ON MAY 20, 2003, DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF EPA REGION I CONDUCTED A RCRA COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION AT EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. ON MAY 21 AND 22, 2003, DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF EPA REGION I CONDUCTED A RCRA COMPLIANCE EVALUATION INSPECTION AT SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. BASE ON THESE INSPECTIONS AND A REVIEW OF RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, INSPECTORS IDENTIFIED VIOLATIONS OF RCRA REQUIREMENTS AT BOTH CAMPUSES. THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT RCRA COUNTS ARE BASED ON THE STORAGE OF CONTAINERS OF REACTIVE WASTE (PICRIC ACID) AT EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. EPA INSPECTORS DOCUMENTED FIVE (5) 1-LITER CONTAINERS OF WASTE PICRIC ACID STORED IN AN ACTIVE CLASSROOM; A CLASSROOM IMMEDIATELY ACCESSIBLE TO FACULTY AND STAFF. PICRIC ACID, WHEN CRYSTALLIZED, HS TEH POTENTIAL TO SELF-DETONATE. EPA INSPECTORS OBSERVED CRYSTALLIZATION UNDER ONE OF THE CAPS OF THE BOTTLES. THE CLASSROOM WAS NOT POSTED AS A HAZARDOUS WASTE STORAGE AREA. THE CONTAINERS WERE STORED ON OPEN SHELVES WITHOUT SECONDARY CONTAINMENT. EPA INSPECTORS REQUESTED THAT ACCESS TO THE AREA BE RESTRICTED BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF CRYSTALLIZED PICRIC ACID. SHORTLY AFTER THE INSPECTION, EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY PERMIT FROM THE MAINE DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (ME DEP) AND HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO DETONATE THE CONTAINERS OF PICRIC ACID ON-SITE. OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT RCRA COUNTS ARE BASED ON THE STORAGE OF DOZENS OF CONTAINERS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE A