In 1996, recycling of solid waste in the United States prevented the release of 33 million tons of carbon into the air roughly the amount emitted annually by 25 million cars. Burning MSW can generate energy while reducing the amount of waste by up to 90 percent in volume and 75 percent in weight. EPA s Office of Air and Radiation is primarily responsible for regulating combustors because air emissions from combustion pose the greatest environmental concern. Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, landfills that accept MSW are primarily regulated by state, tribal, and local governments. EPA, however, has established national standards these landfills must meet in order to stay open.
Municipal landfills can, however, accept household hazardous waste .
The act's primary goal is to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal. In addition, RCRA calls for conservation of energy and natural resources, reduction in waste generated, and environmentally sound waste management practices. The capacity, however, has remained relatively constant. New landfills are much larger than in the past. Households often discard many common items such as paint, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides, that contain hazardous components.