Managing Hazardous Solid Waste and Waste Sites Chapter 17 © 2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western

Managing Hazardous Solid Waste and Waste Sites

Chapter 17

© 2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western

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Characterizing the Hazardous Waste Problem

Hazardous solid wastes – any unwanted materials or refuse capable of posing a substantial threat to health or the ecology

Waste stream – a series of events starting with waste generation and including transportation, storage, treatment, and disposal of solid wastes

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Characterizing the Hazardous Waste Problem

Magnitude and Source of the Problem Extent of the Problem

The problem of hazardous waste is worldwide, and there is no question that there are serious risks in ignoring it

Sources of Hazardous Waste Negative externalities

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Evolution of U.S. Solid Waste Policy

Federal Recognition of the Solid Waste Problem Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) of 1965 Resource Recovery Act of 1970

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Evolution of U.S. Solid Waste Policy

Developing Policy To Control Risks of Hazardous Wastes Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

of 1976 “cradle-to-grave” management system – a

command-and-control approach to regulating hazardous solid wastes through every stage of the waste stream

Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984

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Evolution of U.S. Solid Waste Policy Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

Liability Information (CERCLIS) – a national inventory of hazardous waste site data

National Priorities List (NPL) Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986

Feedstock taxes – taxes levied on raw materials used as productive inputs

Recent Policy and Brownfields Brownfields – abandoned or underutilized industrial sites where

redevelopment is discouraged by actual or perceived contamination

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Controlling Hazardous Wastes: RCRA

Source reduction – preventive strategies to reduce the quantity of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant released to the environment at the point of generation

Waste management – control strategies to reduce the quantity and toxicity of hazardous wastes at every stage of the waste stream

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The “Cradle-to-Grave” Management Approach Identification of Hazardous Wastes

Characteristic wastes – hazardous wastes identified as those exhibiting certain characteristics that imply a substantial risk

Listed wastes – hazardous wastes that have been preidentified by government as having met specific criteria

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Figure 17.2 U.S. Characteristic and Listed Wastes in 1999

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The National Manifest System for Tracking Wastes Manifest – a document used to identify hazardous

waste materials and all parties responsible for its movement from generation to disposal

The Permit System Permitting system – a control approach that

authorizes the activities of TSDFs according to predefined standards

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StandardsGeneral regulatory standards – apply to all

types of TSDFs and control generic functions like inspections, emergency plans, and participation in the manifest program

Technical regulatory standards – outline procedures and equipment requirements for various types of waste facilities

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Moving Toward Pollution Prevention Several references in the 1984 Amendments speak

to the policy shift away from land disposal and toward preventive solutions

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Analysis of U.S. Hazardous Waste Policy

Risk-Based Uniform Rules of Identification Risk Based Criteria

Law requires that hazardous waste be identified according to characteristics and criteria that are risk based

Applying Criteria Uniformly Identifying criteria are applied uniformly Allocatively inefficient

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Benefit-Based Uniform Standards Benefit Based

Lack of cost considerations is problematic Uniform Standards

Offers states no flexibility in how they administer RCRA’s hazardous waste program

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Failures of the Manifest System Benefit Based Limited in Scope High Compliance Costs

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Market Implications of the 1984 Land Restrictions Pre-1984 Market Equilibrium Post-1984 Market Equilibrium

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Figure 17.3 Impact of Land Restrictions Under the RCRA 1984 Amendments

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Market Instruments in Hazardous Waste Control Policy Pollution charge – a fee that varies with the amount

of pollutants released Waste-end charge – a fee implemented at the time of

disposal based on the quantity of waste generated

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Managing Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites: CERCLA Response and Cleanup

Superfund cleanup process – a series of steps used to determine and implement the appropriate response to threats posed by the release of a hazardous substance

Removal Actions – official responses to a hazardous substance release aimed at restoring immediate control

Remedial Actions – official responses to a hazardous substance release aimed at achieving a more permanent solution

National Priorities List (NPL) – a classification of Hazardous waste sites posing the greatest threat to health and the ecology

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Managing Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites: CERCLA

Figure 17.4 Superfund Cleanup Process

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Managing Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites: CERCLA

Compensation, Liability, and Enforcement Potentially responsible parties (PRPs) – any current

or former owner or operator of a hazardous waste facility and all those involved in the disposal, treatment, or transport of hazardous substances to a contaminated site

Emergency Planning Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) – a national database

that gives information about hazardous substances released into the environment

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An Analysis of a Superfund

Assessing Superfund’s Performance Based on the NPL data, Superfund’s Remedial

Program has moved at a snail’s pace by most accounts

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An Analysis of a Superfund

What’s Wrong with Superfund? Information Problems

EPA had to start with very little data on the extent of the problem

Insufficient federal control, direction, and financial support Lack of Incentives

Strict liability – the legal standard that identifies individuals as responsible for damages even if negligence is not proven

Joint and several liability – the legal standard that identifies a single party as responsible for all damages even if that party’s contribution to the damages is minimal

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Managing Hazardous Solid Waste and Waste Sites Chapter 17 © 2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western