By Vincent Kesic, IU McKinney
The Indiana General Assembly is working on House Bill 1226 for this upcoming July, and it has a direct impact on the environmental management of Indiana. A few of the key aspects of this bill, if it is passed, are a pilot project for waste diversion, the adoption of all waste exemptions or exclusions as are adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and for the use of coal combustion residues as raw materials for manufacturing another product.
The waste diversion pilot project is only for Marion County and amends the definition of "solid waste" to exclude materials that are used in creating a new product from another company's "solid waste." The adoption of all waste regulation exemptions or exclusions that are adopted by the EPA ensures that Indiana will be following the most recent updates as to the identification and listing of hazardous wastes. This is based on the adopted federal rule amendments on May 30, 2018, by the EPA.
The final aspect of this bill has to do with non-hazardous coal mining waste and residues of coal combustion processes. If these residuals are being used as a raw material for manufacturing of another material, or eight other uses, including a base in road construction, structural fill when combined with sand, cement, or water, bottom as an antiskid material and a few others, then they are not subject to the solid waste rules. Overall, this bill is revamping recycling in Indiana and is changing a few definitions, along with keeping up with EPA amendments to hazardous waste identification and listing.
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