Abstract |
During the summer of 1980, a nationwide survey was conducted to determine the status of remedial actions applied at uncontrolled hazardous waste disposal sites. Over 130 individuals were contacted to obtain information on such remedial action projects. A total of 169 sites were subsequently identified as having been subject to corrective action. Remedial actions were found to have been implemented at many kinds of hazardous waste disposal facilities including drum storage areas, incinerators, and injection wells, but most frequently landfill/dumps and surface impoundments. At the sites receiving such remedial actions, ground water was found to be the most commonly affected media, followed closely by surface water. Although several types of remedial measures were identified, remedial activities usually consisted of containment and/or removal of the hazardous waste. Sufficient money was often not available for complete environmental cleanup (e.g., extraction and treatment). The survey determined that a lack of sufficient funds and/or selection of improper technologies was responsible for remedial actions having been applied effectively at only a portion of the uncontrolled hazardous waste disposal sites. Nine sites were studied in detail to document typical pollution problems and remedial actions at uncontrolled hazardous waste disposal sites. |