EPA approves limited mercury waste disposal variance for Nevada facility
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Table of Contents
The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule granting U.S. Ecology Nevada, Inc. permission to dispose of elemental mercury in a specific landfill in Beatty, Nevada. Normally, the law requires this type of hazardous waste to be recycled or put back into commerce. However, EPA found that the market for recycling recovered mercury is too small to handle the supply coming from gold mining operations.
Why it matters: This action resolves a practical bottleneck for gold mining facilities that generate high-mercury waste. Without this variance, companies would have to store elemental mercury indefinitely while waiting for buyers who do not exist in significant numbers. By allowing stabilized disposal, the rule reduces long-term storage risks and keeps hazardous waste moving through the regulatory system without altering national recycling standards for other industries.
Who it affects
- U.S. Ecology Nevada, Inc., which operates the landfill accepting the treated waste
This summary is based on a final rule published by the EPA in the Federal Register regarding U.S. Ecology Nevada, Inc.; readers should consult the full document for legal conditions and technical specifications.
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Source: Federal Register — read the official document