Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste

Web-Based Learning About Resource Conservation and Recovery Law:
Corrective Action 101

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, commonly referred to as RCRA (pronounced "rick-rah") was passed by Congress in 1976 to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to control hazardous waste throughout its life cycle. This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA also set forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous wastes. Subsequent amendments to RCRA have addressed environmental problems that could potentially result from underground tanks storing petroleum and other hazardous substances. These amendments have also required phasing out land disposal of hazardous waste.

PPC was tasked to create an animated "e-Learning" website that described the objectives and processes associated with the RCRA Corrective Action Program, which requires the clean-up of contaminated facilities. Under the program, owners or operators of facilities who are seeking RCRA permits must evaluate releases of hazardous wastes and hazardous constituents to implement clean-up actions to protect human health and the environment.

The objective of the website, called "Corrective Action 101" is to educate the public, State Officials, and affected facility owners and operators about the RCRA Corrective Action Program requirements.

PPC's solution comprises an interactive user interface developed using Macromedia Flash and JavaScript and featuring creative animation scenes that simulate a student-teacher environment. The project was built on n-Tier Microsoft architecture using IIS, SQL Server, IE 5.0+ or Netscape 4.07+ browsers.

The project has been so successful that follow-on website animation work was awarded to PPC across the EPA.

Debi McGhee
Project Performance Corporation
703-748-7000
dmcghee@ppc.com