GUIDE
What Does an "Open Violation" Mean?
Written by US Waste Index · Published Aug 30, 2026 · Last reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · not yet independently reviewed by a third-party subject-matter expert — see Editorial Policy
An "open" violation on an EPA compliance record means EPA's data shows no resolved date for it as of the latest snapshot — not that a company is currently the subject of a legal case or an active crisis. As of the August 26, 2026 snapshot, a real facility on US Waste Index shows what open violations look like alongside a longer resolved history.
"Open" is a status field, not a severity rating
Every violation record EPA tracks carries a found date and, if applicable, a resolved date. "Open" simply means no resolved date is present as of the snapshot shown — it says nothing on its own about how serious the underlying issue is, or why it hasn't been marked resolved yet.
What can cause a violation to stay open
A violation can remain open for reasons ranging from a genuinely unresolved compliance problem to routine paperwork or reporting lag on EPA's or a state agency's side. RCRAInfo doesn't record the reason a violation hasn't been closed — only whether a resolved date has been entered (see our guide on what RCRAInfo tracks).
Open count vs. total count — read both
A facility with a long violation history but zero currently open violations is in a different position than one with only a couple of violations, both still open. The open count reflects the current state; the total count reflects history. Weighing both — alongside how recent the open ones are — gives a fuller read than either number alone.
Open violations vs. Significant Non-Complier
An open violation and a Significant Non-Complier (SNC) flag are related but not the same thing — SNC is a narrower, higher tier EPA reserves for the most serious, ongoing cases, not a label triggered by any open violation. See our guide on what SNC means for that distinction.
A real example: open violations without an SNC flag
Below is a real facility's compliance summary showing open violations against a longer resolved history, with no Significant Non-Complier flag — the same fields every profile on this site sources from EPA's data.
PEPSICO
EPA public recordARLINGTON, TX · Registry ID 110000458870 · RCRA handler ID TXD026000836
- Handler classification(s)
- LQG
- Recorded violations
- 10
- Open violations
- 2
- Significant non-complier
- No
- Total penalties (5-yr)
- —
- Inspections (5-yr)
- 1
As of Aug 26, 2026. View this facility's full record →
FAQ
What does it mean if a violation is marked "open"?
EPA's record shows no resolved date for it as of the latest snapshot. It doesn't by itself mean an active legal case or an ongoing crisis.
Why would a violation stay open for a long time?
Reasons range from a genuinely unresolved problem to routine reporting or paperwork lag on EPA's or a state agency's side. The underlying reason isn't itself recorded in the data.
Is a company with open violations automatically a Significant Non-Complier?
No. SNC is a separate, narrower flag EPA reserves for the most serious, ongoing cases — most open violations don't rise to that level. See our guide on what SNC means.
Should I weigh total violations or only open ones?
Both, together. Total count shows history; open count shows current state. A long history with zero open violations reads very differently than a short history with several still open.
How do I know if an open violation is still accurate today?
Check the snapshot date shown on the record — data refreshes periodically, not in real time. See our guide on how current EPA ECHO data is, and verify directly with EPA ECHO for anything time-sensitive.
Primary sources
This guide is reference material compiled by US Waste Index, not original regulatory guidance — verify anything time-sensitive or high-stakes directly against these primary sources.