From: Mccarthy.Meg@epamail.epa.gov [mailto:Mccarthy.Meg@epamail.epa.gov]

Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 3:03 PM

To: Stephen Heinig

Subject: Follow-up Question to AAMC's Comment

Stephen Heinig

Association of American Medical Colleges

2450 N Street, N.W.

Washington, DC  20037-1127

Dear Mr. Heinig:

      Thank you for your comments on EPA's Proposed Rule: Subpart

K-Standards Applicable to Academic Laboratories (71 Federal Register

29712) on behalf of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

      In response to AAMC's comments (Docket Number

EPA-HQ-RCRA-2003-0012-0161), EPA has a few follow-up questions.  EPA is

very interested in any information and data that AAMC can provide to

help give a clearer picture of how academic hospital laboratories are

similar to and differ from laboratories at colleges and universities, as

described in the preamble to the proposed rule.  For example, any

information or data describing these academic hospital laboratories,

their activities and their hazardous waste generation patterns would be

beneficial to EPA in its development of the final rule.   What type of

activities do these laboratories conduct?  Do their activities differ

day-to-day or are they fairly routine and/or repetitive? What types of

hazardous wastes are generated at these laboratories?  In what amounts

are these wastes generated?  EPA would find it helpful if you could

provide any answers, explanations or data relating to any of the above

questions.  Additionally, how would AAMC recommend differentiating

between hospital research laboratories and clinical laboratories at

hospitals?  What distinguishes the activities at these two types of

laboratories?  How do their waste generation patterns differ?  Finally,

EPA would appreciate a timely response to allow us to incorporate any

information you may provide into the decision-making process, as

appropriate.   Please provide a response by February 15, 2007.  If you

are unable to provide a response by then, please contact us to let us

know if and when you could provide a timely response.

      Any supporting information you provide to EPA will be made

publicly available in the docket for the rulemaking, unless the

information is claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI).

Therefore, if you submit any information that you claim as CBI, clearly

mark all of the information that you claim to be CBI.  Information so

marked will not be disclosed, except in accordance with procedures set

forth in 40 CFR part 2.  Please do not fax any information claimed as

CBI.  For additional information on how to submit CBI, refer to page

29713, of the May 23, 2006, Federal Register, proposed rule for academic

laboratories, or contact LaShan Haynes, the Office of Solid Waste CBI

contact, at (703) 605-0516, Haynes.LaShan@epa.gov.

      Again, thank you for your comments on the proposed standards for

academic laboratories.  Please direct any questions or response to this

letter to any member of EPA's labs team:

      Patricia Mercer, (703) 308-8408, Mercer.Patricia@epa.gov

      Meg McCarthy, (703) 308-8653, McCarthy.Meg@epa.gov

      Kristin Fitzgerald, (703) 308-8286, Fitzgerald.Kristin@epa.gov

      *********************************

      Meg McCarthy

      US Environmental Protection Agency

      Office of Solid Waste

      Hazardous Waste Identification Division

      703-308-8653

      mccarthy.meg@epa.gov

      *********************************

