e-Manifest Rulemakings and Policies
On this page:
- Policies
- Rulemakings
e-Manifest Policies
Remote Signer Policy
On May 5, 2023, EPA issued a policy to allow generators, transporters, and receiving facilities to execute electronic signatures through their employees or contractors who are located remotely from the hazardous waste shipment. This policy reduces the number of employees and contractors who need to register to sign manifests, alleviates the need to have network access at the point of custody exchange, and allows sites to initiate the electronic signature process through system-to-system communication.
e-Manifest Rulemakings
EPA established the e-Manifest system according to the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (pdf) (216 K), enacted into law on October 5, 2012. Since then, EPA completed two final rules and one proposed rule regarding the operation, management, and functionality of the e-Manifest program.
Final Rule for the Modification of the Hazardous Waste Manifest System, Electronic Manifests (One Year Rule)
This first rule, published on February 7, 2014, known as the “One Year Rule” establishes the legal and policy framework for the use of electronic manifests. The purpose of the rule is to:
- Codify key provision of the Act touching upon the scope of the users and manifests eligible to participate in e-Manifest.
- Codify the provisions of the Act requiring consistent implementation of electronic manifests in all the states.
- Finalize EPA’s decisions to establish a national electronic hazardous waste manifest system.
- Announce policy decisions related to using and implementing electronic manifests.
Read the Final One Year Rule in the Federal Register.
Final Rule for User Fees for the e-Manifest System and Amendments to Manifest Regulations (User Fee Rule)
The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act does not itself set e-Manifest user fees, but instead gives EPA discretion to establish user fees, through regulation, that the Administrator determines to be necessary to offset the costs of developing and operating the e-Manifest system. The final rule, signed on December 20, 2017, establishes the user fees and other actions necessary to establish the system.
- Basic Information on the Final Rule.
- Read the Final User Fee Rule in the Federal Register.
- Frequent Questions About the Rule.
Proposed Rule for Integrating e-Manifest with Hazardous Waste Exports and Other Manifest-related Reports, PCB Manifest Amendments and Technical Corrections (Third Rule)
The Third Rule, published on April 1, 2022, proposes amendments to certain aspects of the hazardous waste manifest regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and also recommends amendments to the regulations for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) manifests under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), specifically concerning the e-Manifest system.