The regulations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enforced by the USEPA and states with an authorized hazardous waste program (Does Your State Have an Authorized Hazardous Waste Program?) requires the cradle-to-grave management of all hazardous waste.  For various reasons, some wastes that might otherwise be a hazardous waste are instead excluded from full regulation and allowed to be managed as non-hazardous solid waste.  One group of six (6) such de-regulated wastes are known collectively as “special wastes”, and one of these six (6) are the wastes generated through the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and geothermal energy.  The purpose of this article is to list examples of exempt E&P Wastes.  A later article will identify examples of non-exempt E&P Wastes.

Certain wastes generated by the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas or geothermal resources are not hazardous waste.

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