1. The Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Superfund Act
Effects on Environmental Engineering

2. 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!

3. Key Points Standards Planning and Research Regulation 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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!

8. Key Points Qualifications Funding 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

9. Key Points Cleanup Standards
Protects human health, environment and cost
Permanently reduce volume, toxicity etc.
Waste is not necessarily removed

10. 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?

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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!