What is the primary purpose of RCRA in solid and hazardous waste management?

• A. To regulate only disposal of municipal waste
• B. To protect human health and the environment by governing the generation, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste and encouraging responsible waste management.
• C. To promote recycling of all waste
• D. To oversee air and water quality only

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that RCRA provides a comprehensive framework to protect people and the environment by regulating the entire lifecycle of hazardous waste—from generation, storage, transportation, treatment, to disposal—while also encouraging practices that reduce waste and promote responsible management. This makes it the best description because it explicitly covers all stages of hazardous waste management and promotes responsible practices.

The other options miss key aspects: focusing only on municipal waste ignores hazardous waste regulation; promoting recycling of all waste is broader than RCRA’s primary purpose (it does encourage waste minimization and recycling, but not as its sole aim); and overseeing air and water quality only falls under separate programs, not the core scope of RCRA.