Opinion ID: 3052070
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: What materials are encompassed within the

Text: definition of “mixed waste” set forth in Section 3(9) of the CPA [RCW 70.105E.030(9)]?
waste” encompass materials that consist solely of radioactive source, special nuclear, or byproduct materials and, if so, under what circumstances does the CPA apply to such materials?
waste” encompass materials that are mixtures of radioactive source, special nuclear, or byproduct materials and other hazardous substances that do no[t] designate as “dangerous waste” under state laws? If so, under what circumstances does the CPA apply to such materials?
waste” encompass materials that are not “solid wastes” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and, if so, under what cir- cumstances does the CPA apply to such materials?
through (c), above, does the definition of “mixed waste” expand the scope of materials regulated as mixed waste under the Washington Hazardous Waste Management Act (HWMA) and RCRA? Id. at 1001-02. The Washington Supreme Court accepted certification and, among others, answered Question 1. The court began its analysis by tracing the definition of “mixed waste,” as used in the UNITED STATES v. MANNING 5895 CPA, through its cross-references to other federal and state statutes. See id. at 1003-04. Under the CPA, “mixed waste” is defined as: [A]ny hazardous substance or dangerous or extremely hazardous waste that contains both a nonradioactive hazardous component and a radioactive component, including any such substances that have been released to the environment, or pose a threat of future release, in a manner that may expose persons or the environment to either the nonradioactive or radioactive hazardous substances. RCW 70.105E.030(9). The court observed that the CPA’s definition of “mixed waste” incorporated the term “hazardous substance,” which is, in turn, defined as having “the same meaning as the term is defined in [the Model Toxics Control Act (“MTCA”), RCW 70.105D.020].”6 Hoffman, 116 P.3d at 1003. The MTCA is “ ‘designed to deal both with the remediation of former environmental hazards and to prevent 6 Under the MTCA, “hazardous substance” is defined as: (a) Any dangerous or extremely hazardous waste as defined in RCW 70.105.010(5) and (6), or any dangerous or extremely dangerous waste designated by rule pursuant to chapter 70.105 RCW; (b) Any hazardous substance as defined in RCW 70.105.010(14) or any hazardous substance as defined by rule pursuant to chapter 70.105 RCW; (c) Any substance that, on March 1, 1989, is a hazardous substance under section 101(14) of the federal cleanup law, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601(14): (d) Petroleum or petroleum products; and (e) Any substance or category of substances, including solid waste decomposition products, determined by the director by rule to present a threat to human health or the environment if released into the environment. RCW 70.105D.020(10). 5896 UNITED STATES v. MANNING environmental hazards in the future,’ ” and makes a property owner “ ‘strictly liable for the remediation of environmental hazards caused by hazardous substances it released [or were released] on its property.’ ” Goodstein v. Cont’l Cas. Co., 509 F.3d 1042, 1046 n.2 (9th Cir. 2007) (quoting Olds-Olympic, Inc. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., 918 P.2d 923, 927 (Wash. 1996)). The MTCA’s definition of “hazardous substance,” in turn, cross-references the definition of “hazardous substance” in the HWMA, RCW 70.105D.020(7)(b).7 Hoffman, 116 P.3d at 1003. As to Question 1(a), the parties agreed that the CPA does not address materials that are solely “of radioactive source, special nuclear, or byproduct materials.” Id. In response to Question 1(b), the court concluded that the CPA’s definition of “mixed waste” includes material that does not designate as “dangerous waste” under the MTCA and the HWMA. Id. at 1005. Waste must meet certain threshold quantity requirements of certain materials before it will designate as “dangerous waste,” id. at 1004; WAC 173-303-090(8)(a)-(c), but a “hazardous substance,” as defined by the HWMA, has no threshold requirement. Hoffman, 116 P.3d at 1004; RCW 70.105.010(14). Because the HWMA’s definition of “hazardous substance” is incorporated into the CPA’s definition of “mixed waste,” “mixed waste” can include materials that will not designate as “dangerous waste” because those materials do not meet the threshold quantity requirement. With respect to Question 1(c), the court concluded that the CPA’s definition of “mixed waste” included materials that were not “solid waste” under the RCRA. Hoffman, 116 P.3d 7 Under the HWMA, “hazardous substances” are defined as: [A]ny liquid, solid, gas, or sludge, including any material, substance, product, commodity, or waste, regardless of quantity, that exhibits any of the characteristics or criteria of hazardous waste as described in rules adopted under this chapter. RCW 70.105.010(14). UNITED STATES v. MANNING 5897 at 1006. In light of its analysis of questions 1(a)-(c), the Washington Supreme Court held that “the CPA does expand the scope of materials currently subject to regulation as mixed waste beyond the HWMA and the RCRA.” Id. at 1006 (responding to Question 1(d)).