The first year of a new administration always brings many changes to government regulations as old staff depart, and new leaders take over. This was no different last year, as numerous government recommendations regarding hazardous waste were either dismissed or modified.
For 2026, expect only a few regulation changes, but they are significant to hazardous waste generators, large and small.
To help you stay in compliance, we put together a quick guide to the hazardous waste regulations changing in 2026.
PFAS as Hazardous Constituents Under RCRA
In April of 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to finalize a rule adding “nine specific per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), their salts, and their structural isomers, to its list of hazardous constituents.”
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are a group of man-made chemicals used in many products because they resist heat, oil, grease, and water.
The list of nine substances include:
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
You’ll see these substances most frequently in manufacturing plants and industrial facilities, as well as in wastewater.
What’s more important is that the EPA also states that it can require the cleanup of hazardous substances at a facility even if those substances aren’t officially listed as “hazardous waste.”
If something is hazardous, the EPA does not want technical loopholes to get in the way of disposal and clean-up.
Facilities could (keyword here is could) be responsible for contamination once thought to be outside the RCRA’s reach, meaning that hazardous waste generators need to stay up to date in the event of sudden changes.
Phase-Out of Paper Hazardous Waste Manifests
Despite years of improvements and updates, only a small percentage of the roughly two million manifests received each year are submitted electronically.
Despite this, the EPA announced a plan (note, this was pre-government shutdown) to phase out paper hazardous waste manifests entirely.
This allows the government to track hazardous waste manifests more effectively and reduce errors.
There have been a series of rules enforcing e-manifests, but none that have completely phased out paper documentation. It is expected that the rule will be finalized in 2026 and formally announced in 2027.
If you are a hazardous waste generator who still uses paper manifests, there’s no better time than now to switch to e-manifests before the mandated changes take effect.
Universal Waste Expansion
The EPA announced plans “to propose new rules to improve the management and recycling of end-of-life solar panels and lithium batteries.”
These new rules would add hazardous-waste solar panels to the universal waste regulations and establish a new, distinct universal waste category specifically tailored to lithium batteries.
If these go through, neither waste would need to be reported on e-manifests, nor would they count towards your hazardous waste generator status.
This reduces the regulatory burden and makes waste handling much simpler.
That being said, generators still need to handle lithium-ion batteries and solar panels correctly, properly label them, and dispose of them accordingly.
Key RCRA Takeaways for 2026
While 2025 was a bit more tumultuous in terms of hazardous waste changes due to a changing administration, this year, don’t expect much volatility, as many of their policy plans are already taking shape.
The most significant change for the majority of generators will be the transition from paper to e-manifests and the challenges that come with it. If you are struggling or need assistance, don’t hesitate to call HWH Environmental, and a member of our team can help you through the e-manifest process.
The main goal thus far is to modernize and ease the burden on hazardous waste generators, ensuring they remain compliant without as much regulatory oversight.
Of course, keep in mind that with the EPA’s announcement of the ability to enforce regulations at a later date, it’s even more critical to work with a trusted hazardous waste management company to remain compliant.
Need Hazardous Waste Hauling? Contact HWH Environmental Today.
Are you a hazardous waste generator and need help fast? Contact HWH Environmental, where you’ll speak with one of our representatives to help you get back in compliance quickly and efficiently.
Whether you’re disposing of lithium-ion batteries or Aqueous Film Forming Foam, our team has you covered.
Call HWH Environmental or request a free quote today.
