17872 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 26, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE HAZARDOUS WASTE Everyone agrees that U.S. industries have a SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF cm:. REDUCTION ACT tremendous, untapped potential for reducing TENTS. This Act may be cited as the "Hazardous wastes. The OT A estimates that hazardous Waste Reduction Act.". HON. HOWARD WOLPE waste reduction has the potential to eliminate TABLE OF CONTENTS OF MICHIGAN as much as half of the hazardous materials now disposed in the environment. Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Sec. 2. Findings and purposes. Thursday, June 25, 1987 What is needed to realize this potential? A Sec. 3. Multi-media waste reduction plans. program of technology transfer and technical Sec. 4. Information collection and analysis Mr. WOLPE. Mr. Speaker, I am joined today assistance which will get the word out-par­ at EPA. by Representative CLAUDINE SCHNEIDER, Rep­ ticularly to small- and medium-sized busi­ Sec. 5. Waste reduction and recycling clear­ resentative DENNIS ECKART, Representative ness-that waste reduction can be fast, inghouse. SHE::IWOOD BOEHLERT and over 50 other col­ simple and cost effective. Several States have Sec. 6. Grants to States for technical assist- leagues in introducing the Hazardous Waste ance programs. already developed innovative assistance pro­ Reduction Act. Sec. 7. Report to Congress. The "garbage barge" floating aimlessly grams which have successfully guided busi­ Sec. 8. Office of Waste Reduction. along our eastern coastline, was only the nesses through equipment modifications, raw Sec. 9. Authorization of Appropriations. most recent indication that the United States material substitutions and other plant modifi­ Sec. 10. Definitions. is producing more waste than it can handle. cations that lead to waste reduction and im­ SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. Toxic wastes in particular are posing an ever proved plant efficiency. (a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that: greater threat to our environment, the public The Hazardous Waste Reduction Act would <1) There are significant opportunities for health and the econO!'llY· The Office of Tech­ help these State programs grow, and new industry to make economically efficient in­ nology Assessment [OTA] has estimated that ones develop, by providing matching grants to vestments in hazardous waste reduction at qualifying State programs. The bill would also the source, through changes in production, we produce annually a shocking 1 ton of haz­ operation, and raw materials use. These ardous waste for every man, woman, and establish a Federal computer clearinghouse to changes may offer significant savings child in the Nation. We spend approximately facilitate the flow of information on waste re­ through reduced ra'V material and waste $70 billion as a Nation each year managing duction and recycling techniques. To adminis­ management costs. They are also likely to that waste. Our waste reduction legislation ter these programs and ensure that waste re­ improve worker health and safety. would address the environmental and eco­ duction becomes a priority with the EPA, the (2) These opportunities for hazardous nomic ravages of toxic wastes in our society bill would create an independent Office of waste reduction are not realized because, by helping industry take advantage of promis­ Waste Reduction at the Agency. In addition, it <A> existing regulations, and the industrial resources they require for compliance, focus ing new approaches for reducing waste at the clearly defines waste reduction and distin­ on treatment and disposal, rather than re­ source. guishes it from less desirable practices, such ducing hazardous waste at its source; <B> ex­ Having recently renewed the Resource Con­ as waste treatment. isting regulations do not emphasize multi­ servation and Recovery Act and the Super­ It is also increasingly apparent that EPA media management of waste; and <C> small fund legislation, we are all aware of the tre­ needs a clear mandate to establish a sensible businesses may need capital and businesses mendous difficulties inherent in managing toxic waste accounting system. Information is of all sizes may need technical assistance for solid wastes and the incredible cost to the currently collected by the Agency in a piece­ hazardous waste reduction. Government-which could reach $100 bil­ (3) It is difficult to assess the potential for meal uncoordinated fashion under several dif­ hazardous waste reduction using the Envi­ lion-of cleaning up after our mistakes. But a ferent statutes. The Hazardous Waste Reduc­ ronmental Protection Agency's current data recent study by the National Academy of Sci­ tion Act would consolidate and improve the base because the existing regulatory empha­ ences that attributes toxic contamination of data currently collected on toxic emissions sis is on the treatment and disposal of iso­ the Great Lakes to air emissions, wastewater under the Superfund right-to-know provisions lated waste stre8.IliS. The agency has limited discharges and nonpoint runoff sources dem­ and the waste reduction plans required by the information about waste reduction prac­ onstrates that the successful control of toxic tices, due to defects in the data it has col­ Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Fi­ lected. Waste minimization reporting re­ wastes must extend beyond solid wastes and nally it directs the Agency to build the collect­ encompass all pollutants on a multimedia quirements are limited to waste regulated ed information into industry profiles which under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, and will basis. measure our progress in reducing hazardous offer no systematic information about Recent reports by OT A, the Environmental waste across the Nation. multi-media waste reduction practices. Protection Agency, Inform, Inc., and others, as With the introduction of the Hazardous <4> In general, the Environmental Protec­ well as the experience of several farsighted Waste Reduction Act, I hope to draw attention tion Agency has not collected or stored its industry managers, have shown that waste re­ information about the management or re­ to an important new weapon in the war duction-the actual elimination or reduction of lease of toxic chemicals into the environ­ against hazardous waste and to help industry wastes created during the manufacturing proc­ ment in a manner that is suitable for useful become more competitive through more sen­ ess-is the best way to keep toxics out of analysis. sible waste policies. The Natural Resources (5) The Environmental Protection Agency every facet of the environment in the first in­ can help promote waste reduction by dis­ stance. Defense Counsel, Sierra Club, Audubon Soci­ ety, Friends of the Earth, and the National seminating information about waste reduc­ Waste reduction also saves companies tion techniques to a range of industries, money in raw materials, waste management Roundatable of State Waste Reduction Pro­ both large and small. and liability costs. A Ventura County, CA, grams, as well as the States of Michigan, New <6 > Many businesses may also require waste reduction program is saving industry Jersey, North Carolina, and Ohio, all endorse onsite technical assistance, which can best $67 in land disposal costs for every $1 it this bill. I hope my colleagues in the House be provided through matching grants to in­ spends on waste reduction. Indeed, the OTA will join us in supporting this legislation. novative State programs. A full text of the legislation follows: <7> The generation of hazardous waste estimates that a Federal Waste Reduction should be reduced or eliminated at its Program would pay for itself in less than a H.R.- source as expeditiously as possible wherever year based simply on the increased tax base Be it enacted by the Senate and House of feasible, and waste that is generated should that would result from increased corporate Representatives of the United States of be recycled in an environmentally safe profits. America in Congress assembled, manner whenever feasible. e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. June 26, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 17873 (8) Where it is not feasible to reduce or re­ cility during the coming calendar year and (g) OTHER INWSTIGATIONS.-Nothing in, cycle hazardous waste, the waste should be the coming three calendar years in compari­ this section shall apply to any person not treated in an environmentally safe manner son to the current calendar year. required to submit a toxic chemical release to minimize the present and future threat <6> The level of recycling and reuse <at the form under section 313 of the Superfund to health and the environment, and land facility or elsewhere> for each toxic chemi­ Amendments and Reauthorization Act of disposal should be used only as a last resort cal waste actually achieved at each facility 1986, except that the Administrator may and should be conducted in an environ.men­ during the calendar year in question in com­ conduct investigations, including sampling, tally safe manner to minimize the present parison with the previous year. For the first of persons generating toxic chemical waste and future threat to health and the envi­ year of reporting, comparison with the pre­ to determine the general 'magnitude of ronment. vious year is required only to the extent waste generated. (b) PuRPos:r.s.-The purposes of this Act such information is available. SEC. 4. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS are as follows: The waste reduction report shall be com­ ATEPA. (1) To make adjustments in current Envi­ bined with the report required under sec­ (a) CENTRAL RECEIVING FACILITY.-The Ad­ ronmental Protection Agency information tion 313 of the Superfund Amendments and reporting requirements to allow more accu­ Reauthorization Act of 1986. The Adminis­ ministrator shall establish a central receiv­ rate measurement of toxic chemical waste trator shall take such steps as may be neces­ ing facility at the Environmental Protection reduction opportunities across all media.