Hazardous Waste
Implementation for 16 TAC Chapter 4 New and Amended Rules
On December 17, 2024, The Railroad Commission (RRC) adopted revisions to 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 4, Subchapter B, relating to Commercial Recycling; and new 16 TAC Chapter 4, Subchapter A, relating to Oil and Gas Waste Management. The RRC is inviting interested parties to participate in the implementation of the rules.
NOTE: The official document will be available on the Secretary of State's website July 1, 2025.
You can view the adopted revisions here and adopted penalties here.
To ensure receipt of notifications related to this new rule, subscribe to Oil & Gas News email news. After subscribing, please check your spam or junk folder for a confirmation email. We suggest emails from Constant Contact are marked as safe.
Proposed Implementation Timeline
January – February 2025
- RRC develops guidance and forms
March – April 2025
- Guidance and forms posted for public comment
- Guidance and forms presented to Commissioners for approval
May – June 2025
- Training on guidance and forms
July 2025
- July 1, 2025 — Rules Effective
- July 14-16 — Training on guidance and forms at the 2025 RRC Regulatory Conference
Send questions related to this rule implementation to the RRC via email at [email protected]
and include “Chapter 4” in the subject line.
The majority of waste produced at exploration and production sites is exempt from regulation under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Subtitle C. These wastes largely include drilling muds, cuttings, and produced fluids, and they make a up a significant portion of the waste management efforts associated with the oil and gas industry. However, there are some wastes that are not RCRA-exempt. These wastes may require special handling or disposal. The Commission has jurisdiction over all hazardous, non-hazardous, and RCRA-exempt oil and gas waste, but waste management requirements vary with waste classification so it is important to know what class of waste you are generating or handling. The information below is intended to assist hazardous waste management under RRC jurisdiction.
RCRA Non-exempt Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste classification and management in the oil field can be a complicated task. Indeed, that task can be so complicated that an entirely separate manual was created to address it. Please see our Hazardous Waste Management Manual for more information.
Universal Waste Clarification
Rule 98 references Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as amended through November 7, 1995. As a result, hazardous wastes added to the "Universal Wastes" category after 1995 are still subject to Statewide Rule 98.
Annual Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Reporting
The Annual Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Report package consists of the "Hazardous Oil and Gas Waste Report" (Form H-21) and the instructions for completing the Form. The instructions will also assist in calculating the required annual fee for the site's hazardous oil and gas waste generation.
