Book Description

The primary legislation governing the management and disposal of solid waste is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976. Regulations and implementing instructions for the Act are continuing to be developed by EPA. Under RCRA Section 3012 (Public Law 96-482, October 21, 1981) each state is required to inventory all past and present hazardous waste disposal sites. Section 6003 of RCRA requires Federal agencies to assist EPA and make available all requested information on past disposal practices. It is the intent of the Department of Defense (DoD) to comply fully with these as well as other requirements of RCRA. Simultaneous to the passage of RCRA, the DoD devised a comprehensive Installation Restoration Program (IRP). The purpose of the IRP is to identify, report, and correct environmental deficiencies from past disposal practices that could result in ground-water contamination and probable migration of contaminants beyond DoD installation boundaries. In response to RCRA and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, the DoD issued Defense Environmental Quality Program Policy Memorandum 81-5 (DEQPPM 81-5) on 11 December 1981, which was implemented by Air Force message dated 21 January 1982. DEQPPM 81-5 reissued and amplified all previous directives and memoranda on the Installation Restoration Program.