§ 6621a. Landfill disposal requirements

(a) In accordance with the following schedule, no person shall knowingly dispose of the following materials in solid waste or in landfills:

(1) Lead-acid batteries, after July 1, 1990.

(2) Waste oil, after July 1, 1990.

(3) White goods, after January 1, 1991. "White goods" include discarded refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, ranges, water heaters, dishwashers, and freezers. Other similar domestic and commercial large appliances may be added, as identified by rule of the Secretary.

(4) Tires, after January 1, 1992.

(5) Paint (whether water based or oil based), paint thinner, paint remover, stains, and varnishes. This prohibition shall not apply to solidified water based paint in quantities of less than one gallon, nor shall this prohibition apply to solidified water based paint in quantities greater than one gallon if those larger quantities are from a waste stream that has been subject to an effective paint reuse program, as determined by the Secretary.

(6) Nickel-cadmium batteries, small sealed lead acid batteries, nonconsumer mercuric oxide batteries, and any other battery added by the Secretary by rule.

(7)(A) Labeled mercury-added products on or before July 1, 2007.

(B) Mercury-added products, as defined in chapter 164 of this title, after July 1, 2007, except as other effective dates are established in that chapter.

(8) Banned electronic devices. After January 1, 2011, computers; peripherals; computer monitors; cathode ray tubes; televisions; printers; personal electronics such as personal digital assistants and personal music players; electronic game consoles; printers; fax machines; wireless telephones; telephones; answering machines; videocassette recorders; digital versatile disc players; digital converter boxes; stereo equipment; and power supply cords (as used to charge electronic devices).

(9) Mandated recyclable materials after July 1, 2015.

(10) Leaf and yard residuals and wood waste after July 1, 2016.

(11) Food residuals after July 1, 2020.

(b) This section shall not prohibit the designation and use of separate areas at landfills for the storage or processing, or both, of material specified in this section.

(c) Insofar as it applies to the operator of a solid waste management facility, the Secretary may suspend the application of this section to material specified in subdivision (a)(2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this section, or any combination of these, upon finding that insufficient markets exist and adequate uses are not reasonably available to serve as an alternative to disposal.

(d) The landfill disposal ban under subdivisions (a)(9)-(11) of this section shall not apply to mandated recyclables, leaf and yard residuals, or food residuals collected as part of a litter collection event operated or administered by a nonprofit organization or municipality. (Added 1989, No. 286 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 1991, No. 75, § 2; 1991, No. 95, § 3; 1993, No. 221 (Adj. Sess.), § 4a; 1995, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 1997, No. 151 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2005, No. 13, § 2, eff. July 1, 2005; 2009, No. 79 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2011, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 10; 2015, No. 95 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 10, 2016.)