Nevada-based environmental company, US Ecology Inc.
In June 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a significant modification to US Ecology's Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) approval for the management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at its hazardous waste facility in Beatty, Nevada. This revision expanded the types of PCB waste materials the facility is authorized to handle and updated operational conditions to align with EPA regulations.
The modification allows US Ecology Nevada to manage PCB wastes more effectively, ensuring compliance with the latest EPA toxicity and contamination standards. This includes the proper management of PCB-contaminated materials such as soils, sediments, and equipment, under controlled conditions to prevent environmental release.
The changes also addressed specific cleanup levels and waste classifications, fundamental to TSCA regulations. For instance, wastes with PCB concentrations above 50 parts per million are now classified as hazardous.
The 2016 revision authorizes the construction and operation of the Trench 13 landfill for disposal of PCB wastes, and allows continued disposal of PCBs in the Trench 12 landfill. It also permits the storage of PCBs, and limited treatment for disposal in two batch stabilization tanks.
The EPA Approval is valid for a period of ten years. The facility, situated on a 480-acre site off Highway 95, is owned by the State of Nevada and operated by US Ecology. The Approval can be found online, along with other related documents such as the Statement of Basis and the EPA PCB Approval for US Ecology Nevada Inc.
The Approval requires US Ecology to construct a new sealed concrete Tank Truck Loading Pad and new sealed concrete secondary containment for the PCB tank storage area. The PCB Tank Truck Loading Pad, an ancillary unit to the PCB Tank Farm, will be constructed after the issuance of the Approval.
The facility, located in the Amargosa Desert and approximately 11 miles northwest of Beatty, Nevada, also manages non-hazardous industrial materials. The EPA's rationale for issuing the Approval and differences between the proposed and final Approval are discussed in EPA's "PCB Approval Decision" dated June 22, 2016.
Key documents related to the TSCA Approval modification include: EPA Fact Sheet, PCB Approval Decision, Final Modified Approval (Permit), Statement of Basis, Administrative Record Index, US Ecology Nevada Inc. TSCA Permit: Appendix A, Appendices B1-B16, and US Ecology Nevada Inc. TSCA Permit: Appendix B17.
The modification was subject to a 45-day public comment period that began on April 27, 2016, and ended on June 10, 2016. No comments were received. The EPA maintains oversight to ensure safe and legally compliant disposal, storage, and treatment of PCB-containing materials to protect human health and the environment.
As of 2025, US Ecology Nevada continues to operate under this TSCA approval framework, regulated by the EPA and aligned with federal standards for PCB waste management.
- The EPA's modification in June 2016 authorizes the storage and limited treatment of PCBs in two batch stabilization tanks at US Ecology's hazardous waste facility in Beatty, Nevada.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains oversight to ensure safe and legally compliant disposal, storage, and treatment of PCB-containing materials, to protect human health and the environment.
- The facility in Beatty, Nevada, also manages non-hazardous industrial materials, apart from handling PCB waste materials, as regulated by the EPA and aligned with federal standards for PCB waste management.
- In 2025, US Ecology Nevada continues to operate under the TSCA approval framework, granted by the EPA in June 2016, regulating the management of PCB waste materials to meet the latest toxicity and contamination standards.
