Which law governs the disposal of solid and hazardous waste and enables the EPA to control waste from generation to disposal?

• A. Cancer cluster
• B. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• C. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
• D. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is identifying which law provides a cradle-to-grave framework for solid and hazardous waste, giving the EPA authority to regulate waste from generation to final disposal. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act does exactly that. It establishes the system for properly managing hazardous and solid waste, requiring permits for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, and it uses a manifest system to track hazardous waste as it moves from point of creation to ultimate disposal. This creates accountability and standards to prevent environmental contamination. The other options aren’t laws that regulate waste management: a cancer cluster is an epidemiological concept, the CDC is a public health agency, and the NIH is a biomedical research institute.