RCRA Online is an electronic database that indexes thousands of letters, memoranda, publications, and questions and answers issued by EPA’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR). These documents represent past EPA Headquarters interpretations of the RCRA regulations governing the management of solid, hazardous, and medical waste. RCRA Online allows users to locate documents through topical, full text, and advanced search functions. RCRA Online also allows users to view the actual text of the documents identified in a search.
RCRA Online is made up of documents from three distinct sources: Selected ORCR Correspondence letters and memoranda (SOCs), RCRA Permit Policy Compendium guidance documents (RPPCs), and Monthly Call Center Report Q&As (MRQs). Oftentimes a document may be from more than one original source, as the following diagram represents:
Searching:
To perform a search of the RCRA Online database, the user must first decide what type of search will best serve their needs. A topical search will find all the documents that deal with that particular topic. A full text search allows the user to search for and word or phase contained in the actual text of the document as well as the Title, Description, and Topics fields of each document stored in the database. An advanced search lets the user search by specific variables like date or document number, as well as full text searching of words and phrases.
Using the Topic Search function is the simplest way for a user to locate documents in the database. The topics cover a wide range of RCRA issues. To search the database by topic, choose the Topic Search icon on the tool bar, then click on the blue arrow next to the desired topic. RCRA Online will generate a list of all the documents that discuss the selected topic. To view detailed information on a particular document, simply click on the document title.
Using the Full Text Search function enables the user to search the RCRA Online database and the attached documents for any string of letters and numbers. Search strings can contain letters, numbers and the characters: colon (:), backslash (\), period (.), and ampersand (&). You can also search for citations that contain parentheses, For example, you could search the Regulatory Section for the number: 261.6(c)(3). However, the phrase containing the parentheses must have double quotes around it. Therefore, you would enter "261.6(c)(3)" to search for this number in the Regulatory Section. To search the database for a string of letters or numbers, choose the Full Text Search icon on the tool bar. Type the word or phrase into the search field, separating each word with a space (e.g., battery lead plate). To search for a string of words in a particular order, or to search for an exact phrase, group the words within quotation marks (e.g., "solid waste"). The user can limit the number of documents the database will find by using the pull down menu and choosing the desired limit. The Full Text Search also gives the user the option to search for word variants (e.g., battery will find references to battery and batteries), and for word synonyms. To perform the search, click on the "Search" button adjacent to the keyword field. The database will display a list of all the documents that meet the search parameters and the number of documents found at the bottom of the Search Results page. To view detailed information on a particular document, simply click on the document title.
Using the advanced search function allows the user to search the database using specific criteria. The user may locate documents by date, author, recipient, title, regulatory section, statutory citation, RCRA Online Number, RPPC number, NTIS number, or EPA document number. The user can limit the number of documents the database will find by using the pull down menu and choosing the desired limit. The advanced search will also allow the user to search the database and the attached documents for any string of letters and numbers (this searches the title field, description field, and the full text of all documents). When searching for full text, the advanced search gives the user the option to search for word variants (i.e., regulate will find references to regulation and regulatory), and for word synonyms. The database will display a list of all the documents that meet the search parameters and the number of documents found at the bottom of the Search Results page. To view detailed information on a particular document, simply click on the document title.
Note: A RCRA Online full text search can contain only letters, numbers, and the characters: colon (:), backslash (\), period (.), and ampersand (&). You can also search for citations that contain parentheses, For example, you could search the Regulatory Citation for the number: 261.6(c)(3) if you enclosed the number in double quotes (e.g. "261.6(c)(3)").
Note: A RCRA Online search can contain only letters, numbers, and the characters: colon (:), backslash (\), period (.), and ampersand (&). You can also search for citations that contain parentheses, For example, you could search the Regulatory Citation for the number: 261.6(c)(3) if you enclosed the number in double quotes (e.g. "261.6(c)(3)").
RCRA Online often uses an acronym in place of a proper name (e.g., EPA instead of Environmental Protection Agency) or common term (e.g., SQG instead of small quantity generator). To avoid confusion, the database consistently uses certain acronyms. Users experiencing difficulties finding a particular proper name or term may want to examine the acronym list to determine if RCRA Online has assigned an acronym in its place. Below is a list of the acronyms that RCRA Online uses consistently:
If you need help in troubleshooting an error or have encountered a bug while using the RCRA Online database, please direct them to the RCRA Online Administrators, or download the RCRA Online Brochure
