What does the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily regulate?

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily regulates hazardous waste management. This federal law was enacted to provide a framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. Its primary goals are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, reduce the amount of waste generated, and ensure that waste is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its lifecycle—from generation to disposal.

RCRA establishes standards for waste treatment facilities, landfills, and other waste management practices, ensuring that hazardous waste is handled safely and responsibly. This regulatory framework is crucial for preventing adverse environmental impacts and contamination resulting from improper waste management.

In contrast, the other options pertain to different areas of environmental regulation. Water quality assessment focuses on the health of water resources, soil erosion control deals with preventing the degradation of soil due to erosion processes, and indoor air quality standards relate to the quality of air within buildings. While these are all important environmental concerns, they fall outside the specific focus of the RCRA, which is centered on hazardous waste.