By Philip L. Comella and Craig B. Simonsen

We had previously blogged about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s announced public meetings to “obtain public input from stakeholders” on a national electronic manifest (e-manifest) database system intended to capture information on shipments of hazardous wastes.

The Agency has now published a Request for Information (RFI) on the concept of an e‑manifest system and its implementation. The RFI is seeking comments on the initial planning for a future e-manifest system, as described and authorized by the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act.

Specifically, EPA is seeking industry comments on whether there is an existing commercial e-manifest system available that can be adapted for use by the EPA as the national standard for tracking and transporting hazardous materials as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Alternatively, EPA asks if a commercial system is not available, what creative solutions from industry are there to address the need for an EPA e-manifest system. Additionally, EPA is seeking industry comments concerning the Agency’s proposed solutions to the funding challenges associated with an e-manifest initiative, and industry’s proposed solutions to that issue.

Interested parties may submit responses to the RFI by email to Bradley R. Austin, Contracting Officer, at austin.bradley@epa.gov, by 4:00 PM EST, on Monday, June 3, 2013.