What does the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily regulate?

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily focuses on the management of hazardous waste from its creation to its disposal. This legislation establishes a framework for the proper treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste, ensuring that it does not pose a threat to human health or the environment. RCRA aims to protect the environment and public health by monitoring waste management practices and promoting waste minimization and recycling efforts.

Through RCRA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granted the authority to control hazardous waste, which includes identifying and classifying waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful. This comprehensive regulation ensures that hazardous waste is handled by certified and trained individuals, and that strict guidelines are followed for disposal, treatment, and storage. Thus, understanding the significance of RCRA in hazardous waste management is crucial for pesticide applicators, as they may deal with substances that fall under these regulations.

The other choices involve different aspects of environmental regulation, such as water quality standards and air pollution control, which are governed by other laws and regulations but do not specifically address hazardous waste management as RCRA does.