural Resources, 1995. 

3. Office of Research and Development Strategic Plan, January 2001, EPA/600/R-01/003. 

4. Multi-Year Plan: Pollution Prevention and New Technologies for Environmental Protection, 2001. 

5.	 Beyond RCRA: Prospects for Waste and Materials Management in the Year 2020 White Paper, August 2002, EPA530-R02-009. 

6. Office of Solid Waste Strategic Plan 2003-2008, 10/02/02 Working Draft. 

7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Strategic Plan for Homeland Security, September 2002. 

8.	 ORD Laboratory and Center plans (e.g., task descriptions) and staff input, activities at other Agencies, and a variety of 

other sources of information. 

5 McLaughlin, J.A. and G.B. Jordan, 1999, Logic models: a tool for telling your program’s performance story, Evaluation 

and Program Planning, 22, 65-72. 

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document distribution centers, ORD-sponsored seminars, presentations at the RCRA National 

Meeting and other scientific conferences, ORD’s Center for Subsurface Modeling Support and 

Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling (CEAM), ORD scientist participation in Agency 

rule-making and guidance development workgroups, through the ORD technical support 

centers, and by informal technical support provided by ORD scientists and engineers. 

Based on information in the Introduction and Background sections and on ORD’s capability and 

capacity to meet OSW/Regional priority RCRA research needs, two primary topics were 

identified: waste management options and multimedia decision making. ORD’s work is housed 

under long-term goals written for these topics and includes elements of RCRA corrective action 

and resource conservation, which are noted in the following discussion. Because each long term 

goal is strongly tied to specific needs of the program and regional offices, ORD views the work 

as a whole to be problem-driven in nature. The material to follow includes background and 

drivers of the program, science questions, progress to date, the critical path to achieving the 

long-term goal, and the planned work from FY03 to FY10. 

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Figure 1. Logic Model Encapsulating the ORD RCRA Research Program 

Outreach and Effective Transfer 

Tech transfer through Centers, guidance, fact 

sheets, workshop, synthesis reports, software 

and user’s guides 

Resources 

ORD resources:


$10 Million 50.3 1) beneficial reuse of beneficial reuse of waste 

Clients 

Direct Clients: 

1) Offic e of Solid Wa ste 

2) EPA Regi ons 

of WMPCs management for industrial


Activities 

Pe rfo rm res ea rc h on: 

Outputs* 

1) Assessment of impacts of 

Short Term Outcomes* 

1) Conduc t as se ssment LTG-1 Improve waste 

FTE waste 2) Assessment of 2) Expanded and municipal wastes to


2) impacts of reducing environmental improvement Indirect Clients: application of risk enhance sustainability by 

Lev

other Agencies: chemicals che mic al usa ge 4) Private Sector beneficial reuse of reports, and technical 

Departments of 

Defens e a nd 

3) vapor intrusion of 

contamina nts into 

3) Review of existing vapor 

intrusion models 

waste 

3) Support RCRA 

support. 

Energy, Nuclear 

Regulatory 

Commiss io n, 

buildings 

4) la ndfi ll li ner s a nd 

covers 

4) Report on Construction 

Testing for Improved Liner 

Performance 

ap pl ic ati ons , incl udi ng 

vapor intrusion 

4) Evaluate liner/cover 

LTG-2 Support 

scientifically defensible 

and co nsi ste nt de ci si onStates, 5) landfill bioreactors 5) Landfill Bioreactor pe rfo rmance thro ugh making for RCRA waste 

Private Sector, 6) le ac hing Performance Syn. Report four reports management and 

eraging with usage of priority due to reduction in priority 3) States assessment for providing technical 

Trade 7) combustion and 6) Syn. Report on leaching 5) Assessment of First corrective action by 

Associations incineration issues Generation Landfill providing a tested 

8) multimedia 7) Papers on co-gasification Bioreactors multimedia modeling 

modeling and measurement of trace 6) Assessment of system, technical reports, 

9) provide technical organics emissions leaching and technical support. 

support for RCRA 8) Prepare technical 7) Research approach 

corrective action sites documentation for SAB for emissions at 

review Subpart X facilities 

9)Tech support center reports 8) Deliver multimedia 

mode ling syste m to 

OSW 

9) Tech support for CA 

Intermediate 

Outcomes 

1) Improved decisions on 

benefici al reuse of w aste 

2) Assessment of progress toward 

environmental improvement from 

reduction in priority chemicals 

3) Knowledge of alternatives 

proposed for vapor intrusion 

modeling 

4) Better approaches to landfill 

liners 

5) Better decision-making on use 

of landfill bioreactors 

6) Improved leaching tests 

7) Better assessment of 

combustion emissions 

8) Improved decisions on future 

of multimedia modeling 

9) Better response at corrective 

action sites 

Long-Term 

Outcomes 

Conserving Natural 

Resources: C ontr ib uting 

to a system where economic 

prosperity co-exists with a 

healthy environment 

Preventing Future Waste 

Problems: Sustaining 

the Momentum for Safe 

Management 

Cleaning up Problems 

from Past Practices 

*Key or representative outputs and outcomes listed of each research topic; see Tables 1 and 2 for complete listings of APMs and APGs 

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Multimedia Decision-Making Long Term Goal 

Rationale behind the goal 

RCRA multimedia decision-making spans problem scales and include site-specific assessments 

needed for corrective action sites and national scale assessments. The multimedia decisionmaking goal is intended to support scientifically defensible and consistent decision-making for 

RCRA waste management and corrective action: 

Multimedia Decision-Making LTG: Support scientifically 

defensible and consistent decision-making for RCRA waste 

management and corrective action by providing a tested 

multimedia modeling system and technical support to those 

who use the model to make environmental decisions. 

This goal addresses multimedia environmental assessments. At corrective action sites, currently 

identified problems include ground water/surface water interactions and their impacts on 

contaminant transport and transformation. Vapor intrusion of contaminants from subsurface 

contamination into indoor air is another contemporary, difficult multimedia problem that is 

addressed by research in this LTG. At a larger scale, nationwide multimedia assessments that 

account for contaminants originating from various RCRA waste management units are needed 

for development or refinement of regulations or guidance. Depending upon the nature of the 

chemicals involved, the assessment may need to consider exposure pathways that include air, 

water, and land, simultaneously. These approaches are also appropriate for nationwide 

assessment of beneficial reuse of waste, and to determine the benefits of reduction in use of 

waste minimization priority chemicals. These issues are housed under the same goal, because 

they all involve problem analysis, appropriate data collection, multimedia assessment, and 

communication of results. 

ORD Program Shifts to Accommodate Emerging Research Priorities of OSWER 

Components of the multimedia modeling program have been active for several years in response 

to nationwide assessment needs to support the development of regulations. With newly 

expressed needs, however, a portion of the existing multimedia research program is being 

redirected to respond to those priorities, particularly in the area of resource conservation. ORD 

already has work underway under the Waste Management LTG discussed below that addresses 

one of these needs: landfill bioreactors. ORD is now expanding its efforts to create a multilaboratory multimedia research program to address aspects of these needs. Important resource 

conservation goals are also addressed through the Pollution Prevention MYP as that plan 

addresses Agency-wide pollution prevention objectives. What can be achieved under the 

RCRA MYP represents only a modest portion of the total need. 

Resources are being redirected into three areas of resource conservation and one of corrective 

action. The three resource conservation areas are: beneficial reuse of waste, electronics wastes 

recycling, and waste minimization priority chemicals (WMPCs or simply “priority 

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chemicals”)6

. The corrective action area is vapor intrusion (VI) evaluation. These areas were 

selected because they are high priority program office needs for resource conservation (one of 

the OSWER Assistant Administrator’s six priorities); they build on existing work within this 

MYP (i.e., preliminary work on beneficial reuse of waste); they capitalize on the efforts in other 

goals (i.e., WMPCs); and they expand the work into another area of need (electronics waste 

recycling). In many cases, these efforts are particularly suited to initial risk assessments using 

existing screening models, and later will be applicable to topics in the national scale risk 

assessment capabilities that are expected to mature in the next 4 to 5 years. Each of these 

efforts is associated with short-term and long-term efforts, moving from reports on the 

evaluation of the state-of-the-science, through risk assessment screening via existing models for 

use in decision-making and prioritization, to national multimedia risk assessments in some 

cases. 

Most of the multimedia modeling disinvestment is in activities related to the Hazardous Waste 

Identification Rule (HWIR). Specific disinvestments were made in the development of 

enhanced source-term models for 3MRA, 3MRA multi-source/multi-chemical assessment 

capability at waste disposal sites, and in the use of 3MRA for a national scale risk assessment 

for the hazardous disposal of 43 chemicals. Depending on the SAB comments and OSW needs, 

development of these capabilities may be restored in future versions of the MYP. 

Waste Minimization Priority Chemicals: Specific WMPCs are identified in the Pollution 

Prevention MYP where the focus is on the replacement or minimized use of these chemicals in 

the industrial sector. To complement this work, priority chemical efforts in this MYP focus on 

assessing the potential for risk reduction resulting from decreased priority chemical use. A 

modeling plan developed in FY 03 will be implemented to meet a near term APM (FY 05) to 

demonstrate the effectiveness of reducing the use of 30 targeted priority chemicals. This risk 

assessment will use an existing data set for 8 of the 30 chemicals and result in a powerful tool 

for evaluating the effectiveness of this program in reducing risk to human health and the 

environment. This work needs to be heavily leveraged with work in the Pollution Prevention 

MYP. 

Beneficial reuse of waste: ORD has conducted a preliminary evaluation of the major wastederived products in the marketplace. The goal of the new work will be to prioritize these 

products based on impact (exposure and toxicity), identify gaps, fill data needs through mining 

of existing databases or measurement, conduct risk assessments, and ultimately develop 

decision support products based on nationally-scoped, multimedia capabilities. The research 

and development activities described here will be reassessed as this evaluation is continuously 

refined through ORD-OSW dialog. 

Electronics wastes recycling: This is a new area of investment for this MYP. Sampling 

strategies for extremely heterogeneous wastes, such as electronics or demolition wastes, pose 

6

 EPA’s list of 30 Waste Minimization Priority Chemicals (WMPCs) replaces the list of 53 chemicals EPA identified in its 

1998 Federal Register "Notice of Availability: Draft RCRA Waste Minimization Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) 

Chemical List (Federal Register: November 9, 1998. Volume 63, Number 216. Page 60332-60343). 

10 
unique problems in the identification and collection of representative samples. This work will 

focus initially on identification of the typical components of electronics wastes, and then on the 

development of sampling guidance and risk screening for heterogeneous electronics wastes. 

Vapor Intrusion: The commonly used Johnson-Ettinger model is based upon a series of 

simplifying assumptions and has been criticized both for under-predicting and over-predicting 

vapor concentrations. Alternate formulations and the conditions under which they would be 

applied will be evaluated. This work will include a review and critique of existing models for 

this problem in FY03. In FY04 a set of the evaluated models will be provided for evaluation 

and determination of generic worst case parameter sets. This work is designed to complement 

previously existing APMs for vapor intrusion and additional work to address sub-slab vapor 

sampling, recommendations for soil gas monitoring and an assessment of the potential impact 

of the vapor pathway on indoor air. 

Additional Work That Could Address RCRA Program Needs 

Through discussion with OSW, ORD identified a set of additional work that could enhance the 

research program. This additional work is described in the section below, titled “Potential 

Additions to the Research Program.” In that section research and development is described that 

addresses: 

•	 aspects of pollution prevention, sustainable production and use of materials, and 

life-cycle analyses of materials and products 

•	 additional work on “conventional” waste management that is an unmet OSW 

need 

• additional needs for RCRA corrective action 

• sampling and analytical needs for various waste streams 

This proposed work could provide the basis for future activities either through additional 

funding or as shifts in the current program as other work is completed. 

Principal Areas of Research Activity 

The components of the multimedia decision-making long term goal include site-specific RCRA 

corrective action, multimedia modeling for nationwide assessments and other applications. 

These are described below. 

Site-Specific Corrective Action (CA) 

A portion of ORD’s research and technical assistance for Corrective Action falls under the long 

term goal of Multimedia Decision-Making. Support for corrective action at RCRA sites is an 

important component of the ORD program. Most of ORD’s research efforts on corrective 

action address three research areas: 1) ground water to indoor air contamination, 2) ground 

water/surface water interactions, and 3) natural attenuation of metallic contaminants. An 

important component of the ORD program is technical support through the Ground Water, and 

11

Engineering and Characterization Technical Support Centers. The placement of this work in the 

Multimedia Decision-Making LTG was made, because the bulk of the ORD work on corrective 

action address multimedia contamination problems. 

OSW and the Regions rely where possible on Contaminated Sites research to address the needs 

of the corrective action program. Certain RCRA corrective action research needs are not 

already addressed through the Contaminated Sites MYP and are addressed in this plan. 

Also, the Contaminated Sites Multi-Year Plan has extensive work that supports assessment and 

clean-up of contaminated sites. In that plan work on contaminated ground water is divided into 

four “threads,” namely: dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), inorganic contaminants, 

leaking underground storage tank sites with light nonaqueous phase liquid sources and fuel 

oxygenates, and complex hydrogeology and overlooked transport paths. Work on soils includes 

development and evaluation of: laboratory and field analytical methods, sampling methods, 

sampling designs, remediation technologies, models for characterization, assessment, fate, and 

transport, risk management, and assessment of effects of mining wastes on soils. 

Multimedia Modeling for Nationwide and Other Assessments 

ORD has had a mandated role to play in developing the tools for performing multimedia 

assessments, partly because the Science Advisory Board requested ORD’s participation after a 

1995 review of OSW’s work-to-date on the HWIR. Although ORD and OSW worked together 

prior to this time on smaller-scale, somewhat-similar assessments, ORD and OSW began 

development in 1997 of a joint approach to using multimedia modeling for nationwide 

assessments of contaminant behavior for setting regulatory limits on waste disposal. This work 

was based on an extensive needs review involving direct communication with Program Offices, 

several Regional Offices and several States. The review focused on the existing and potential 

roles of multimedia modeling in regulatory activities. The overwhelming conclusions of the 

assessment were that 1) multimedia modeling is fundamental to the regulatory and decisionmaking processes and, 2) the decision-making community was struggling with a myriad of 

incompatible technologies and inconsistent science. Because of these findings, this research 

was made an important component of ORD’s base research program for OSWER. 

The resulting technology included both an infrastructure component named the Framework for 

Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES) and the initial set of models, 

named the Multimedia, Multireceptor, Multipathway Risk Assessment (3MRA) model. This 

project represented a unusual partnership between ORD and a program office as both ORD and 

OSW contributed staff and extramural funds to the work. ORD’s unique expertise in this area 

included lessons learned from the prior assessments, the surface water and air transport modules, 

chemical parameter estimation, metal speciation, and design and implementation of the 

modeling framework. 

Multimedia decision-making research needs stated by OSW (Appendix B, item 5) include 

activities required to complete the FY03/04 Science Advisory Board review that will address 

Congressional limitations set on the use of the Multimedia, Multireceptor, Multipathway Risk 

12

Assessment modeling system. The direction of future research and development to support 

multimedia decision-making is contingent upon the SAB report and evolving OSW needs. 

Since the results of the SAB review are not available for this revision of the RCRA MYP, the 

multimedia modeling planning is addressed in the following way: With the exception of 

significant near-term resource shifts to accommodate resource conservation needs, the 

multimedia modeling work described below is contingent on the guidance provided at the 

completion of the SAB review. The next update to the MYP will reflect the results of the SAB 

review. Although a final HWIR rule was promulgated in April 2001, the need for ongoing 

research and development of multimedia modeling continues. The mandate to develop 

technically sound methods for establishing national risk-based exit levels supporting decisions 

related to hazardous waste systems, beneficial reuse of resources, and pollution prevention 

efforts still exists. As proposed previously in this plan, however, shifts to new priorities will 

provide the basis for further changes in the program where warranted. 

Through development of an integrated multimedia modeling technology, the work seeks to 

define a flexible, multidisciplinary capability for evaluating contaminant releases from waste 

management facilities, toxic chemicals, and beneficial reuse of waste. The research plan also 

lays out a course for systematically improving quality assurance in models, applications, and, 

ultimately, decision-making under uncertainty. The central theme of the multimedia modeling 

research program is to establish a state-of-the-science software technology that can be utilized 

by both science communities to conduct research and to develop models and databases and 

regulatory communities to conduct assessments and ultimately cost-benefit analyses. Another 

unique aspect of this ORD program is the opportunity to develop a shared technology (interand intra-agency; see Leveraging section below) for environmental analysis that both facilitates 

the discovery and assimilation of new science (as models and databases) as they are developed 

to meet current needs and promotes operational consistency in the conduct of risk assessments 

across OSW programs. 

The multimedia modeling research covers four principal areas of activity: 

Science Advancement and Technology Integration: In the first phase of development, 

seventeen modules were incorporated into a multimedia assessment system. Additional work 

that is needed to continue addressing program office priorities includes evaluating and 

integrating the ground water to indoor air pathway, investigating ground water/surface water 

interactions, developing enhanced methods for incorporating subsurface heterogeneities, 

providing provisional toxicity values for a set of chemicals, and other priorities (see Table 1). 

Current technology integration efforts are focused on refining and expanding the software 

infrastructure to include features and capabilities that directly facilitate the use of the 

technology to conduct research, model development, and site-specific risk assessments (while 

maintaining the national assessment capability). Despite the existence of a number of other 

models, site-specific multimedia modeling capability is needed to provide equivalent analyses 

at site-specific and nationwide scales, to evaluate nationwide applications, and to access 

uncertainty analysis/sensitivity analysis, database communication, and other features of the 

FRAMES software. Future activities are focused on assimilating new models into the system 

13

resulting from the Science Advancement activities (e.g., development of indoor air models) as 

well as "legacy" models (existing models previously developed and currently residing outside 

the FRAMES system). As environmental assessments become more holistic, the technology 

challenge is to provide a software environment for the modeling community that facilitates the 

integration of models and databases representing all of the disciplines required to perform 

comprehensive risk assessments. The FRAMES modeling technology represents an 

infrastructure of core capabilities readily available to developers and users. 

Quality Assurance: The focus of this work is on research and development of innovative 

methods for quantifying uncertainty and sensitivity in environmental decisions involving model 

applications. Addressing model sensitivity and uncertainty is critical to the application of 

comprehensive environmental models. Thus, the objective of this area of activity is to deliver 

methods and tools to quantify the full range of uncertainty and sensitivity in assessments and 

facilitate model evaluation and model validation. With the Supercomputer for Modeling 

Uncertainty and Sensitivity Evaluation (SuperMUSE) and related support software in place, it is 

possible to begin the development and application of specific methods for quantifying 

uncertainty and sensitivity. Initial efforts are underway to assess uncertainty and sensitivity in 

the context of national regulatory assessments. 

Applications: This activity includes the conduct of specific assessments, evaluation of existing 

risk assessment and modeling approaches, development of new applications, assessment 

strategies, and regulatory approaches, and, finally, the development of user support functions 

including training workshops and efforts aimed at supporting users in executing exposure and 

risk assessments. Work in this area includes the application of multimedia modeling to selected 

assessments that will support activities as outlined in the section “ORD Program Shifts to 

Accommodate Emerging Research Priorities of OSWER.” Included in these applications are 

assessment of needs, collection of data, formulation of scenarios, performance of assessments 

and communication of results. 

Multimedia Decision-Making Science Questions 

The following are key science questions identified for multimedia decision-making and reflect 

practical needs for technical support for risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis: 

•	 What are the data needs and the nature of the assessment needs for beneficial 

reuse of waste? 

• What are the environmental impacts of reusing waste? 

• What are the best sampling and analysis approaches for electronics wastes? 

•	 What is the environmental improvement associated with the reduction in use of 

priority chemicals? 

• How should field sampling for vapors be undertaken? 

• What is the nature of various modeling approaches to vapor intrusion? 

•	 How can ORD best respond to the needs of the RCRA corrective action 

program? 

• How can risk-based decision-making be made consistent and of assured quality 

14

across OSW programs? 

•	 How should multimedia risk assessments be improved for assessing exposures 

and risks through multiple pathways? 

•	 What are the dominant areas of uncertainty in environmental models to be used 

in OSW's immediate and near-term decisions, and how can we best identify, 

quantify, prioritize, and reduce associated gaps in data and knowledge? 

•	 How can a multimedia risk analysis be enhanced to more accurately reflect 

existing and anticipated engineering practices resulting from environmental 

management systems practices including waste management, pollution 

prevention, and resource conservation? 

• How can we establish a model's validity, trustworthiness, and relevance? 

Leveraging With Outside Agencies: The Multimedia Modeling Multi-Agency 

Memorandum Of Understanding 

ORD recognizes the benefits of pursuing future FRAMES and multimedia modeling 

development within a multi-Agency collaboration and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). 

Currently four Federal Agencies (Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Nuclear 

Regulator Commission, EPA) are collaborating on the further development of the core 

modeling technology. Leveraging provides EPA offices and collaborating Agencies with an 

ever-growing access to state-of-the-science models and databases being developed throughout 

the national environmental modeling community. 

Progress to Date on Multimedia Decision-Making 

Corrective Action: Corrective action technical support has been provided through the ORD 

technical support centers. Notable examples include providing support for evaluating vapor 

intrusion from a landfill that impacted a residential area (Region 9), assessment of ground water 

treatment using a novel biotreatment technology (Region 9), assessment of chlorinated solvent 

treatment using in-situ heating at a site in Region 4, and evaluation of hydraulic controls using 

ground water pumping wells and slurry walls in Region 10. A group of ORD scientists, 

engineers, and managers also provided significant input to the Agency workgroup developing 

guidance for vapor intrusion sites. ORD then organized a series of seminars to present the 

guidance and supporting guidance in three major cities. 

Multimedia Modeling: Seventeen individual science modules have been organized to form a 

core risk assessment simulation capability. These models included five waste management unit 

contaminant release modules, five media-specific fate and transport modules, three food chain 

and food web modules, and exposure and risk modules for both human and ecological endpoints 

of concern. In parallel and necessary to the effort was the development of a modeling 

framework for integrating individual models (i.e., the seventeen science modules and their 

required inputs and outputs) and for allowing communication between modules and preparation 

of outputs (FRAMES v.1). The software, databases, and an extensive documentation set was 

made available to the public via the Internet by ORD’s Center for Environmental Assessment 

Modeling (CEAM) (www.epa.gov/ceampubl). Additional products produced included an 

15

evaluation of the ground-water and vadose zone components of the modeling system using 

laboratory and field data, and an update to the MINTEQA2 metal speciation modeling system 

incorporating an enhanced amorphous oxide database. An independent peer review of the 

seventeen science modules has been conducted and appropriate modifications made to the 

models. The inter-Agency Memorandum of Understanding group presented all the components 

of the approach at the 3rd Annual Federal Hydrology Conference in July 2002. This presentation 

introduced the concepts and approaches to a widespread group and led directly to a workshop in 

January 2003 on the critical issue of linking Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to 

simulation models. A third workshop was conducted in FY03 on uncertainty and sensitivity 

analysis in multimedia modeling that will address critical and universal problems in applying 

environmental models. 

Beneficial Reuse of Waste: ORD has begun evaluating the major products derived from waste 

in the marketplace and will be working with OSW to refine the products of primary concern. 

ORD has also been working with OSW in evaluating the risks associated with a fertilizer 

derived from waste in the marketplace. 

Outreach and Communication 

Multimedia modeling products are transferred to OSW, the Regions, and other clients through 

the annual waste products list, presentations at the RCRA National Conference, and direct 

interactions with divisions of OSW, most notably the Economics Models and Risk Analysis 

Division. Version 1.0 of the 3MRA modeling system and its extensive documentation set are 

available by download from the CEAM technical support center. 

Products from work redirected into resource conservation research are expected to be transferred 

in a similar manner. Corrective action products are transferred primarily through the 

technology support centers, but may also come from the waste products list, conference 

presentations, and through the National Service Center for Environmental Publications. 

Critical Path to the Multimedia Decision-Making Long Term Goal 

To meet our long-term goals and answer the science questions, we have developed annual 

performance goals (APGs) and annual performance measures (APMs). The flow of APGs to 

each LTG is shown in Figures 2 and 3 for Multimedia Decision-Making. The corresponding 

APMs/APGs are listed in Table 1. 

The Multimedia Decision-Making LTG contains research that addresses resource conservation, 

corrective action and several aspects of multimedia modeling and its applications. APGs for 

each of these areas provide the critical path to achieving the LTG. Resource conservation is 

addressed through the three APGs (Figure 2). Sampling of electronics wastes is addressed in an 

FY08 APG. Beneficial reuse of waste is evaluated, and a risk assessment performed to 

complete an FY07 APG. Benefits of the reduction in waste minimization priority chemicals 

(WMPCs) are modeled through an APG for FY07. Corrective Action technical support and 

research is addressed by an FY06 APG that addresses technical support and mercury 

transformations in the ground water/surface water interface. Vapor intrusion of contaminants is 

16

addressed through a series of products that will be completed in FY07 and feed into technical 

support provided by an FY08 APG. Related work on vapor intrusion and other aspects of 

Corrective Action performed under the Contaminated Sites MYP supports these efforts. 

Multimedia modeling is addressed through a set of APGs (Figure 3) that advance the science of 

multimedia modeling and provide support for RCRA program needs. Although the work has 

been ongoing for several years, Figure 3 shows the sequence of APMs beginning in FY03. In 

this year estimates are given to estimate exposure, toxicity, and risk from exposure hazardous 

waste constituents. These estimates support the delivery of an enhanced 3MRA modeling 

system to OSW in FY03. In FY05 the modeling system will be completed. This modeling 

system, along with core uncertainty/sensitivity analysis capabilities and model evaluation 

strategies developed in FY07, will allow for evaluation of environmental impacts for both the 

new priorities and core research areas of OSW. From FY08 through FY10, the effort 

culminates to provide underlying science support for existing and new RCRA applications 

(FY08), extend the multimedia modeling system to capabilities to facilitate a broader range of 

exposure and risk assessment problems (FY09), and develop advanced methods and tools to 

quantify the full range of uncertainty and sensitivity in multimedia assessments (FY10). 

17

Figure 2. Resource Conservation and Corrective Action Flow Diagram 

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 LTG 

...assess risks 

from 

beneficial 

reuse of waste 

Corrective A ction Resource Conservation 

Develop and 

apply an 

approach to 

assessing 

environmental 

improvement 

from 

reductions in 

use of priority 

chemicals 

(WMPC) 

Results from Contaminated Sites MYP Supporting Corrective Action 

Provide sitespecific 

assistance and 

technology 

transfer 

products 

Support 

scientifically 

defensible 

and 

consistent 

decisionmaking for 

RCRA waste 

management 

and 

corrective 

action by 

providing a 

tested 

multimedia 

modeling 

system, 

Assess and 

provide 

guidance on 

sampling 

and risk 

Provide site- technical 

specific reports, and 

assistance technical 

and support. 

technology 

transfer 

products 

18

Provide data, 

evaluation, 

assessment 

approaches, 

enhanced 

models and an 

assessment of 

vapor 

intrusion 

Figure 3. Multimedia Modeling Flow Diagram 

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 LTG 

exposure, 

toxicity, and 

risk from 

exposure to 

hazardous 

waste 

constituents 

...estimate Provide


Deliver Complete


enhanced development tested


3MRA of multimedia multimedia


model to model system modeling


Sup port 

scientifically 

defensible and 

consistent 

decision-making 

for RCR A waste 

management 

and co rr ective 

action by 

pro vid in g a 

OSW system, at least


10 supporting 

technical 

reports, and 

technical 

support 

underlying 

science 

support for 

existing and 

new RCRA 

app lications... 

19

Perform 

sensitivitiy 

and 

uncertainty 

analyses and 

conduct 

comparative 

model 

assessment 

...establish core 

uncertainty and 

sensitivity 

analysis 

functionality, 

and holistic 

model 

evaluation 

strategies for 

multimedia 

modeling 

Develop 

advanced 

methods and 

tools to 

quantify the 

full range of 

uncertainty 

and sensitivity 

in multimedia 

assessments 

Fig 2 

inputs 

Conduct 

multimedia 

modeling 

applications 

and assess 

user technical 

support needs 

Extend 

multimedia 

modeling 

capabilities to 

facilitate a 

broader range 

of exposure 

and risk 

assessment 

problems 

Table 1. Multimedia Decision-Making APGs and APMs 

Multimedia Decision-Making Long-Term Goal: ort scientifically defensible and consistent decisionmaking at RCRA waste management facilities by providing a tested multimedia modeling system, technical 

reports, and technical support. 

Supp

Resource Conservation 

Assess and provide guidance on sampling of electronics wastes by providing 

at least four reports 

FY08 Lab or 

Center 

i/e* 

Literature search identifying typical components of electronics 

wastes 

FY04 NERL i 

Preliminary guidance on sampling electronic wastes FY05 NERL i 

Preliminary risk screening guidance for electronics wastes FY06 NERL i 

Final guidance on risk screening and sampling electronic wastes FY08 NERL i 

Develop and apply an approach to assessing risks from beneficial reuse of 

waste by providing at least four reports 

FY07 

Report on data gaps and needs for high priority products derived 

from waste 

FY04 NERL i 

Collect and evaluate data and develop exposure scenarios 

predictive modeling to support risk screening for selected 

products derived from waste 

FY05 NERL i 

Provide technical and regulatory support, consultation, and 

review on issues related to exposure aspects of risk 

assessments on beneficial reuse of waste 

FY06 NCEA i 

for 

Apply predictive risk assessment model for selected products FY06 NERL i 

derived from waste 

20 
Conduct national risk assessment for selected products derived 

from waste 

FY07 NERL i 

Develop and apply an approach to assessing environmental improvement 

from reductions in use of waste minimization priority chemicals (WMPCs) by 

providing at least three reports 

FY07 

Provide modeling plan to measure benefits of RCC objective to 

reduce WMPC use by 50% by 2005 

FY04 NERL i 

Conduct a national risk assessment of current waste loading 

rates and projected reduction in use of 8 of 30 targeted WMPCs. 

FY05 NERL i 

Conduct an extended analysis of select WMPC chemicals using 

an integrated RSA, TSDE, UCPR sensitivity analysis 

methodology to identify key data gaps and greatest sources of 

uncertainty for land-based disposal of WMPC waste streams. 

FY07 NERL i 

21

Corrective Action 

By 2005, provide site-specific assistance and technology transfer products 

that assist project managers in achieving environmental indicator goals for 

high priority RCRA Corrective Action sites that are documented through at 

least four reports. 

FY06 

Biennial report summarizing technical support to regions and 

states for RCRA sites 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Report summarizing sampling and analysis technical support to 

regions and states for RCRA sites for 2003, 2004, and 2005 

FY06 NERL i 

Report on field study of mercury transformations at the ground 

water/surface water interface 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Biennial report summarizing technical support to regions and 

states for RCRA sites 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Provide methods to assess the significance of ground 

water/surface water interactions at contaminated sites – 

Contaminated Sites MYP 

FY05 

Results from Contaminated Sites Reseach that support 

Corrective Action 

FY06 

By 2008, provide site-specific technical assistance and enhanced technology 

transfer products that assist project managers in achieving goals for high 

priority RCRA Corrective Action sites, by providing at least two reports. 

FY08 

Biennial report summarizing technical support to regions and 

states for RCRA sites 

FY07 NRMRL i 

Final technical reports from STAR grants on the transport and 

fate of contaminants through the ground water/surface water 

interface and the consequent impact on aquatic ecosystem 

health 

FY07 NCER i 

Provide data, evaluation assessment approaches, enhanced models and an 

assessment of vapor intrusion (VI) from contaminated ground water into indoor 

air through at least one analytical method, five reports and two models. 

FY07 

Regional Methods Initiative work on indoor air analytical methods 

- Supplement to EPA Compendium Method TO-15 - Monitoring 

High Risk VOCs 

FY03 NERL i 

Report/Issue Paper on the potential impact of volatile organic 

compounds in ground water on indoor air pathway of VOC 

transport. 

FY04 NRMRL i 

Report on methodologies for sub-slab vapor sampling to evaluate 

vapor intrusion from subsurface contamination 

FY04 NRMRL i 

Report/issue paper on recommendations for soil-gas sampling 

and gas permeability testing to evaluate vapor intrusion from 

subsurface contamination. 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Review and critique existing vapor intrusion models FY04 NERL i 

Provide prototype screening level model for the ground FY04 NRMRL i 

water/indoor air pathway for inclusion in the 3MRA modeling 

system. 

22

Provide results from an analysis of existing vapor intrusion 

models that illustrates their sensitivity and parameter values 

required to provide upper bounds on exposures 

FY04 NERL i 

Provide model for the ground water/indoor air pathway for 

inclusion in the multi-media modeling system. 

FY07 NRMRL i 

Science Advancement-- Advancing the Underlying Science and Engineering for Multimedia 

Models 

APG 23: Provide methods, models, factors, assessments, and technical 

support to OSW, Regional, State, Tribal, and local offices to estimate 

exposure, toxicity, and risk from exposure to RCRA hazardous waste 

constituents through at least one report, provisional toxicity values and an 

enhanced method for multimedia modeling. 

FY03 

APM 77: Provide a report on the application of quantitative 

structure activity relationships (QSAR) and modeled exposure 

estimates in a risk-based chemical ranking and prioritization 

model supporting multimedia model development. 

FY03 NCEA i 

APM 94: Provide provisional toxicity values for 5 chemicals. FY03 NCEA i 

Enhanced methods for incorporating subsurface heterogeneities, 

including fractured rock into the 3MRA. 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Provide underlying science support for existing RCRA applications and new 

methods, models, and databases for other RCRA applications (i.e., ground 

water VOC to indoor air and ground water/surface water interactions) through 

at least four enhancements to the multimedia modeling system and two 

reports. 

FY08 

Develop html-based exit level processor visualization capabilities. FY04 NERL i 

Develop detailed exit level processor capabilities for disaggregated risk analysis across sites and iterations, for both 

site-based and national population-based protection strategies. 

FY05 NERL i 

Cross reference to Corrective Action Theme: “Provide prototype 

screening level model for the ground water/indoor air pathway for 

inclusion in the 3MRA modeling system. 

FY04 NRMRL i 

Provide data and methods to support incorporating the impact of 

ground water/surface water interactions within multimedia 

modeling framework. 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Cross reference to Corrective Action Theme: “Provide model for 

the ground water/indoor air pathway for inclusion in the multimedia modeling system.” 

FY07 NRMRL i 

Evaluate multimedia modeling system enhancements needed to 

expand capabilities to perform mining waste site assessments. 

FY08 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Develop extended abstract on existing 

capabilities, ongoing science needs, and future application areas 

identified with multimedia modeling for RCRA programs. 

FY08 NERL i 

Technology Integration – Supporting Model Development, Evaluation, and Application 

23

Deliver enhanced 3MRA to OSW to facilitate national risk assessments in 

support of regulatory development efforts and provide OSW/Regions with a 

version of this exposure and risk assessment modeling system that supports 

site-specific, cost-effective waste site management, documented through 

technical presentation and background materials for the SAB 

FY03 

APM 36: Deliver science-based enhancements to the 3MRA 

modeling system to support OSW’s regulatory-based national 

risk assessments and the related conduct of site-specific risk 

assessments. 

FY03 NERL i 

Prepare final technical presentation and background materials for 

SAB review of the revised 3MRA methodology. 

FY03 NERL i 

Complete development of the multimedia modeling system by providing a 

multimedia modeling system with enhancements for heterogeneities and field 

data. 

FY05 

Develop 3MRA Beta Version 2.0 with core capabilities including 

enhanced user interface, facilitative component (i.e., model & 

database) assimilation, distributed web-based computing, 

uncertainty/sensitivity analysis engines. 

FY04 NERL i 

Assimilate the Tools for Analysis of Contaminated Sites (TACS) 

developed under the Contaminated sites MYP into the 3MRA 

modeling system to provide a management system for field data. 

FY05 NERL i 

Extend multimedia modeling capabilities to facilitate a broader range of 

exposure and risk assessment problems and new applications (e.g., RCRA 

CA) and incorporate advanced methods for uncertainty and sensitivity 

analyses by providing four enhancements to the multimedia modeling system. 

FY09 

Incorporate the Hydrocarbon Spill Screening Model into the 

multimedia framework to allow simulation of light-nonaqueous 

phase liquid problems. 

FY05 NERL i 

Incorporate evolved vapor intrusion model into multimedia 

modeling framework (see Corrective Action Theme and FY07 

APM for developing model for ground water/indoor air pathway) 

FY08 NERL i 

Develop expanded capability within the multimedia modeling 

system to evaluate contaminant mass balance downstream of 

sources. 

FY08 NERL i 

Within the multimedia modeling system, provide the capability to 

perform mining waste site analyses. 

FY09 NERL i 

Quality Assurance – Advancing M odel Evaluation: Verification, Validation, & 

Uncertainty/Sensitivity Analyses 

APG 40: Perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses on the 3MRA modeling 

system and conduct comparative model assessment and validation testing on 

components of 3MRA modeling system. 

FY04 

Select site for comparative model assessment of the 3MRA 

modeling system. 

FY03 NERL i 

APM 200: Perform comparative model assessment of 3MRA 

modeling system at selected site and prepare report. 

FY04 NERL i 

APM 197: Report on sensitivity and uncertainty analysis FY04 NERL i 

assessments for 3MRA modeling system. 

24

Select, implement, and conduct experiments to establish core uncertainty and 

sensitivity analysis functionality, and holistic model evaluation strategies for 

multimedia modeling by providing software and two reports. 

FY07 

Develop Windows-based, PC-Based, Supercomputer for 

Modeling Uncertainty and Sensitivity Evaluation (SuperMUSE) 

for conducting extensive environmental model simulations. 

FY03 NERL i 

Develop supporting software tool set for parallelization and 

simulation of environmental models on PC-based 

supercomputing clusters, delivering prototype through CEAM. 

FY05 NERL i 

Extend platform-independent software tool set for parallelization 

and simulation to 3MRA Version 2.0 for experimentation on PCbased supercomputing systems. 

FY05 NERL i 

Incorporate capabilities to conduct regression/correlation based 

sensitivity analyses within multimedia modeling system. 

FY06 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Develop report on application of 

supercomputing to multimedia national assessment strategies, 

with a demonstrated example of uncertainty analysis. 

FY05 NERL i 

Incorporate global based sensitivity assessment methods 

(Regional Sensitivity Analysis (RSA), Tree-Structured Density 

Estimation (TSDE)) into the 3MRA modeling system. 

FY06 NERL i 

Incorporate advanced statistical sampling methods into the 

multimedia modeling system (e.g., Latin Hypercube Sampling 

(LHS), Uniform Coverage With Probabilistic Rejection (UCPR)). 

FY06 NERL i 

Incorporate prototype approaches for screening-level methods of 

sensitivity analysis within the multimedia modeling system (e.g., 

Morris’ One At a Time’ (OAT) Method and Andres IFFD Method). 

FY07 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Develop extended abstract on global 

sensitivity analysis techniques and their efficacy in the 

examination of uncertainty in very high order models. 

FY07 NERL i 

Develop advanced methods and tools to quantify the full range of uncertainty 

and sensitivity in multimedia assessments (e.g., parameter, model, and 

modeler uncertainties; screening, local, and global sensitivity analyses) by 

providing enhanced software and at least one synthesis product. 

FY10 

Incorporate prototype approaches for variance-based methods of 

sensitivity and uncertainty analyses into the multimedia modeling 

system (e.g. Sobol’s Method and FAST Method). 

FY08 NERL i 

Conduct experimentation using a select set of models within 

multimedia modeling framework to demonstrate integrated 

parameter, model, and modeler uncertainty analyses. 

FY09 NERL i 

Develop white paper on holistic model evaluation strategies FY10 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Extended abstract on the application of 

screening level, local and global based sensitivity analysis 

techniques in the evaluation of uncertainty in very high order 

environmental modeling systems. 

FY10 NERL i 

Applications – Applying Science and Technology for National, Regional & Site Scale 

Assessments 

25

Conduct multimedia modeling applications and assess user technical support 

needs for OSW, Regional, State, Tribal, and local offices, industries, and 

research universities by providing at least two reports and two synthesis 

products. 

FY08 

Establish prototype for model distribution and user support 

network for 3MRA modeling system for Internet accessibility 

FY03 NERL i 

Report on user needs assessment for multimedia modeling with 

an emphasis on site-specific applications 

FY04 NERL i 

Conduct an application workshop for 3MRA Version 2.0 

stakeholders and develop report on proceedings. 

FY05 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Extended abstract summarizing 3MRA 

technical capabilities and applications to national, regional, and 

site scale risk assessment problems. 

FY05 NERL i 

Cross reference to Quality Assurance Theme: 

“Perform comparative model assessment of 3MRA modeling 

system at selected site and prepare report.” 

FY04 NERL i 

Cross Reference to Resource Conservation Theme: duct 

national risk assessment for selected products derived from 

waste” 

FY07 NERL i 

Cross Reference to Resource Conservation Theme: 

national risk assessment of current waste loading rates and 

projected reduction in use of 8 of 30 targeted WMPCs.” 

FY05 NERL i 

Cross Reference to Resource Conservation Theme: duct 

an extended analysis of select WMPCs using an integrated RSA, 

TSDE, UCPR sensitivity analysis methodology to identify key 

data gaps and greatest sources of uncertainty for land-based 

disposal of WMPC waste streams.” 

FY07 NERL i 

Synthesis product: Extended abstract on continuing needs for 

user support in the application of multimedia modeling for 

FY08 NERL i 

APM 200 

“Con

“Conduct a 

“Con

national, regional, and site scale assessments. 

* APM classification i = internal, e = external. 

26

Waste Management Long Term Goal 

Rationale behind the Goal 

Wastes disposal in landfills or by incineration could cause harm to human health and the 

environment if proper procedures and safeguards are not in place. Research is needed to address 

a set of needs associated with these practices, so a goal was established that would address 

waste management and associated technical support7

. This goal addresses ORD work in 

landfills, landfill bioreactors, leaching, hazard waste treatment, and combustion. These five 

research areas share the characteristic that they address approaches to waste disposal or 

treatment and thus are grouped together. The research and development performed under this 

goal has the objective of improving waste management by developing better approaches to 

landfill liners and covers, by reducing required landfill volume through use of landfill 

bioreactors, and by improving the characterization and testing of leachates and developing 

approaches for hard-to-treat wastes. Combustion research addresses this issue by seeking to 

develop improved approaches to monitor emissions that will lead to improved decision making 

on use of combustion and incineration. This work includes an element of resource conservation, 

where ORD work anticipated the OSWER need for research and development on landfill 

bioreactors. 

Waste Management LTG: Improve waste management for 

industrial and municipal wastes to enhance sustainability by 

providing technical reports and technical support. 

The waste management research program addresses Agency issues associated with combustion, 

landfills, landfill bioreactors, leaching of landfill wastes, and hard-to-treat wastes. 

Principal Areas of Research Activity 

Landfills, Containment Systems, and Landfill Bioreactors: EPA is the lead Federal Agency 

responsible for industrial and municipal waste treatment and disposal. With regard to municipal 

solid waste, the country generates 8 billion tons per year. Increasing population density in 

coastal regions has stressed State resources for managing this problem. ORD is working with 

the public and private sectors to develop alternatives to managing waste. OSW has 

programmatic drivers requiring ORD research on landfills and containment systems. There is a 

rapid increase in the number of landfill bioreactors being built in the United States, both by 

large waste management corporations and by local governments. OSW is concerned about 

whether current landfill standards are adequate to ensure safe operation of bioreactors. ORD 

and OSW are evaluating whether significant releases of contaminants may occur from 

bioreactors as opposed to conventional landfills. ORD research is needed to determine what 

risk management options (e.g., improved system design, controls, or regulations) need to be 

7

 This statement refers specifically to the Combustion Technical Support Center, which 

closed in FY03 owing to resource constraints and changing priorities. 

27 
applied to bioreactors. ORD support is also needed on liner technologies for two efforts:


Industrial D Guidance, and Revisions to Solid Waste Landfill Criteria - Leachate Recirculation.


Liners were originally designed for a 30 year service life. Since many landfills are nearing this


age, there is a need to resolve the issue of liner integrity, and determine effective long-term


performance monitoring options. 


Leaching and Hazardous Waste Treatment: Industry legal challenges on landfill waste


leaching issues (i.e., reliability of TCLP), prompted OSW to commit to evaluate the


effectiveness of leaching methods. Research is needed on improved treatment options


(including those with improved short- and long- term effectiveness) of hard-to-treat wastes


(such as those bearing mercury, arsenic, and/or cadmium), to fill data gaps and provide


scientific merit for future regulatory efforts (ORD research on mercury is described in the ORD


Mercury MYP). This work may also assist OW in developing options for disposal of drinking


water treatment residuals.


Combustion: Under the Clean Air Act, OSW must develop maximum achievable control


technologies (MACT) regulations and evaluate and reduce the risks from combustion facilities. 


OSW must evaluate and permit many combustion facilities in a relatively short time. 


Emissions from waste combustion facilities have remained a public concern and a number of


uncertainties remain about the risks posed by these facilities. The risks are potentially very high


because:


• there are a large number of waste combustion facilities (almost 3,000); 

•	 the emissions are toxic (includes dioxin, furans, mercury, lead, cadmium, and 

products of incomplete combustion); 

•	 contaminants are dispersed over large geographic areas that often have large 

populations or produce important food products; 

• exposures occur via multiple pathways and routes; 

• response is immediate to long term for ecological damage; and 

• high levels of contaminants emitted from waste combustion facilities have been 

measured in environmental media surrounding the facilities. 

There are significant near-term efforts (rules and guidance) that need improved methods for 

monitoring stack gas emissions, such as the MACT Fast Track final rule, and guidance on 

“Collection of Emissions Data to Support Site-Specific Risk Assessments at Hazardous Waste 

Combustion Facilities,” as well as proposed technical amendments to NESHAPS (standards for 

hazardous air pollutants for hazardous waste combustors). ORD is conducting research and 

providing consultations during the development, public comment, and implementation of these 

regulations. In addition, there is a continuing need by OSW and the Regions for improved 

methods to characterize emissions during permitting, and to address facility-specific design and 

operation technical issues. 

Waste Management Science Questions: 

•	 How effective are current stabilization processes for arsenic (As) and other toxic 

metals? 

28

•	 How can the TCLP and other leach tests relate to actual leachate generation and 

to each other? 

•	 What are the landfill bioreactor design, operation, and monitoring requirements 

and strategies for facility unit operation, to ensure the protection of human health 

and the environment? 

•	 What are effective long-term control and monitoring strategies for landfill 

leachate, landfill gas extraction systems, and fugitive emissions? 

•	 What easily monitored components of emissions can be used to predict more 

difficult-to-measure components (e.g., dioxin); and how can complex mixtures of 

organics in the stack gases be characterized with respect to risk assessment 

needs? 

• What dioxin formation issues exist during combustion of hazardous wastes? 

Leveraging with Outside Agencies for Waste Management Research 

For cost-effective research support of the RCRA program, EPA leverages and coordinates work


with other public and private organizations. Currently, EPA has the lead in providing


regulatory guidance for solid waste disposal issues. Within EPA, the Office of Reinvention has


worked extensively with bioreactor technology through the XL Program, in cooperation with


States and private industry. Work with the Department of Energy (DoE) is focused on mixed


waste landfills and mixed low-level radioactive waste. This is a program area not shared by


EPA and for which DoE will continue as the lead. EPA is also collaborating with DoE to aid in


the development of innovative technologies for monitoring emissions from high temperature


thermal treatment systems and combustion devices. The Interstate Technical Regulatory


Cooperation (ITRC) has proved to be a good forum for coordinating Federal and State activities,


and for defining continuing research needs. ORD is working with the Association of State and


Territorial Waste Management Officials (ASTWMO), the Solid Waste Association of North


America (SWANA), the National Solid Waste Management Association (NSWMA), the private


sector, and individual States in developing the landfill bioreactor technology and leaching


characterization. ORD is also coordinating this landfill bioreactor research with the European


Union Community and the Pacific Rim Countries. All these efforts assist the Agency’s own


research programs. There are many other outside research activities on the assessment and


remediation of contaminated sites that provide products applicable to meeting RCRA


Corrective Action and other goals. These activities are described in the ORD Contaminated


Sites MYP.


Progress to Date on Waste Management 

Landfills and Containment Systems: Work is being conducted on the physical/chemical 

stability of geosynthetic and composite clay liners to enhance the performance of landfill 

operations. In addition, in collaboration with a consortium of public and private sector 

organizations, field evaluations have been conducted on the effectiveness of alternative covers. 

This has included an evaluation of various cover materials in controlling the landfill water 

balance. This work is done in conjunction with work under the Contaminated Sites MYP. 

29

Landfill Bioreactors: ORD has supported OSW in developing the Research Development and 

Demonstration (RD&D) rule for landfills. The recently-signed rule provides flexibility to the 

States to allow innovative approaches to management of municipal landfills. As a result of this 

rule, ORD and OSW are working with the States to assist them in evaluating the effectiveness 

of landfill bioreactors. In concert with OSW, Regions, States and industrial partners, a field 

evaluation of landfill bioreactors is underway. This has resulted in the development of a 

monitoring approach that the States can use in managing these sites. ORD and OSW 

conducted a workshop with key experts in the field to develop documentation on the state-ofthe-art. This has served to identify data gaps in the research and identify issues from the 

stakeholders in implementation. 

Leaching/Hazardous Waste Treatment: ORD has been conducting some mechanistic work to 

ID the most important parameters impacting the desorption/dissolution of metals, and how 

speciation relates to the mobility of arsenic. The ultimate goal is to put together predictive 

models. In addition, data has been collected on landfills throughout the country on parameters 

such as pH and metal concentration. This database will be important to focus on the chemical 

composition for refining effective leaching procedures. ORD provided support to OSW in the 

conduct of the SAB review on leaching methods. Finally, ORD has been conducting 

evaluations on the performance of treatment technologies for arsenic and mercury, the latter in 

concert with Goal 2 activities. 

Combustion: Recent accomplishments have been directed at 4 areas: emissions of dioxin and 

furans from boilers and industrial furnaces (BIFs); development of surrogate indicator 

compounds for dioxin and furans; issues related to the interaction between bromine and chlorine 

in combustion systems; and the development of resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization 

(Jet-REMPI) as a real-time continuous monitor for dioxin, furans, and other combustiongenerated air toxics of interest. This research has highlighted the critical importance of 

combustor deposits’ influence on emissions of dioxin and furans. It has shown that trace 

amounts of bromine have the ability to dramatically influence the chemistry of chlorinated 

compounds within combustion devices. It has shown that variability in some relatively easy-tomeasure compounds (such as chlorobenzenes) have the potential for accounting for the 

variability of difficult-to-measure compounds such as dioxin. It has also shown that Jet-REMPI 

has significant potential for use as a real-time monitor for air toxics that are present in the low 

ppt range. 

Outreach and Communication 

ORD has conducted workshops and published EPA reports on landfill bioreactors for the public 

and private sectors that describe the state-of-the-science. OSW and ORD have collaborated in 

the development of a landfill bioreactor web site. ORD is also collaborating with the European 

Union countries in mutually disseminating research progress. As the field implementation is 

expanding, ORD and OSW are coordinating their efforts with the States, including a relational 

database on bioreactor and a certification program for operators. ORD, OSW, ASTWMO, 

SWANA, and the private sector are working together developing the landfill bioreactor 

technology and leaching characterization. The containment research effort is strongly interfaced 

30

with the ITRC in producing reports and conducting seminars nationwide. Reports are available 

from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications. 

Critical Path to the Long Term Waste Management Goal 

To meet our long-term goals and answer the science questions, we have developed annual 

performance goals (APGs) and annual performance measures (APMs). The flow of APGs to 

each LTG is shown in Figures 4a and 4b for the Waste Management LTG. The corresponding 

APMs and APGs are listed in Table 2. 

There are four distinct areas of research within the Waste Management Long Term Goal: 

landfill bioreactors; landfills; leaching; and combustion/incineration. One or more Annual 

Performance Goals (APGs) for each area document ORD progress toward the LTG. Landfill 

bioreactor work to be completed in FY08 (Figure 4a) will provide at least four reports of 

technical information on the first generation of bioreactors. In parallel with this work, two 

APGs provide state-of-the-art technical documents to improve monitoring and control of 

landfill releases (FY03 APG24b), and an evaluation of long-term performance of liners and 

covers to improve estimates of the service life of landfills (by FY09). Leaching of wastes and 

management options for hard-to-treat wastes will be completed in FY08. Taken together, this 

work provides the basis for assessing improved future operation of landfills, either using a 

bioreactor approach, or liners and covers alone. 

The fourth research area, Combustion and Incineration, has four research APGs (Figure 4b). 

The first APG, APG24a, provides in FY03 state-of-the-art technical documents and methods to 

improve monitoring of total organic emissions (TOE). In FY07, a research approach to evaluate 

emissions at RCRA Subpart X facilities will be provided, as will technical information on the 

use of advanced monitoring techniques and surrogate organic measures for dioxin. In parallel, 

fundamental results of research on metals and analysis and modeling of organics will be 

provided in FY05. Two APGs in FY03 and FY09 address provisions of technical support for 

health hazards from RCRA waste combustion facilities. 

31

Figure 4a. Waste Management (Landfills, Hazard Waste Treatment, Landfill Bioreactor ) Flow Diagram 

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 LTG 

Landfills and Hazardous W aste Landfill 

Provide 

technical 

information 

on first 

generation 

bioreactors... 

APG 24b: Assess 

Provide state- leaching 

of-the-art techniques 

technical and managedocuments and ment options 

methods to for hard-toimpro ve treat wastes 

monitoring 

and control of Evaluate 

landfill long-term 

releases performance 

of liners/ 

covers... 

32 

Imp ro ve 

waste 

management for 

industrial 

and 

municipal 

wastes to 

enhance 

sustainability by 

providing 

technical 

reports and 

technical 

support. 
Figure 4b. Waste Management (Combustion) Flow Diagram 

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 LTG 

APG 24a: 

Provide 

docum ents 

and 

methods to 

im prove 

monitoring 

of 

hazardous 

Determine a 

research 

approach to 

evaluate 

emissions 

at RCRA 

subpart X 

facilities 

waste 

com bustor 

emissions 

...metals, ...advanced Im prove 

analysis monitoring waste 

and techniques manage-ment 

modeling of and for industrial 

organics surrogate and municipal 

during organic wastes to 

com bustion performanc enhance 

e sustain-ability 

indicators... by providing 

technical 

reports and 

Provide technical 

technical 

support to 

estim ate 

human 

exposure, 

toxicity, and 

risk from 

RCRA 

waste 

com bustion 

facilities 

support. 

Combustion and Incineration 

33

34

Table 2. Waste Management APGs and APMs 

Waste Management Long-Term Goal: ent for industrial and municipal wastes to 

enhance sustainability by providing technical reports and technical support. 

Landfills, Containment Systems and Landfill Bioreactors 

Provide at least four reports of technical information on first generation 

bioreactor design, operation, and monitoring 

FY08 Lab or 

Center 

i/e* 

APM 162: Interim field assessment of a landfill bioreactor system 

documenting the monitoring and control of landfill bioreactors to 

contribute to the life span of landfills by enhancing waste degradation 

(also under FY03 APG 24b) 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Report on microbial assessment and solids analysis of landfill 

bioreactor operations 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Interim report on landfill bioreactor design manual, characterizing the 

optimum operating and monitoring approaches 

FY06 NRMRL i 

Synthesis Report on landfill bioreactor performance FY08 NRMRL i 

APG 24b: Provide state-of-the-art technical documents and methods to 

improve monitoring and control of landfill releases for use by regulators, 

facility operators and other stakeholders to better protect human health and 

the environment 

FY03 

Conduct field demonstration at 3 to 4 sites applying the proposed 

guidance in cooperation with ERT and EPA regions 

FY02 NRMRL i 

Report and fact sheet providing guidance for evaluating landfill gas 

emissions and potential environmental risk to identify potential need 

for gas collection and control 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Paper on assessment of fugitive gas emissions from waste 

containment facilities including landfill bioreactors based on field 

measurements 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Evaluate long-term performance of liners/covers to improve estimates on the 

service life of landfills by providing at least four reports 

FY09 

Report on the impact of root penetration upon the integrity of cover 

materials 

FY03 NRMRL i 

APM 261 t on physical/chemical stability of GCLs and CCLs 

(component of Contaminated Sites MYP - Containment) 

FY04 NRMRL i 

Report on performance of conventional multilayer containment cover 

systems 

FY07 NRMRL i 

Report on Construction Quality Testing for Improvement of Liner 

Performance 

FY06 NRMRL i 

Improve waste managem

Repor

Evaluation of the performance of liners/covers including phyto- FY09 NRMRL i


technologies


35

Leaching and Hazardous Waste Treatment 

Assess leaching techniques and risk management options for hard-to-treat 

wastes by providing five reports and one synthesis report. 

FY08 

Report on leach testing of mineral processing waste to improve the 

monitoring and containment of wastes 

FY03 NRMRL i 

APM 262 Report evaluating various leachant matrices used in 

leaching tests/methods, including the TCLP, to determine effects on 

the test results 

FY04 NRMRL i 

Report on the field performance of treatment technologies for 

mercury and arsenic (Hg work is component of ORD Hg MYP) 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Report evaluating the effectiveness of current waste stabilization 

processes for mercury, arsenic and lead (Hg work is component of 

ORD Hg MYP) 

FY06 NRMRL i 

Report of field data comparisons with laboratory leach tests. FY07 NRMRL i 

Synthesis Report on evaluation of leaching procedures and 

limitations 

FY08 NRMRL i 

Combustion and Incineration 

APG 24a: Provide state-of-the-art technical documents and methods to 

improve monitoring of hazardous waste combustor emissions 

FY03 

APM 151:Complete a paper on revised total organic emissions (TOE) 

methodology and its applications to hazardous waste combustors 

(HWCs) 

FY03 NRMRL i 

Provide the results of fundamental and applied research on metals and 

analysis and modeling of organics during combustion through reports from 

three grants. 

FY05 

Demonstrate a detailed mechanism of formation of polychlorinated 

dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) from ubiquitous, 

combustion generated hydrocarbons (Grant #R828191) 

FY05 NCER i 

Develop improved analytical techniques to identify or speciate total 

organic emissions (TOE) (Grant #R828190) 

FY05 NCER i 

Provide fundamental research data to broaden a comprehensive gasphase model of the transformation of PCDD under a wide range of 

conditions (Grant #R828189) 

FY05 NCER i 

Determine a research approach to evaluate emissions at RCRA Subpart X 

facilities by providing three papers. 

FY07 

Produce internal white paper on issues related to formation of air 

pollutants in high temperature Subpart X facilities, such as 

FY04 NRMRL i 

vitrification or gasification units, and propose a research plan to 

reduce risks from those types of facilities. 

36

Paper on issues related to metal aerosol/PM emissions from high 

temperature subpart X facilities 

FY06 NRMRL i 

Paper on air emissions from co-gasification of waste/biomass/coal FY07 NRMRL i 

Provide technical information in the form of one paper and one draft guidance 

on the use of advanced monitoring techniques and surrogate organic 

performance indicators for incinerators 

FY07 

Publish paper on use of CEMs to measure organic surrogates for 

dioxin, and the application of those CEMs to assure compliance and 

optimize system operation. 

FY05 NRMRL i 

Develop draft guidance document for the use of Jet-REMPI for 

measurement of trace organics from incinerators 

FY07 NRMRL i 

APG 2: Provide technical support to OSW, Regional, State, Tribal, and Local 

Offices to estimate human exposure, toxicity, and risk from RCRA waste 

combustion facilities 

FY03 

APM 76: Annual Report on Combustion Technical Assistance Center 

for 2002 

FY03 NCEA i 

Provide technical support to OSW, Regional, State, Tribal, and Local Offices 

to estimate human exposure, toxicity, and risk from RCRA waste combustion 

facilities, that is documented through three annual reports. 

FY04 

Annual Report on Combustion Technical Assistance Center for 2003 FY04 NCEA 

* APM classification i = internal, e = external. 

37


i 
4. Resource Trends for the RCRA Research Program 

As described in the Introduction, the total annual RCRA MYP budget is about $10M. The 

allocation of resources for only the extramural part of the expected budget by long-term goal is 

shown in Table 3. These budget figures do not include resources from the Contaminated Sites 

(CS) MYP that address research applicable to RCRA (especially RCRA CA and waste 

management). We expect to have the capability and capacity for the work outlined in the 

RCRA MYP, barring loss of expertise that could occur through retirements. Our facilities and 

equipment are sufficient for accomplishing our goals. Resources for each LTG are anticipated to 

be approximately level through FY2010. Stable resources are needed to address RCRA 

problems, although increased integration of work between LTGs (with mutual benefit to all) is 

expected in the out-years. 

Table 3 Resource Trends Table for RCRA* 

Area 

Waste Management : 

Improve waste management for industrial 

and municipal wastes to enhance 

sustainability by prov iding technical reports 

(WM) LTG

and technical support. 

Multimedia Decision-Making (MDM) LTG: 

Support scientifically defensible and 

consistent decision-m aking for RCRA w aste 

management and corrective action by 

providing a tested multimedia modeling 

system and technical support to those who 

use the model to make environmental 

decisions. 

Emphasis in MYP Planning Window 

(FY03-FY10) 

Lev el funding expected. 

Level funding expected. Increased 

integration of work with WM n out 

years. 

LTG i

* Does not include research applicable to RCRA (especially RCRA CA and WMO) being 

conducted under the Contaminated Sites objective. 

5. Potential Additions to the Research Program 

OSW’s RCRA Vision 2020 

The purpose of this new research program would be to look ahead at how the management of 

wastes and materials containing toxic constituents (e.g., WMPCs) is likely to evolve over the 

next 10 to 20 years, and to address research needs that are critical to new management 

approaches. OSW produced a white paper in 2002 entitled: Beyond RCRA: Waste and 

Materials Management in the Year 2020 (or “RCRA Vision 2020"), which is catalyzing further 

38

discussion and projects on this topic. This is an important document for ORD to consider as we 

address how the impacts of toxic-bearing materials use can be minimized in order to protect 

human health and the environment, while minimizing the use of diminishing natural resources. 

The document presents a number of cutting-edge, important concepts. One is to move beyond a 

regulatory control approach to market-based incentives, to guide/stimulate more sustainabilityoriented private and public decisions. Another is inclusion of the impacts of materials/products 

use and disposal when it considers how to enhance sustainability in the U.S. In the near term, a 

prospective ORD research program would have a new long-term goal to: 

Provide innovative methods, tools, and technical support needed by EPA and other 

stakeholders for the sustainable production and use of materials and products. 

The research would expand upon that currently being done in ORD on process pollution 

prevention/source reduction, and on process waste management and associated risk assessment 

(e.g., using multimedia modeling) to address the following industrial ecology and sustainability 

issues: 

• More sustainable approaches to pollution prevention and waste disposal, and 

•	 Address the life cycle of materials and products, including those generated using 

process wastes (e.g., utility fly ash). 

Specific research activities would focus on materials/products streams containing toxic 

constituents (e.g., treated wood), including those produced from waste streams. Research would 

include the use of life cycle analysis and other systems-analysis approaches, critical assessment 

of industrial ecology tools, exposure/effects multi-media modeling to determine the risks from 

material/product use and disposal, and evaluation of materials substitutes that utilize renewable 

resources, resulting in more reusable wastes and less human health and environmental risks. 

Other research topics could include development of an integrated waste management program 

for handling consumer electronics waste, which will involve metals reclamation, plastics 

recycling, and incineration (requiring research on combustion chemistry of bromine and 

brominated flame retardants). ORD has the expertise in this area as evidenced by its work on 

P2/source reduction and waste treatment and characterization. In addition, limited work is 

underway in selected areas that deal with risks associated with use of hazardous waste streams 

in products, such as ongoing research on the impacts of increasing mercury in utility boiler ash 

(see the Mercury MYP). 

Improved Approaches to Waste & Materials Management 

ORD’s current Waste Management Research Program provides more cost-effective ways to 

treat and dispose of process waste streams. Due to resource constraints, this program is not 

addressing issues associated with “conventional” waste management in a manner that is 

providing all the information needed to meet OSW RCRA objectives. Expansion of the Waste 

Management research area is needed to: 

•	 Enhance our understanding of leaching in various waste matrices and disposal 

environments. 

39

•	 Conduct field tests on the effectiveness of varying bioreactor designs and 

implementation and utilization approaches under a wider variety of 

environmental conditions. These additional sites would provide a better 

understanding of the various operational approaches and the impact on 

performance. 

•	 Conduct research on using inorganic sorbents to capture trace metal aerosols so 

that conventional particulate control devices can capture them. 

•	 Conduct research on improved techniques of assessing and reducing risk due to 

combustor emissions of arsenic compounds by measuring and controlling the 

speciation of the arsenic from combustion sources. 

•	 Conduct research on additional issues related to high temperature thermal 

processes, including investigations into organic emissions from catalytic thermal 

oxidizers. 

•	 Develop new monitoring technologies that can simultaneously measure particle 

composition (e.g., metals, metal speciation), particle size distributions, and 

particle trajectories within combustors. 

•	 Conduct Post Closure Reuse of RCRA Landfill Properties: The US has thousands 

of RCRA landfills that are closed or will be closed. Some of these properties are 

in areas where re-development is or will be occurring. An evaluation needs to be 

conducted regarding options for the safe re-development of these sites. This 

effort will evaluate the impacts of gas and settlement in closed landfills in 

considering alternatives for re-development/reuse of these properties. This will 

include management options such as considering light commercial businesses 

using free-floating structures and utilities. Work will be conducted in 

collaboration with landfill owner/operators. 

•	 Conduct Technical and Economic Evaluation of Mining Recyclables from 

Landfill Bioreactors: With the recently-signed Research Demonstration and 

Development (RD&D) rule, more States will be considering the use of landfill 

bioreactors. Landfills that are operated as bioreactors are stabilized more quickly 

than conventional landfills. After stabilization, recyclables (metals, glass, and 

humic material) may be mined more readily. This project will investigate the 

technical and economic feasibility of pursuing mining at these sites. 

•	 Optimize Waste Disposal and Reuse Options: This project will evaluate existing 

disposal methods for specific wastes, ranging from asbestos to hazardous liquids 

and municipal solid waste. It will evaluate the existing decisions on disposal of 

various wastes and identify alternatives to enhance reuse of the resource. For 

example, enhanced residential and commercial source separation could enhance 

recycling and degradation of wastes. In addition, where landfill bioreactors are 

implemented, it may be optimal to reduce or eliminate wastes such as asbestos to 

enhance the biodegradation of the wastes, improve energy recovery, and the 

potential for mining. This work will examine the disposal options of given 

wastes, and identify the optimal means to recycle the wastes or utilize it as an 

energy source. 

•	 Evaluate the Impact of Recycled Products (e.g. foundry sands) on Soils: A 

variety of recycled materials have the potential to impact soils, including foundry 

40

sands, mining wastes, and tires. These are used in a variety of products, 

including soil amendments, and inside and outside construction materials for 

residential, commercial or school-yard use. The latter might, for example, affect 

children via oral or dermal exposure. This work would examine the leaching 

potential of these wastes and the bioavailability as a function of the 

environmental conditions. 

• Conduct research on the transport and disposal of carcasses of wild and domestic 

animals infected with chronic wasting disease. 

This expansion would address the current LTG of the Waste Management program, as well as 

provide approaches to respond to resource conservation issues. The current Waste Management 

APGs (Figure 2, Table 1) would not significantly change, but would enhance the products and 

provide more robust waste management options. 

RCRA Corrective Action 

The principal focus of ORD’s current RCRA Corrective Action program is to provide technical 

support to the Office of Solid Waste and Regions. In addition to providing rapid-turnaround 

scientific consultation, technical support activities will aim to identify and apply the latest 

scientific methodologies, models, and techniques to help the RCRA program meet its regulatory 

mandate to properly detect, assess, and cleanup any releases from waste management facilities. 

Limited RCRA research is being conducted to deal with priority RCRA CA problems. In 

addition, some research results from the Superfund program (see Contaminated Sites MultiYear Plan) should be very relevant to the Office of Solid Waste’s Corrective Action program 

(e.g., ground water/surface water and ecological risks). Work is needed, however, to address 

RCRA technical issues not covered by superfund and permanent cleanup issues. Such a 

program would fit in the RCRA CA Flow Diagram and have similar APGs to those described 

earlier in this document, but we would be able to address more sites and additional research 

topics, helping OSW to meet its goals more expeditiously and with a stronger technical basis. 

Sampling and Analytical 

The compilations of research needs submitted by OSW (Appendix B) and the Regions 

(Appendix C) included the following analytical methods needs that could be addressed by ORD 

by leveraging research conducted for Superfund and Office of Water, supplemented by 

relatively modest additional resources: 

•	 The work proposed for sampling and analysis of electronics wastes could be 

expanded to produce similar products that address demolition debris. 

•	 Speciation of mercury, arsenic, and selenium: ORD has an active research 

program applying “hyphenated” techniques for speciating arsenic in support of 

Superfund and Office of Water. These techniques could also be applied to the 

other toxic elements of concern to OSW. The proposed products would validate 

SW-846 methods for inorganic and organic forms of arsenic and selenium and 

mercury species in water and soils. 

41

•	 Improved speciation of products of incomplete combustion (PICs), including 

coplanar PCBs: ORD is currently investigating novel separation and analysis 

methods for PCBs, as well as a powerful tool for identifying unknown 

chromatographic peaks (ion composition elucidation - ICE), which could easily 

be applied to PICs. 

•	 Achieving detection limits low enough to use in environmental decisions (e.g., 

WMPC levels below water quality criteria (Regions), monitoring around waste 

derived product usage (OSW)): Current research on monitoring ambient levels 

(parts per quadrillion) of synthetic musks and current-use pesticides in water and 

biological tissue could be extended to selected WMPCs, brominated flame 

retardants and waste-derived products especially those of interest to multiple 

programs. 

42

APPENDIX A: GPRA Goal 3 and Its Associated Objectives and Sub-Objectives 

Goal 3: Preserve and Restore the Land. 

Preserve and restore the land by reducing and controlling risks posed by releases of harmful 

substances; promoting waste diversion, recycling, and innovative waste management practices; 

and cleaning up contaminated properties to levels appropriate for their beneficial reuse. 

Objective 3.1: Preserve Land. By 2008, reduce adverse effects to land by reducing waste 

generation, increasing recycling, and ensuring proper management of waste and petroleum 

products at facilities in ways that prevent releases. 

Sub-objective 3.1.1: Reduce Waste Generation and Increase Recycling. By 2008, 

reduce materials use through product and process redesign, and increase materials and 

energy recovery from wastes otherwise requiring disposal. 

Sub-objective 3.1.2: Manage Hazardous Wastes and Petroleum Products Properly. 

By 2008, reduce releases to the environment by managing hazardous wastes and 

petroleum products properly. 

Objective 3.2: Restore Land. By 2008, control the risks to human health and the environment 

by mitigating the impact of accidental or intentional releases and by cleaning up and restoring 

contaminated sites or properties to appropriate levels. 

Sub-objective 3.2.1: Prepare for and Respond to Accidental and Intentional 

Releases. By 2008, reduce and control the risks posed by accidental and intentional 

releases of harmful substances by improving our Nation’s capability to prepare for and 

respond more effectively to these emergencies. 

Sub-objective 3.2.2: Clean Up and Reuse Contaminated Land. By 2008, control the 

risks to human health and the environment at contaminated properties or sites through 

cleanup, stabilization, or other action, and make land available for reuse. 

Sub-objective 3.2.3: Maximize Potentially Responsible Party Participation at 

Superfund Sites. Through 2008, conserve Superfund trust fund resources by ensuring 

that potentially responsible parties conduct or pay for Superfund cleanups whenever 

possible. 

Objective 3.3: Enhance Science and Research. Through 2008, provide and apply sound 

science for protecting and restoring land by conducting leading-edge research and developing a 

better understanding and characterization of environmental outcomes under Goal 3. 

Sub-objective 3.3.1: Provide Science to Preserve and Remediate Land. Through 

2008, provide sound science and constantly integrate smarter technical solutions and 

protection strategies that enhance our ability to preserve land quality and remediate 

43

contaminated land for beneficial reuse. 

Sub-objective 3.3.2: Conduct Research to Support Land Activities. Through 2008, 

conduct sound, leading-edge scientific research to provide a foundation for preserving 

land quality and remediating contaminated land. Research will result in documented 

methods, models, assessments, and risk management options for program and regional 

offices, facilitating their accurate evaluation of effects on human health and the 

environment, understanding of exposure pathways, and implementation of effective riskmanagement options. Conduct research affecting Indian country in partnership with 

tribes. 

44

APPENDIX B: Multi-Year Plan Research Needs Provided by the Office of Solid Waste 

Summary of OSW Needs for ORD Research: FY 03 - FY 07 

Dec. 23, 2002 (verified through subsequent discussion) 

BACKGROUND: 

This document updates OSW’s statement of research needs, for use by ORD’s Waste Research 

Coordinating Team (RCT) in planning current and future research activities. This is also 

intended for ORD’s use in revising the “Multi-Year Research Plan” for RCRA (OSW and 

Regions) in a manner which addresses new programs, reflects greater cross-Agency coordination 

commensurate with the Agency’s redefinition of its strategic goals, reflects research needs of 

our State partners, and identifies research plans for the out years (FY 07 and beyond.) 

The research needs identified below fall under two major categories, each equally important. 

The first category consists of recent OSWER and Agency initiatives for which research needs 

are generally not yet funded (Resource Conservation Challenges) or are still being identified 

(Homeland Security topics.) The second category identifies ongoing core RCRA research 

which remain essential to the program and are generally not fundable under other programs or 

RCTs, such as waste-related Multimedia Science, Waste Management topics, and Correction 

Action technical support (which is not eligible for Superfund funding.) These categories 

include some unmet analytical needs which for convenience are also provided in a separate 

consolidated listing of analytical research needs. 

This document also identifies key research and technical support needs which have been 

expressed by the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (our 

State partners.) Many of these needs directly parallel or are identical to research needs 

identified by OSW and Regions, with an emphasis on basic research; increased technical 

support; and access to laboratory (including mobile laboratory) capabilities. The potential scale 

of these needs highlights the importance of carefully leveraging limited resources, and of 

considering how to “get the most bang for the buck.” 

To address these needs ORD will need to continue emphasizing a multi-program approach, and 

to leverage extensively with other RCTs and other programs, especially Superfund and Tonics. 

For example waste minimization and green chemistry topics concerning the top 30 chemicals 

should be a high priority for funding under the Pollution Prevention RCT; homeland security 

topics are expected to be funded through the new Homeland Security Research Center; and 

development of analytical methods should be closely coordinated with Superfund analytical 

funding. 

Note also that some topics will require short lead times, and may be more amenable to a 

“technical support” or “program support” orientation rather than a “long term research” 

approach. In other words, some issues would benefit from relatively quick consultation with 

ORD experts, on the order of weeks or months, not years. However these issues are not 

traditional site-specific questions in predictable topic areas that have previously been the focus 

45

of ORD’s “technical support” hot-line centers. Nor are these issues work-group related 

activities such as rules or guidances that have previously been the focus of the “program 

support” category. Also, it is generally expected that these consultations would need to occur 

from a national perspective rather than focused on site specific topics. It is also important to 

note that such topics should be areas where ORD has unique capabilities and strengths, i.e. 

NOT be work that OSW could easily conduct through contractors. 

General contact for referral to OSW technical/project leaders: Jan Young, 703-308-1568; See 

also project-specific OSW contacts, below. General contacts for referral to Regional 

technical/project leaders is: Paul Siemiski and Jeff Yurk, Region 6. See Jeff Yurk e-mail of 12-

18-02 (Appendix C of this report) for specific Regional research/technical support needs. 

EMERGING NEEDS AND INITIATIVES 

1. Resource Conservation Challenge Program 

A number of Marianne Horinko's priorities, which have also reached the Administrator’s agenda 

for the Agency, fall under the purview of traditional OSW responsibilities. These include 

partnerships with states, municipalities and the private sector to encourage waste minimization, 

recycling, and "beneficial reuse" of wastes and products. The importance of these activities to 

the Agency is further highlighted by the Science Advisory Board’s recent “Commentary on 

Industrial Ecology”(April 2002) in which the SAB emphasizes recycling, re-use and related 

topics in their recommendations to the Administrator. A number of these RCC initiatives are 

good examples of what have previously been called “pollution prevention” activities, and have 

previously been identified to the Goal 8 RCT for research support. However that separate 

process has not yet yielded the focus necessary to achieve dedicated research to these important 

multi-media, cross-program activities identified by OSW. It is imperative that the two RCTs 

work closely on these issues, and that the Pollution Prevention RCT recognize within their own 

priority-setting process that these are important research activities. 

Key activities which would benefit from research or technical support include: 

A. "waste to energy", i.e. a rulemaking which would allow wastes to be used where 

appropriate as a type of fuel in essentially closed systems–“gasification” systems; 

B. partnerships with the private sector, states and localities to encourage waste reduction 

and recycling, e.g. in the areas of electronic wastes, carpeting, 

C. "bioreactors" to manage municipal waste streams with greater efficiency. This already 

is a research activity, currently funded under the “waste management” category. 

D. beneficial reuse” of waste derived products such as roadbed. This was a topic identified 

last year as a major unmet research need. 

E.	 research into toxicities and exposures associated with disposal and recycling of cathode 

ray tubes and electronic wastes. 

[see the complete 9/6/02 listing of “Project Descriptions for Reducing Waste and Recovering 

Energy” and see OSW web-site] 

46

Research needs to address the above include:


(i) Research to better understand "green chemistry" approaches to identify environmentally


friendly substitutes, especially for the highest priority 30 chemicals (from a listing of persistent,


toxic & bioaccumulative chemicals,)


(ii) Research into design of environmentally friendly products, 


(iiii) Analytical methodologies to better characterize the fate of hazardous constituents during


gasification,


(iv) Research on the content and environmental durability of the gasification frit produced, 


(v) Development of source reduction and recycling opportunities for processes that generate


hazardous wastes containing persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBTs).


(vi) Evaluating the stability, expected releases, and bioavailability of constituents in waste


derived products. Such products contribute both to consumer exposures, as well as non-point


source pollution of air and watersheds. OSW repeatedly receives queries on waste derived


products, and research and tests on these uses would help with the evaluation of any risks


associated with them. Predictive analysis of expected releases could be verified through field


monitoring (in a manner analogous to NERL’s current research on the environmental fate of


personal care products and pesticides). Major examples of waste derived products, a.k.a.


“beneficial reuses” include road bed materials (asphalt), cement additives, frit, cca-treated


wood. Aspects of leaching research (see below) are related to this, particularly the leaching


research on materials which are applied to land (e.g. roadbed, fill.)


(vii) Bioreactors: Work with OSW and SWANA to identify recent developments in research


on “landfills as bioreactors “ that is being conducted in a number of municipalities and states. 


Conduct research to identify optimal operating condition and parameters, for use in national


regulatory revisions and guidances, and ultimately in state programs. OSW contact: Deborah


Hanlon 


(viii) Technologies for municipal waste management programs: Possibilities for technical


evaluation include evaluation of ash aggregates for use in cement and non cement applications,


evaluation of compost products as a filtering medium, evaluation of specified recycled products


for the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines, durability of synthetic liner systems, and


evaluation of innovative recycling, treatment and disposal approaches being considered by local


governments. 


(ix) Electronic wastes: Needs include developing technologies for reducing barriers to recycling,


identifying toxicities associated with electronic wastes, and evaluating worker exposures


associated with shredding of electronic wastes. OSW contacts: Bob Tonetti, Kristina Meson.


(x) Development of source reduction opportunities for other hazardous wastes, e.g. combusted


wastes, metals finishing.


(xi) Technological assessment of single-stream collection of recyclables and related processing


systems; new uses for such difficult-to-market recyclables as certain plastic resins; feasibility of


widespread commercial use of reusable containers. Research data would be used in conjunction


with economic assessments to determine feasibility of single-stream collection systems. 


General contacts: Thea McManus (RCC program in general), Rick Brandes (waste min. and


pollution prevention)


47

2. Homeland Security: Waste Disposal and Analytical Issues 

Homeland Security is a top OSWER priority, as it is for the entire Agency. The research in this 

area is being defined by the Homeland Security Research Center, based on needs coordinated 

with key program offices. The major areas where OSWER has to be fully prepared – and where 

the Waste RCT should extensively coordinate research needs with the Homeland Security 

Research Center: 

a) safe, effective and efficient disposal of wastes from disasters/emergencies


b) analytical methodologies to characterize hazardous constituents in such wastes. Activities


could include: identification of sampling strategies, target constituents, development of


expedited, accurate procedures to characterize hazardous constituents. 


OSW Contacts: Jim Berlow (general); Jan Young (analytical methodologies)


CEPPO (lead for OSWER) and OERR contacts


3. Enhanced Coordination with States on Their Research/ Technical Support Needs 


The Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (a National 

association of our State partners) has provided a summary of technical assistance and research 

that States believe could be provided by EPA. These needs strongly reinforce the importance to 

the Agency of research in waste management technologies and resource conservation 

challenges, and also reinforce the importance of an appropriate degree of technical support 

activities. In general, the needs fall under the areas of fundamental research; technical support; 

and increased access to laboratory capabilities (including mobile labs). Selected highlights are 

summarized below. Again, many of these areas are identical to or closely aligned with RCC 

challenges (see above) and core RCRA research/technical support (see following sections). 

- Research to advance the science of waste management and knowledge about risks posed by 

chemicals in the environment 

- Research into health impacts by the use of hazardous wastes as products in manufacturing 

- Research into long term stability of landfills 

- Technical support to develop objective criteria for “environmentally preferable products” 

- Guidance materials on “beneficial reuse,” performance of waste containment systems, liner 

design, waste-to-energy opportunities, calculating natural resource damages, innovative 

technologies 

- Access to EPA laboratories to conduct research 

- Real time field detection equipment, e.g. mobile or portable lab capabilities provided by EPA 

- Technical assistance to review site-specific risk assessments submitted by owners/operators 

CORE RCRA RESEARCH NEEDS: 

4. Waste Management 

Hazardous Waste Combustion 

48

The Oct. ‘01 MYP remains a current summary of ongoing research needs and topics in the area 

of hazardous waste combustion. The reader is referred to the activities identified in the Oct. ‘01 

MYP; see also the specific Region 6 needs expressed in this area (Jeff Yurk e-mail of 12-6-02), 

several of which may be topics with which CTAC can assist. Major areas of ongoing interest 

are: 

•	 Dioxin/Furan emissions from boilers and from halogen acid furnaces. Continue work to 

identify significant D/F formation factors in boilers, ranging from operating parameters 

to design features, and identify key control mechanisms that are appropriate and that are 

cost-effective. 

•	 Develop improved surrogates and CEMs for organic HAP/ dioxin/furan/mercury 

emissions and post combustion formulation. The surrogate approach is important for 

organic HAPs because current control mechanisms are limited in direct effectiveness 

(DRE, CO/HC limits) and because they do not supply the public with a sufficiently 

definite organic HAP profile. 

•	 Technical support to permit writers and OSW, on stack sampling analysis, CEM and risk 

assessment, metals emissions, dioxin and other PICs, particulate emissions and 

operations parameters. Ongoing needs for CTAC support (site specific risk assessments) 

and for access to in-house expertise on implementing ORD emissions control 

methodologies. 

•	 Develop improved speciation methods for distinguishing among and measuring the 

products of incomplete combustion (PICs) including coplanar PCBs. Full scale PIC 

testing to better understand formation dynamics; particularly post combustion PICs, 

including work on coplanar PCBs. 

• Develop tandem procedure for discrimination of coeluting peaks 

•	 Develop air deposition models especially the components dealing with vapor transport 

to surfaces, vapor/particle partitioning of semi-volatile compounds, wet versus dry 

deposition properties, and deposition of semi-volatiles. Finalize TOE test and dry gas 

models. 

• Better understand mercury speciation at stack and fate and transport transformation. 

OSW contacts: Hugh Davis at 703-308-8420, Sonya Sasseville/ Rosemary Workman at (703) 

308-8725, and Karen Pollard at 703-308-3948. 

Leaching topics: 

The current MYP identifies valid, ongoing research activities concerning leaching topics. The 

reader is referred to the Oct. ‘01 MYP and the activities identified in that document. 

These activities support the following overarching science needs: 

Understanding the chemistry of waste leaching more fully and improving our ability to 

accurately predict waste constituent leaching for a variety of waste types in a variety of waste 

management unit environments is a critical RCRA and CERCLA program need. Waste 

leaching prediction, through testing, is basic to distinguishing hazardous from non-hazardous 

waste (TC, listings, delistings, HWIR) and to deciding (especially for metals) when waste has 

49

been adequately treated (LDR/BDAT, corrective action, CERCLA) or cleaned-up (corrective 

action, CERCLA). Well known problems with the TCLP (application to oily waste) have more 

recently been joined by illustrations of TCLP problems in evaluating highly alkaline waste 

(K088) and concern by industry about mimicking actual environmental conditions (mineral 

processing waste). In addition, some particular waste constituents, such as arsenic and other 

oxoanion-forming metals, mercury, and cyanides, appear to pose their own unique challenges 

when trying to understand and predict leaching. While some of these instances hold the TCLP 

to a higher standard than it was ever designed to meet, they also illustrate the program need 

(both RCRA and CERCLA) for a more broadly accurate leach prediction method either through 

laboratory testing, modeling based on fundamental chemistry and physics of leaching, or a 

combination of testing and modeling. 

Finally, a more complete understanding of waste leaching is essential to ensuring 

environmentally sound reuse of waste, particularly where reuse involved placement of waste on 

the land, such as use for roadbeds, as fill, or in concrete. Basic research is needed to more fully 

understand issues related to waste matrices, constituents of concern, and management unit 

environment, such as: the effect of pH on leaching of different metals and organic constituents, 

liquid/solid ratio, redox potential, ionic strength of leachant, chelating agents, flow rate through 

waste, waste aging and degradation processes and factors affecting aging, and particle size. 

Additional method and model development work is needed to build on existing work to 

incorporate the basic chemistry and physics of leaching into leach evaluation or prediction 

techniques. Issues include identifying critical factors that can be incorporated into a test, and 

which cannot, methods for scaling test results to field conditions, resolution of laboratory 

artifacts, such as colloid formation, and approaches to test method or model field or other 

validation. 

In addition to the above general science needs, there is a current specific need for field 

validation of the important factors/analytical approach identified by Dr. Kosson and associates, 

and for protocols to help “routinize” the application of those factors and analytical approach by 

practitioners in the field. 

OSW Contacts: Greg Helms, Larry Rosengrant 

Waste Treatment 

Hard-to-treat wastes are an area of concern that originally arose as part of our problems in the 

K088 Court Remand and as a high priority topic for the LDR Reinvention project. The two 

wastes currently with the highest priority are reactive wastes (e.g., reactive sulfides) and 

arsenic-bearing wastes. The arsenic issue is particularly important given the lack of viable 

treatment approaches and paucity of useful data on treatment results. (e.g., the UTS was 

established at the characteristic level by default). There is potential concern that some arsenic 

wastes are essentially going untreated. 

- Provide proceedings from FY 01 Arsenic Scientist to Scientist meeting 

50

The objective of OSW’s LDRite project (which stands for LDR Innovative Technology 

Evaluation) is to establish a process by which innovative waste treatment technologies can be 

evaluated in terms of their usefulness in meeting the LDR treatment standards. Right now, 

there is no routine way to give feedback of a technical or policy nature to technology developers 

when they submit materials to OSW. This project requires to ORD to identify a person or 

persons who could help to evaluate the information submitted from a technical capability 

standpoint. We estimate between 5 and 10 submittals each FY. 

Evaluate treatment alternatives for wastes that contain mercury, as part of an Agency-wide 

strategy for dealing with mercury in the environment. [OSW Contacts: Mary Cunningham, 

John Austin.] 

This subject should involve consideration of stabilization techniques in general, and 

should also involve consideration of any methods to handle mixed organic-inorganic 

mercury wastes (the objective would be to avoid combustion altogether). 

Research the chemical dynamics and long term efficacy of emerging waste solidification and 

stabilization technologies (including cyanides and other organics). This was the subject of a 

pilot “State of the Science” survey project, which identified little ongoing research in this area. 

At this point, we need an evaluation of stabilization techniques under various conditions to 

determine if long-term immobilization is a realistic expectation. This is also an area that has 

been identified as a “technical support” area to OSPS. [OSW Contact: Elaine Eby] 

Evaluate the cross media transfer of contaminants due to waste management and treatment 

technologies other than combustion (e.g. stabilization, thermal and solvent extraction 

technologies) particularly with respect to problematic compounds (such as mercury.) 

OSW Contact: Hugh Davis 

Liners 

Evaluate the durability of synthetic liner systems to better understand their lifespan and longterm effectiveness in protecting the environment. Identify the most likely failure mechanisms, 

for use both in near-term installation requirements, and in modeling long-term probabilities of 

failure. Develop probabilistic modeling approaches to help identify long-term probabilities of 

failure under various Regional environmental conditions. 

ORD and OSW are already coordinating closely with Superfund to help meet research needs in 

this area. Examples of RCRA-related research not funded by Superfund may include modeling 

long-term probabilities of failure, and projects concerning the failure of liners (as opposed to a 

land fill caps.) 

OSW contacts: David Cozzie, Paul Cassidy 

5. Multimedia Science 

51

The current MYP remains an accurate statement of research needs to complete 3MRA for use in


a variety of national, regional and site specific applications. The reader is referred to the Oct.


>01 MYP and the activities identified in that document. Note also that future directions in the


development of 3MRA depend significantly on the recommendations of the Science Advisory


Board, who are conducting their review during FY 03. The schedule and efforts to improve the


science, technology, and data for the 3MRA will depend on the outcome of these reviews and


client needs. 


Several specific ongoing needs include:


•	 Continue evaluation of techniques and approaches to verify and validate the multimedia 

and indirect exposure portions of fate and transport models, with a greater emphasis on 

identifying specific sites with multimedia data sources. 

•	 Continue efforts to understand the transfer of constituent mass within the multimedia 

concept and to improve, where necessary, how the modeling system addresses mass 

balance in the context of intermedia fate and transport . 

•	 Continued evaluation of the sensitivity and uncertainty in the modeling system to better 

inform users and decision-makers of the areas of greatest uncertainty. 

•	 Provide tools to facilitate user interactions with the system that will allow the modeling 

system to be used for other risk assessments at the national, regional, and site scales; 

provide the capability to add science modules or pathways (for example, vapor 

intrusion); and provide capabilities for advanced uncertainty/sensitivity analyses. 

•	 Incorporate into the modeling system the capability for addressing more comprehensive 

ecological population- and system-level analyses as well as cumulative risk for humans 

•	 Continued development of subsurface fate and transport model and data by 

incorporating fracture flow and heterogeneous porous media. 

•	 Continue efforts to enhance process information on hazardous chemical contaminant 

transformation, including half-lives and physio-chemical characteristics of 

transformation products. 

•	 Incorporate enhancements of the MINTEQA2 thermodynamic database into the 

modeling system. 

Contacts: Stephen Kroner (703) 308-0468, Zubair Saleem (703) 308-0467. 

6. Corrective Action Technical Support and Research Support 

•	 Continue and expand where necessary technical support provided to Regions through the 

Corrective Action Technical Support Center, and improve access to the Ecological 

Technical Support Center funded under Superfund. 

•	 Continue work being conducted through Superfund and outside stakeholders to better 

understand the processes associated with natural attenuation of selected contaminants, 

and to identify appropriate circumstances for use of natural attenuation as a remedy. 

•	 Continue work being conducted through Superfund and outside stakeholders to evaluate 

DNAPL fate/transport at selected sites, to evaluate treatment by permeable reaction 

barriers, and to identify improved options for remediation. 

• Develop or evaluate innovative characterization technologies that allow for quicker and 

52

more accurate assessment of contaminated sites, especially for the vapor intrusion 

pathway. 

Contacts: Henry Schuver, Tom Rinehart, David Cozzie 

SUMMARY OF ANALYTICAL METHODS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 

In general, analytical methods development is a long-standing OSW program area which OSW 

is partially funding. OSW also works closely with TIO, the private sector, ORD/OAQPS, and 

others to encourage methods development by other stakeholders. There are a number of areas 

which would clearly benefit and be accelerated significantly with more ORD support. Several 

of these topics relate to new programs (e.g. RCC program) and others relate to ongoing core 

RCRA activities. 

•	 RCC: analytical methodologies to better characterize the fate of hazardous constituents 

during gasification 

•	 Homeland Security: analytical methodologies to characterize hazardous constituents in 

wastes from disasters/national emergencies. Activities could include: definition of 

sampling strategies, identification of target constituents, and development of expedited, 

accurate procedures to characterize hazardous constituents. 

•	 Develop improved surrogates and CAMS for organic HAP/ dioxin/Furans/mercury 

emissions and post combustion formulation. The surrogate approach is important for 

organic haps because current control mechanisms are limited in direct effectiveness 

(DER, CO/H.C. limits) and because they do not supply the public with a sufficiently 

definite organic HAP profile. 

•	 Develop improved speciation methods for distinguishing among and measuring the 

products of incomplete combustion (PICS) including coplanar PBS 

•	 Sampling Method for Speciation of Stationary Source Mercury Emissions (check on 

status of NERL pilot scale testing and method development.) 

•	 Method development/validation on speciation of mercury (OSW has this underway), 

arsenic and selenium 

•	 Method development to identify “free” cyanide and to support OSW policy efforts 

concerning cyanide reactivity guidance 

•	 Leaching topics: Method and model development work is needed to incorporate the 

basic chemistry and physics of leaching into predictive techniques. Issues include 

identifying critical factors that can be incorporated into a test, and which cannot, 

methods for scaling test results to field conditions, resolution of laboratory artifacts, 

such as colloid formation, and approaches to test method or model field or other 

validation. 

•	 Development/validation of test methods for evaluating waste for pyrophoric properties 

and ignitability of solids. 

• Sampling strategies to characterize demolition debris 

• Methods and sampling strategies to characterize electronic wastes 

• Others T.D. 

53

Contacts: Jan Young (703) 308-1568, Greg Helms, Bob Holloway 

OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS (not funded through Waste RCT) 

Human Health Science: 

• Close coordination between OSW and ORD on IRIS and Heat updates 

•	 Endpoint development, including QSAR/SAR methodology development for 

application to constituents not in IRIS or HEAT 

•	 Review of RCRA Appendix 8 for potential chemical deletions. 

Contact: Stephen Kroner, Monica Barron 

Socioeconomic:


OSW Contacts for program relevancy reviews of STAR grants are Gary Ballad (703) 308-0475


and Lyn Lube 


Chronic Wasting Disease: Regions V and VIII have prepared a proposal to conduct research


into health and exposure concerns associated with the disposal of C.D. wastes. See Ron Lilac’s


12-05-02 e-mail with the proposal attached. Contacts: Ron Lilac, Reg. VIII and Susan Mooney,


Reg. V.


Mining Wastes:


The Multi-Year Plan identifies unfunded research needs to better characterize the environmental


and ecological impacts of certain waste streams associated with the mining (non-utility)


industry, e.g. acid water runoff, cyanides released from mining waste piles over time . Many of


these impacts are experienced in waterways, and the need for research in this area is supported


by the Office of Water and by Superfund programs.


OSW contact: Steve Hoffman


54

APPENDIX C: Statement of Research Needs from the Regional Offices 

The Regions appreciate ORD’s outreach effort and the invitation to help design research to 

better meet end user’s needs. We realize that our focus in the Regions, which centers on 

applicability and utility of research, can vary from that of ORD's and the program offices. 

Working together, we will bridge this gap. The characteristics we feel are essential to every 

research project from an applicability and utility standpoint are; 1) study defensibility, 2) time 

efficiency from both an implementation of results standpoint and also a research deliverable 

standpoint , 3) flexibility to answer multiple variations of the question being researched, and 

4) an ability to support solution identification as opposed to problem identification. In addition 

to the projects listed below we appreciate and continue to endorse the ORD's corrective action 

and combustion technical support centers. 

A list of types of projects the Regions believe are applicable to their needs are listed below: 

1) Improving speciation of air and water emissions inventories – It’s imperative that we are able 

to have transparency and attribution profiling in our risk assessments and that begins with 

having defensible emissions inventories. An example of a project under this objective might be 

establishing microbial biodegradability rates of benzene and butadiene in aerated ponds at high 

(ppm) concentrations. 

2) Provide bioavailability factors for metals across all media. 

3) Provide metabolism factors for phthalates, PAH’s, and other organics. 

4) Expedite and provide more IRIS updates. A particular request has been made to develop 

toxicity information for polybrominated diphenyl ethers and one to finish the IRIS file on 

MTBE. 

5) Provide a Nationally consistent set of acute toxicity benchmarks. If this is a long term 

project, provide a Nationally consistent methodology for selecting acute toxicity benchmarks 

from currently available databases. 

6) Validate the deposition algorithm in the ISCST3 air model. 

7) Validate the indoor air vapor intrusion model. 

8) Provide speciation defaults for mercury, chromium, and nickel air and water emissions. 

9) Provide analytical method for determining cyanide and sulfide waste reactivity. 

10) Provide sampling protocol for subsurface vapor and screening criteria applicable to defining 

soil vapor contaminant concentrations that are protective for the indoor air exposure pathway. 

11) Develop hyporheic zone sampling methodologies and screening approaches/criteria to 

evaluate whether current groundwater discharge is causing unacceptable surface water or 

sediment impacts. 

12) Develop analytical methods to achieve detection limits low enough to use in environmental 

decisions. For example, PBT detection limits below water quality criteria. 

13) Develop effective long-term containment remedies for sites which are technically 

impracticable to clean up. A portion of this may be to do a training for the Regions and States 

on what already exists on this front and get some idea of directions the end users could most use 

assistance in managing. 

14) Assess how emissions from Subpart X high-temperature treatment units can be better 

characterized and controlled? 

55

15) Assess how reliable are laboratory procedures and data results from stack gas emissions 

characterization in relation to EPA Methods currently being used. Specifically, 1) how are 

laboratories across the country actually implementing EPA Stack Gas Methods–e.g., with or 

without method modifications? and 2) if labs are modifying EPA Methods on a routine basis or 

even only in certain case-driven instances, what are the impacts of these method modifications 

on data usability specifically for risk assessment, permitting, and compliance evaluations? 

16) Finalize TOE guidance. 

17) Develop surrogate particle size distribution data sets or a methodology to generate them for 

different types of units which emit particles. 

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