A half-dozen environmental groups filed suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, claiming it has failed to properly regulate fracking and the the disposal of oil and gas drilling waste.

The lawsuit filed by groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Integrity Project and Earthworks asks EPA to meet its “long-delayed obligation” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to regulate “disposal, storage, transportation, and handling of oil and gas wastes.”

The organizations say the waste is toxic and should not be disposed of in dangerous ways, such as being sprayed on icy roads, sent to landfills with household trash, or injected underground where it might endanger drinking water and trigger earthquakes.

The groups want EPA to issue rules to address problems including the disposal of fracking wastewater in underground injection wells, a practice that’s been linked to earthquakes in states including Ohio.

The lawsuit alleges EPA’s failure to regulate the wastes has resulted in a dangerous patchwork of local requirements that will result in the release of wastes that threaten the environment.

“EPA must step in and protect our communities and drinking water from the carcinogens, radioactive material and other dangerous substances that go hand-in-hand with oil and gas waste,” said a statement from NRDC senior policy analyst Amy Mall.

EPA says states are the primary regulators of natural gas and oil development, and it works with stakeholders to address potential fracking concerns and ensure safe natural gas and oil production.

EPA spokeswoman Laura Allen declined comment on the groups’ lawsuit, saying the agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

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