Hazardous Waste Site Identification in EPA Region 2

EPA Region 2 Contact Information

EPA Region 2 Hazardous Waste RCRA Notification: 212-637-4106

EPA Region 2 Hazardous Waste Compliance: 212-637-4145

EPA Region 2 serves New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight Tribal nations. Learn more.

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Applicability

Persons who generate, transport, treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste and who store recyclable materials prior to recycling them must determine if they are required under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to notify EPA of their hazardous waste activities and obtain an EPA RCRA Site ID number. Very small quantity generators and persons whose solid waste has been excluded from regulation or whose hazardous waste has been exempted may not need to notify unless the authorized state requires notification.

EPA RCRA Site ID Numbers

Site ID Number Form

A RCRA Site ID number is issued based on the submitted RCRA Site ID form (8700-12).

The RCRAInfo Web State Contact List, also available from RCRAInfo Web, contains the State and EPA regional office mailing addresses, contact names, telephone numbers and email addresses of government agencies that process Site ID forms.

EPA Region 2 issues RCRA Site ID numbers for sites in New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Submission of the RCRA Site ID form 8700-12 is necessary for obtaining a RCRA ID number.  The form may be submitted by mail or electronically to EPA. 

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) issues identification numbers for New Jersey sites. NJDEP currently only accepts electronic submission of RCRA Site ID form 8700-12. Contact information for the NJDEP office that handles Site ID forms can be found on our state contacts webpage.

Visit RCRAInfo Web on the Internet to confirm whether a location has an existing RCRA Site ID number. The “Search by Site” option under the Hazardous Waste Sites section of the webpage, provides a lookup of existing records by RCRA Site ID number, Site Name, or Location address. Site Name begins with the legal name of the company or government agency. The Site Name is not simply a street address or a bridge number though it may include these when applicable. RCRAInfo Web is the public version of the RCRA database and is updated daily. The webpage contains a fillable RCRA Site ID form 8700-12, the form instructions and the State Contact List link.

EPA identification numbers are assigned to physical locations and remain associated with the location when a company ceases operations there or moves to a new location. The existing identification number is then inherited by the next owner/operator at that location. When a company moves to a new location, the owner/operator notifies EPA of this change so that a new EPA identification number can be assigned to the company at the new location. A company that will no longer manage hazardous waste at their new location may deactivate their identification number. A RCRA Site ID form 8700-12 is used to report activity changes. 

EPA RCRA Site ID forms for sites located in New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, may be mailed to the following address:

USEPA Region 2, LCRD-LRPB
Attn: RCRA Notifications
290 Broadway, 25th floor
New York, NY 10007-1866

Alternatively, the form may be submitted electronically via the RCRAInfo Industry application, myRCRAid. (Refer to the section below about myRCRAid electronic submissions.) Forms received by mail are generally processed within two weeks or less. The site contact person is notified of the issued identification number via a mailed Acknowledgement letter, by telephone or by email.

RCRA Regulations

For more information on the regulations governing hazardous waste identification, classification, generation, management, and disposal, visit EPA's Hazardous Waste Regulations website.

A RCRA Site ID number is the number assigned by EPA to the address of the physical location for entities that manage hazardous waste. It is used on documents and forms subsequently submitted to EPA and states by those entities. EPA Region 2 issues two types of identification numbers - permanent or emergency (provisional).* 

The permanent numbers track temporary hazardous waste management situations lasting six months or less, as well as hazardous waste management from ongoing business operations. (One-time hazardous waste cleanups are an example of a temporary situation). Hazardous waste management activity includes Transportation of Hazardous Waste or Waste Oil, Universal Waste, Used Oil, Pharmaceutical, Academic Laboratories, Episodic Generation, Large Quantity Generator (LQG) Consolidation of Very Small Quantity Generation (VSQG,) LQG Site Closure, Notification of Secondary Material, and Electronic Manifest Brokers. The EPA RCRA Site ID form 8700-12 is used to assign an ID.

The temporary numbers track situations where hazardous waste needs to be disposed of right away due to a current threat to human health or the environment. Situations include hazardous waste spills, accidents involving hazardous waste, and abandoned or unprotected waste. Emergency situations are typically addressed quickly, therefore a temporary identification number is issued for a period of 30 days. An internal form is used to assign an identification number to a location with an emergency. 

To obtain an emergency identification number for hazardous waste disposal in New York, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, call the EPA Region 2 office at 212-637-4106. Before calling, check whether the waste generator site already has an existing RCRA Site ID number via RCRAInfo Web. If one exists, that RCRA identification number is used. The following information about the emergency will be needed:

  • location address of the spill/accident.
  • responsible party.
  • mailing address.
  • description of incident.
  • materials involved and quantity.
  • generator status.
  • cleanup contractor.
  • transporter name and their EPA identification number.
  • treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF) name and their EPA identification number.

A person may request to deactivate an identification number when their operations have ceased or when hazardous waste disposals have been completed.** Deactivation requests, for New York, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands locations, may be submitted using the RCRA Site ID form 8700-12. Alternatively, deactivation requests may be prepared in the form of a letter on formal company letterhead and mailed to the EPA Region 2 office. The dated and signed letter should contain the site ID number, site name, site location address, and reason for the deactivation request. The letter should be signed by a manager who is an employee of the site and include that manager’s full name, phone number, and email address.

* Note that internal RCRA tracking numbers, represented by the letter “N” in the third place, are not for use by the regulated community. Though internal ID numbers can be found on public databases, they are reserved for EPA and State Agency use only. The only exceptions are Superfund sites having third letter “N” identification numbers that have been validated for use as RCRA ID numbers. 

** Note that deactivated or inactive identification numbers may be updated/activated  with a revised Site ID form. The RCRA numbers are assigned to a location and are used by the current company at that location. Hence the numbers remain with a site when an owner/operator leaves; they are inherited by the next owner/operator. A deactivated ID number may be used on a manifest when one is identified for a site. However, a corresponding site ID form should be submitted to update the site’s information in the RCRA database as well.

MyRCRAid for Electronic Filing of the Site ID Form

MyRCRAid is an application within the RCRAInfo database that allows industry users to submit the EPA RCRA Site ID form 8700-12 to their appropriate regulator electronically. These submissions are not inserted into the RCRAInfo database until they are approved by the regulator. 

EPA Region 2 accepts electronic submittals of the Site ID form using the myRCRAid application for locations in New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NJDEP accepts electronic submittals of the Site ID form for New Jersey locations. Remember to visit RCRAInfo Web on the Internet to confirm whether a location has an existing RCRA Site ID number before requesting a new number via myRCRAid. 

A myRCRAid user guide for industry was developed by the NYSDEC. It summarizes RCRAInfo Industry App registration, Site ID form preparation and provides myRCRAid tips.

The Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) provides the legal framework for electronic reporting under all of EPA's environmental regulations. The standards are designed to provide electronic submittals with the same level of legal dependability as the corresponding paper submittals. CROMERR has made it possible for EPA to implement myRCRAid to allow a site to submit and sign their Site ID form electronically online.

The process, in general terms, is as follows***:

Step 1 - A site representative, who is an employee of that company, registers for myRCRAid using the RCRAInfo database URL in a Web browser. Registration Type is Industry User. The user should provide their full legal name and work email address. Accounts cannot be shared – everyone using the software must have their own account. Consultants may prepare a form, but their client/the site representative must review and e-sign it.

Step 2 - Using the myRCRAid application, the site representative selects existing sites for which they have the authority to submit RCRA Subtitle C information. If a site does not already exist in the database, a request for a new Site ID number can be made. EPA ID numbers are assigned to a site's physical location address. An EPA ID number does not transfer with the handler if the handler moves to a different location.

Step 3 - Identity proofing is performed by the system for electronic signature approvals. Paper electronic signature agreements are processed by the regulating agency.

Step 4 – After the user’s signature is approved; the site representative may create a new/subsequent Site ID form and submit it electronically to the regulating agency by e-signing it in myRCRAid.

Step 5 - The regulating agency reviews the submission and approves or rejects the submission. If the submission is approved, the information is loaded into RCRAInfo. If the submission is rejected for deficiency, the site representative must correct the deficiency based on the comments provided by the regulating agency and re-submit the form.

*** This registration process is built upon the account registration process used for EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX). The name of the program service the user must select in CDX to use myRCRAid is called RCRAInfo: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information. The RCRAInfo Industry Application (RIA) accounts may be used within CDX and conversely CDX accounts may be used within RIA. To use an existing CDX account to log into the RCRAInfo Industry Application, simply enter your CDX credentials (User ID and Password) in the RCRAInfo sign in screen. The myRCRAid Industry User’s Guide is available from within the RCRA database. It navigates the user through the myRCRAid module as well as the electronic manifest (e-Manifest) module.

Additional Information for Facilities in New Jersey

Permanent ID Numbers

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection processes the RCRA Site ID forms 8700-12, 8700-13 A/B, 8700-23 for sites located in New Jersey.  Contact information for the appropriate New Jersey office may be found on our state contact webpage. Facilities located in New Jersey should notify their New Jersey state environmental agency of their hazardous waste activities.

Emergency ID Numbers

To obtain an emergency ID number for hazardous waste disposal in New Jersey call the NJDEP office at 609-292-2913.  For reporting spills and emergencies in New Jersey, call the toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337) or visit the WARDNDEP website .

Additional Contact Information

Additional Information for Facilities in New York

Reporting Emergencies

For reporting spills and emergencies in New York State, call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-457-7362. For additional important phone numbers, visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Chemical and Petroleum Spills.

Additional Contact Information

Additional Information for Facilities in Puerto Rico

Reporting Emergencies

For reporting spills and emergencies in Puerto Rico, call the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) at 787-999-2200. When calling, ask for a specific program, such as Permits, Enforcement, Special Waste (Universal Waste), Used Oil, Medical Waste, Non-hazardous Solid Waste (i.e., Municipal Solid Waste.)

Other Regulatory and Technical Assistance

  • Hazardous Waste Permitting

    RCRA requires anyone who owns or operates a facility where hazardous waste is treated, stored (depending on generator status and number of days stored), or disposed of to have a permit. To start the permitting process, the owner of the facility is required to submit a RCRA Hazardous Waste Part A Permit Application (EPA Form 8700-23) to EPA and the State.

    The National Response Center (NRC) is the sole federal point of contact for reporting oil and chemical spills. Contact the NRC at 1-800-424-8802, 202-267-2675 or visit their website for reporting requirements and procedures.
  • Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman Office can be reached at 1-800-368-5888.
  • Fluorescent Lamp Disposal and Recycling in EPA Region 2 - A guide for businesses in NJ, NY, PR and VI (April 2007)(pdf) (4 pp, 348 K).
  • Regulation of Fluorescent Lamps in New York  and New Jersey .
  • Regulation of Medical Waste in New York and New Jersey .
  • For information on the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest (E-Manifest) System visit EPA's E-Manifest website.
  • Use the EnviroFacts database to search for integrated data from multiple environmental databases. Each of these databases contains information about facilities that are required to report activity to a state or federal system. Available is information about hazardous waste (including the Biennial Report), toxic and air releases, Superfund sites, and water discharge permits. Facility information and a map of its location is provided. EnviroFacts is updated monthly.
  • Use EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website to search for facilities in your community to assess their compliance with environmental regulations. ECHO data is refreshed on a weekly schedule from EPA source databases.

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Last updated on February 25, 2024