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The Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Superfund Act. Effects on Environmental Engineering. Solid Waste Disposal Act. Hazardous waste is defined by the EPA as:
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The Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Superfund Act Effects on Environmental Engineering
Solid Waste Disposal Act Hazardous waste is defined by the EPA as: Liquid, solid, contained gas, or sludge wastes that contain properties that are dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Who is Affected? • Corporate Industry • Engineers • You!
Key Points • Standards • Identification • Generation • Treatment, Storage and Disposal • Planning and Research • Allocates Funds for Research • Guidelines for State and Regional Waste Plans • Regulation • Provides for Federal and State Level Enforcement • Tracking of Certain Waste • Inspections
Standards Regarding Hazardous Waste • Identification • Developed by the EPA • Human or environmental health hazard • Generation • Regulated by quantity • Special permits • Treatment, Storage and Disposal • Regulations vary by waste amount • Waste minimization program • Detailed manifests and records keeping!!! • Permits
Hazardous Waste Research and Planning • Funding • Assistance available for properly developed state waste plans (155 million in 9yrs) • Waste recovery research • Environmental and human health research • Grants for improved facilities • Guidelines • Identification of areas with waste management problems • Points for state developed disposal and management plans
Regulations Regarding Hazardous waste • Enforcement • $25,000 per violation • Permit revocation • EPA officials can be “deputized” • Inspections • Mandatory • Facilities must reimburse the EPA for inspections • Yearly groundwater quality inspection • Tracking • All waste must have manifest • Cannot be exported
Superfund Act The Superfund act works in conjunction with the Solid Waste Disposal act, and provides funding for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. It is authorized in all states and territories and locates guilty parties to assist with the environmental cleanup. Who is Affected? • Corporate Industry • Engineers • You!
Key Points • Qualifications • Brownfield sites • Contaminated by a controlled substance • Funding • Vessels must carry at minimum $5,000,000 in insurance • Penalties waste negligence • 13.6 Billion for cleanup and associated costs
Key Points • Cleanup Standards • Protects human health, environment and cost • Permanently reduce volume, toxicity etc. • Waste is not necessarily removed
All Together Now • Superfund and Solid Waste Act • In a nutshell the Superfund pays for the Solid Waste Act • Superfund Act is maintenance • Solid Waste Act is preventative maintenance So how does this relate to the average American?
All Together Now • Remember all those big numbers? • Taxes! Your taxes plus the fines pay for these acts • Government has more direct role in certain corporations • Not necessarily bad for everyone
All Together Now • Environmental Engineering Pro’s • Consultants for EPA • Design BMP’s for waste sites • Ensure compliance with regulations • Environmental Engineering Con’s • More stressful, more details and regulations to know • Bigger penalties for mistakes
All Together Now Overall, these two acts will increase the demand for specialists in environmental engineering to develop practices for waste mitigation, cleanup and as consultants. So although this act does not help everyone, environmental engineers will most likely benefit from these acts in the long run. So be happy!