Hazardous Waste in the United States

The control of hazardous waste, particularly the cleanup of past disposal sites, ranks as the foremost environmental problem in the United States. Only recently have most industrialized nations realized the serious impact of the land disposal of hazardous wastes. This paper seeks to address the chronology of events that led the United States to confront its disposal problem and the subsequent legislation that was developed to remedy the situation. Brief discussions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, and the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) are included. The presentation concludes with a summary of the current cooperative efforts being undertaken by the U.S. government and the private sector as well as a commentary on the legal ramifications to civil engineers.