Funding hazardous waste management

Because closure and postclosure activities can be very expensive, the TSDF standards require owners and operators to demonstrate financial assurance. These provisions also require all TSDFs to set aside funds in order to compensate third parties for bodily injury and property damage that might result from hazardous waste management operations. 

The law intended to remedy the mistakes in past hazardous waste management. CERCLA authorized a number of government actions to remedy the conditions or the effects of a release. CERCLA, as originally enacted in 1980, authorized a 5-year plan by the federal government to perform cleanup activities. CERCLA authorized EPA to identify those sites where the release of hazardous substances had occurred or might occur and posed a serious threat to human health, welfare, or the environment. The parties responsible for the releases were required to fund the cleanup actions. 

Abichou, T, Chanton, J., Powels, D., 2006b, Field Performance of biocells, biocovers, and biofilters to mitigate greenhouse gas emission from landfills. Annual Report of Research Project Funded by Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (www.floridacenter.org). 

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