---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6983"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6983"
heading: "Coordination, collection, and dissemination of information"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6983"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Research, Development, Demonstration, and Information"
---

# §6983. Coordination, collection, and dissemination of information

- (a) **Information—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall develop, collect, evaluate, and coordinate information on—
  - (1) methods and costs of the collection of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27);
  - (2) [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28) [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), including data on the different management methods and the cost, operation, and maintenance of such methods;
  - (3) the amounts and percentages of resources (including [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7)) that can be recovered from [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) by use of various [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28) [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) and various technologies;
  - (4) methods available to reduce the amount of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) that is generated;
  - (5) existing and developing technologies for the recovery of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) or materials from [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) and the costs, reliability, and risks associated with such technologies;
  - (6) hazardous [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27), including incidents of damage resulting from the [disposal](/usc/42/6903.md?p=3) of hazardous [solid wastes](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27); inherently and potentially hazardous [solid wastes](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27); methods of neutralizing or properly disposing of hazardous [solid wastes](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27); [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) that properly dispose of [hazardous wastes](/usc/42/6903.md?p=5);
  - (7) methods of financing [resource recovery facilities](/usc/42/6903.md?p=24) or, [sanitary landfills](/usc/42/6903.md?p=26), or hazardous [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) [treatment](/usc/42/6903.md?p=34) [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), whichever is appropriate for the entity developing such [facility](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) or landfill (taking into account the amount of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) reasonably expected to be available to such entity);
  - (8) the availability of markets for the purchase of resources, either materials or [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7), recovered from [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27); and
  - (9) research and development [projects](/usc/42/11360.md?p=20) respecting [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28).
- (b) **Library—**
  - (1) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall establish and maintain a central reference library for (A) the materials collected pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section and (B) the actual performance and cost effectiveness records and other data and information with respect to—
    - (i) the various methods of [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and [resource recovery](/usc/42/6903.md?p=22) from [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27),
    - (ii) the various systems and means of [resource conservation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=21),
    - (iii) the various systems and technologies for collection, transport, [storage](/usc/42/6903.md?p=33), [treatment](/usc/42/6903.md?p=34), and final disposition of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27), and
    - (iv) other aspects of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) and hazardous [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28).

    Such central reference library shall also contain, but not be limited to, the model codes and model accounting systems developed under this section, the information collected under [subsection (d)](#d), and, subject to any applicable requirements of confidentiality, information respecting any aspect of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) provided by officers and [employees](/usc/42/1320a–7h.md?p=e-7) of the Environmental Protection Agency which has been acquired by them in the conduct of their functions under this chapter and which may be of value to Federal, [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), and local authorities and other [persons](/usc/42/6903.md?p=15).

  - (2) Information in the central reference library shall, to the extent practicable, be collated, analyzed, verified, and published and shall be made available to [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md) and other [persons](/usc/42/6903.md?p=15) at reasonable times and subject to such reasonable charges as may be necessary to defray expenses of making such information available.
- (c) **Model accounting system—** In order to assist [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md) in determining the cost and revenues associated with the collection and [disposal](/usc/42/6903.md?p=3) of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) and with [resource recovery](/usc/42/6903.md?p=22) operations, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall develop and publish a recommended model cost and revenue accounting system applicable to the [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28) functions of [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md). Such system shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall periodically, but not less frequently than once every five years, review such accounting system and revise it as necessary.
- (d) **Model codes—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) is authorized, in cooperation with appropriate [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and local agencies, to recommend model codes, ordinances, and statutes, providing for sound [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28).
- (e) **Information programs—**
  - (1) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall implement a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the rapid dissemination of information on [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28), [hazardous waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=7), [resource conservation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=21), and methods of [resource recovery](/usc/42/6903.md?p=22) from [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27), including the results of any relevant research, investigations, experiments, surveys, studies, or other information which may be useful in the [implementation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=8) of new or improved [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28) [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) and methods and information on any other technical, managerial, financial, or market aspect of [resource conservation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=21) and recovery [facilities](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4).
  - (2) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall develop and implement educational [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to promote citizen understanding of the need for environmentally sound [solid waste management](/usc/42/6903.md?p=28) [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19).
- (f) **Coordination—** In collecting and disseminating information under this section, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall coordinate his actions and cooperate to the maximum extent possible with [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and local authorities.
- (g) **Special restriction—** Upon request, the full range of alternative technologies, [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) or processes deemed feasible to meet the [resource recovery](/usc/42/6903.md?p=22) or [resource conservation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=21) needs of a jurisdiction shall be described in such a manner as to provide a sufficient evaluative basis from which the jurisdiction can make its decisions, but no officer or [employee](/usc/42/1320a–7h.md?p=e-7) of the Environmental Protection Agency shall, in an official capacity, lobby for or otherwise represent an agency position in favor of [resource recovery](/usc/42/6903.md?p=22) or [resource conservation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=21), as a policy alternative for adoption into ordinances, codes, regulations, or law by any [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) or political subdivision thereof.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 8003, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2834; amended Pub. L. 95–609, § 7(u), Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3083.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1978—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 95–609 substituted “solid waste” for “discarded materials”.

### Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Administrator or other official of Environmental Protection Agency under this chapter to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 6903 of this title.