---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6903"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6903"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6903"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §6903. Definitions


As used in this chapter:

- (1) The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
- (2) The term “construction,” with respect to any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) of construction under this chapter, means (A) the erection or building of new structures and acquisition of lands or interests therein, or the acquisition, replacement, expansion, remodeling, alteration, [modernization](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=9), or extension of existing structures, and (B) the acquisition and installation of initial equipment of, or required in connection with, new or newly acquired structures or the expanded, remodeled, altered, modernized or extended part of existing structures (including trucks and other motor vehicles, and tractors, cranes, and other machinery) necessary for the proper utilization and operation of the facility after completion of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2); and includes preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering feasibility and the public health and safety aspects of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal, and economic investigations and studies, and any surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, and other action necessary for the carrying out of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and (C) the inspection and supervision of the process of carrying out the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to completion.
- (2A) The term “demonstration” means the initial exhibition of a new technology process or practice or a significantly new combination or use of technologies, processes or [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), subsequent to the development stage, for the purpose of proving technological feasibility and cost effectiveness.
- (3) The term “disposal” means the discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of any [solid waste](#27) or [hazardous waste](#5) into or on any land or water so that such [solid waste](#27) or [hazardous waste](#5) or any constituent thereof may enter the environment or be emitted into the air or discharged into any waters, including ground waters.
- (4) The term “Federal agency” means any department, [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), or other instrumentality of the Federal Government, any independent [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) or establishment of the Federal Government including any Government [corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2), and the Government Publishing Office.
- (5) The term “hazardous waste” means a [solid waste](#27), or combination of [solid wastes](#27), which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may—
  - (A) cause, or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or
  - (B) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.
- (6) The term “hazardous waste generation” means the act or process of producing [hazardous waste](#5).
- (7) The term “hazardous waste management” means the systematic control of the collection, source separation, [storage](#33), transportation, processing, [treatment](#34), recovery, and [disposal](#3) of [hazardous wastes](#5).
- (8) For purposes of Federal financial assistance (other than rural communities assistance), the term “implementation” does not include the acquisition, leasing, [construction](#2), or modification of facilities or equipment or the acquisition, leasing, or improvement of land.
- (9) The term “intermunicipal agency” means an [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) established by two or more [municipalities](#13) with responsibility for planning or administration of [solid waste](#27).
- (10) The term “interstate agency” means an [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) of two or more [municipalities](#13) in different [States](#31), or an [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) established by two or more [States](#31), with authority to provide for the management of [solid wastes](#27) and serving two or more [municipalities](#13) located in different [States](#31).
- (11) The term “long-term contract” means, when used in relation to [solid waste](#27) supply, a contract of sufficient duration to assure the viability of a [resource recovery facility](#24) (to the extent that such viability depends upon [solid waste](#27) supply).
- (12) The term “manifest” means the form used for identifying the quantity, composition, and the origin, routing, and destination of [hazardous waste](#5) during its transportation from the point of generation to the point of [disposal](#3), [treatment](#34), or [storage](#33).
- (13) The term “municipality” (A) means a city, town, borough, county, parish, district, or other public body created by or pursuant to [State](#31) law, with responsibility for the planning or administration of [solid waste management](#28), or an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization or Alaska Native village or organization, and (B) includes any rural community or unincorporated town or village or any other public entity for which an application for assistance is made by a [State](#31) or political subdivision thereof.
- (14) The term “open dump” means any facility or site where [solid waste](#27) is disposed of which is not a [sanitary landfill](#26) which meets the criteria promulgated under [section 6944 of this title](/usc/42/6944.md) and which is not a facility for [disposal](#3) of [hazardous waste](#5).
- (15) The term “person” means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, [corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2) (including a government [corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2)), partnership, association, [State](#31), [municipality](#13), commission, political subdivision of a [State](#31), or any interstate body and shall include each department, [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and instrumentality of the United States.
- (16) The term “procurement item” means any device, good, substance, material, product, or other item whether real or personal property which is the subject of any purchase, barter, or other exchange made to procure such item.
- (17) The term “procuring agency” means any [Federal agency](#4), or any [State agency](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=12) or [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) of a political subdivision of a [State](#31) which is using appropriated Federal funds for such procurement, or any [person](#15) contracting with any such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) with respect to work performed under such contract.
- (18) The term “recoverable” refers to the capability and likelihood of being recovered from [solid waste](#27) for a commercial or industrial use.
- (19) The term “recovered material” means waste material and byproducts which have been recovered or diverted from [solid waste](#27), but such term does not include those materials and byproducts generated from, and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process.
- (20) The term “recovered resources” means material or energy recovered from [solid waste](#27).
- (21) The term “resource conservation” means reduction of the amounts of [solid waste](#27) that are generated, reduction of overall resource consumption, and utilization of [recovered resources](#20).
- (22) The term “resource recovery” means the recovery of material or energy from [solid waste](#27).
- (23) The term “resource recovery system” means a [solid waste management](#28) system which provides for collection, separation, recycling, and recovery of [solid wastes](#27), including [disposal](#3) of nonrecoverable waste residues.
- (24) The term “resource recovery facility” means any facility at which [solid waste](#27) is processed for the purpose of extracting, converting to energy, or otherwise separating and preparing [solid waste](#27) for reuse.
- (25) The term “regional authority” means the authority established or designated under [section 6946 of this title](/usc/42/6946.md).
- (26) The term “sanitary landfill” means a facility for the [disposal](#3) of [solid waste](#27) which meets the criteria published under [section 6944 of this title](/usc/42/6944.md).
- (26A) The term “sludge” means any solid, semisolid or liquid waste generated from a municipal, commercial, or industrial wastewater [treatment](#34) plant, water supply [treatment](#34) plant, or air pollution control facility or any other such waste having similar characteristics and effects.
- (27) The term “solid waste” means any garbage, refuse, [sludge](#26A) from a waste [treatment](#34) plant, water supply [treatment](#34) plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous material resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations, and from community activities, but does not include solid or dissolved material in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation return flows or industrial discharges which are point sources subject to permits under [section 1342 of title 33](/usc/33/1342.md), or source, special nuclear, or byproduct material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (68 Stat. 923) [[42 U.S.C. 2011](/usc/42/2011.md) et seq.].
- (28) The term “solid waste management” means the systematic administration of activities which provide for the collection, source separation, [storage](#33), transportation, transfer, processing, [treatment](#34), and [disposal](#3) of [solid waste](#27).
- (29) The term “solid waste management facility” includes—
  - (A) any [resource recovery system](#23) or component thereof,
  - (B) any system, program, or facility for [resource conservation](#21), and
  - (C) any facility for the collection, source separation, [storage](#33), transportation, transfer, processing, [treatment](#34) or [disposal](#3) of [solid wastes](#27), including [hazardous wastes](#5), whether such facility is associated with facilities generating such wastes or otherwise.
- (30) The terms “solid waste planning”, “[solid waste management](#28)”, and “comprehensive planning” include planning or management respecting [resource recovery](#22) and [resource conservation](#21).
- (31) The term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
- (32) The term “State authority” means the [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) established or designated under [section 6947 of this title](/usc/42/6947.md).
- (33) The term “storage”, when used in connection with [hazardous waste](#5), means the containment of [hazardous waste](#5), either on a temporary basis or for a period of years, in such a manner as not to constitute [disposal](#3) of such [hazardous waste](#5).
- (34) The term “treatment”, when used in connection with [hazardous waste](#5), means any method, technique, or process, including neutralization, designed to change the physical, chemical, or biological character or composition of any [hazardous waste](#5) so as to neutralize such waste or so as to render such waste nonhazardous, safer for transport, amenable for recovery, amenable for [storage](#33), or reduced in volume. Such term includes any activity or processing designed to change the physical form or chemical composition of [hazardous waste](#5) so as to render it nonhazardous.
- (35) The term “virgin material” means a raw material, including previously unused copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, iron, or other metal or metal ore, any undeveloped resource that is, or with new technology will become, a source of raw materials.
- (36) The term “used oil” means any oil which has been—
  - (A) refined from crude oil,
  - (B) used, and
  - (C) as a result of such use, contaminated by physical or chemical impurities.
- (37) The term “recycled oil” means any [used oil](#36) which is reused, following its original use, for any purpose (including the purpose for which the oil was originally used). Such term includes oil which is re-refined, reclaimed, burned, or reprocessed.
- (38) The term “lubricating oil” means the fraction of crude oil which is sold for purposes of reducing friction in any industrial or mechanical device. Such term includes [re-refined oil](#39).
- (39) The term “re-refined oil” means [used oil](#36) from which the physical and chemical contaminants acquired through previous use have been removed through a refining process.
- (40) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term “medical waste” means any [solid waste](#27) which is generated in the diagnosis, [treatment](#34), or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals. Such term does not include any [hazardous waste](#5) identified or listed under subchapter III or any household waste as defined in regulations under subchapter III.
- (41) The term “mixed waste” means waste that contains both [hazardous waste](#5) and source, special nuclear, or by-product material subject to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 ([42 U.S.C. 2011](/usc/42/2011.md) et seq.).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 1004, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2798; amended Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(b), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3081; Pub. L. 96–463, § 3, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2055; Pub. L. 96–482, § 2, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2334; Pub. L. 100–582, § 3, Nov. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2958; Pub. L. 102–386, title I, §§ 103, 105(b), Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1507, 1512; Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1301(b), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2537.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in pars. (27) and (41), is act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 919, which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§ 2011 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 3252 of this title, prior to the general amendment of the Solid Waste Disposal Act by Pub. L. 94–580.

### Amendments

1992—Par. (15). Pub. L. 102–386, § 103, inserted before period at end “and shall include each department, agency, and instrumentality of the United States”.

Par. (41). Pub. L. 102–386, § 105(b), added par. (41).

1988—Par. (40). Pub. L. 100–582 added par. (40).

1980—Par. (14). Pub. L. 96–482, § 2(a), defined “open dump” to include a facility, substituted requirement that disposal facility or site not be a sanitary landfill meeting section 6944 of this title criteria for prior requirement that disposal site not be a sanitary landfill within meaning of section 6944 of this title, and required that the disposal facility or site not be a facility for disposal of hazardous waste.

Par. (19). Pub. L. 96–482, § 2(b), defined “recovered material” to cover byproducts, substituted provision for recovery or diversion of waste material and byproducts from solid waste for prior provision for collection or recovery of material from solid waste, and excluded materials and byproducts generated from and commonly reused within an original manufacturing process.

Pars. (36) to (39). Pub. L. 96–463, § 3, added pars. (36) to (39).

1978—Par. (8). Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(b)(1), struck out provision stating that employees’ salaries due pursuant to subchapter IV of this chapter would not be included after Dec. 31, 1979.

Par. (10). Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(b)(2), substituted “management” for “disposal”.

Par. (29)(C). Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(b)(3), substituted “the collection, source separation, storage, transportation, transfer, processing, treatment or disposal” for “the treatment”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Government Publishing Office” substituted for “Government Printing Office” in par. (4) on authority of section 1301(b) of Pub. L. 113–235, set out as a note preceding section 301 of Title 44, Public Printing and Documents.

### Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

Enforcement functions of Administrator or other official of Environmental Protection Agency related to compliance with resource conservation and recovery permits used under this chapter with respect to pre-construction, construction, and initial operation of transportation system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1979, eff. July 1, 1979, §§ 102(a), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 1373, 1376, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as an Abolition of Office of Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.