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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 unwantedmaterials or refuse capable of posing asubstantial threat to health or the ecology

Waste stream – a series of events startingwith waste generation and includingtransportation, storage, treatment, anddisposal 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 inignoring it

Sources of Hazardous Waste

Negative externalities

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Evolution of U.S. Solid Waste Policy

Federal Recognition of the Solid WasteProblem

Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) of 1965

Resource Recovery Act of 1970

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Developing Policy To Control Risks ofHazardous Wastes

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of

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

command-and-control approach to regulatinghazardous solid wastes through every stage of thewaste stream

Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984

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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 dataNational Priorities List (NPL)

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)of 1986

Feedstock taxes – taxes levied on raw materials used asproductive inputs

Recent Policy and Brownfields

Brownfields – abandoned or underutilized industrial siteswhere redevelopment is discouraged by actual or

perceived contamination

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Controlling Hazardous Wastes: RCRA

Source reduction – preventive strategies toreduce the quantity of any hazardoussubstance, pollutant, or contaminant

released to the environment at the point ofgeneration

Waste management – control strategies toreduce 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 wastesidentified as those exhibiting certaincharacteristics that imply a substantial risk

Listed wastes – hazardous wastes that have beenpreidentified 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 hazardouswaste materials and all parties responsible for itsmovement from generation to disposal

The Permit System

Permitting system – a control approach thatauthorizes the activities of TSDFs according topredefined standards

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Standards

General regulatory standards – apply to alltypes of TSDFs and control generic functions

like inspections, emergency plans, andparticipation in the manifest program

Technical regulatory standards – outlineprocedures and equipment requirements forvarious types of waste facilities

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Moving Toward Pollution Prevention

Several references in the 1984 Amendments speakto the policy shift away from land disposal andtoward 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 identifiedaccording to characteristics and criteria that arerisk 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 StandardsOffers 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 LandRestrictions

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 WasteControl Policy

Pollution charge – a fee that varies with the amount

of pollutants releasedWaste-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 todetermine and implement the appropriate response tothreats posed by the release of a hazardous substance

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

Remedial Actions – official responses to a hazardoussubstance release aimed at achieving a more permanentsolution

National Priorities List (NPL) – a classification ofHazardous waste sites posing the greatest threat tohealth and the ecology

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Managing Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites: CERCLA

Compensation, Liability, and Enforcement

Potentially responsible parties (PRPs) – any currentor former owner or operator of a hazardous wastefacility 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 substancesreleased 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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