Hazardous Waste – College Essay Example

into waterways or landfills (Dodd et al., 1980). This led to improper disposal methods such as hiring midnight-haulers who would let the waste leak onto the ground while driving. Additionally, the Mafia controlled the solid waste disposal industry through influence over major trade associations, Teamster locals, and political cronies (Block ,1985,p.102).

Public officials were easily bribed and EPA officials were intimidated, preventing any action against illegal activities. The control of certain firms by powerful crime syndicates posed a challenge for EPA inspectors and state regulatory agents, resulting in the unlawful dumping of toxic waste. This led to groundwater contamination, which is a significant threat to our environment as over 150 million Americans rely on it for their daily needs. Unfortunately, rehabilitating polluted groundwater is extremely difficult once it becomes contaminated. A recent government report revealed contamination in public and private water supplies across twenty-five states. Harmful chemicals mentioned have the ability to accumulate underground without evaporation or breakdown, negatively impacting flowing groundwater in affected areas. The lack of enforcement measures contributes significantly to these ongoing practices since there are minimal regulations governing proper toxic waste management despite investigative authority held by governmental agencies like the EPA regarding hazardous waste dumpers and illegal landfills (Block, 1985).Toxic waste dumping activities can continue with minimal interference due to the lack of enforcement against dumpers. This failure can be attributed to a regulatory policy that prioritizes minimal compliance, political and law enforcement corruption and cronyism, and incompetence in intelligence gathering and investigation processes. Consequently, illegal dumping practices persist without any consequences. Ideally, modifying industrial processes to reduce hazardous waste generation would effectively address this issue. However, making significant changes to

existing operational plants presents immense challenges. The government can employ various strategies to tackle the problem of hazardous waste. One approach is providing tax incentives for large corporations that properly dispose of their hazardous waste, encouraging compliance with proper disposal methods. Additionally, offering tax breaks to companies adopting more efficient ways of handling toxic waste would improve the current situation and contribute towards resolving the global hazardous waste problem.The government could allocate funds to support new projects that aim to find safe and productive methods for recycling or managing toxic and hazardous waste. One approach is to transfer waste from one company to another that can utilize it, such as the case of transferring pickle acid to a power plant using geothermal steam. This reaction produces a valuable sludge containing iron sulfide and sulfur, which can be beneficially added to certain soils (Kiefer, 1981, p.52-53). If recycling is not possible for a specific waste material, an alternative option is to separate and treat its hazardous components individually. This process helps isolate harmful materials and allows for more concentrated treatment efforts. These strategies can be implemented to reduce the discharge of toxic waste into the environment; however, obtaining cooperation and financial commitment from companies responsible for generating these dangerous byproducts would pose a major challenge in implementing such plans. Offering incentives for compliance with environmentally friendly regulations and procedures by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could lead to immediate improvements in how hazardous and toxic wastes are handled.In conclusion, it is highly unlikely that resolving issues related to proper disposal of toxic and hazardous waste can be achieved due to minimal willingness on part of large

corporations to invest funds required for addressing these problems. Significant progress in addressing toxic waste in America without government intervention will take a considerable amount of time. To expedite this progress, the government should provide incentives to companies and enforce strict laws on toxic waste dumping. Once an area is polluted or contaminated, regeneration becomes extremely difficult. It is crucial for our nation to recognize the importance of effectively managing and disposing of toxic waste in order to safeguard lives. This recognition will lead to increased public pressure for stricter laws and harsher punishments against illegal dumping. Only then can we expect a positive change that will have a lasting impact on our future.

Bibliography:
- Block, Alan A. (1985). The book "Poisoning for profit: The Mafia and toxic waste in America" by Frank J. Dodd (1980) explores the topic of toxic waste in America and its connections to organized crime.
- Alain C. Enthoven's book "Pollution, Resources, and the Environment" (1973) discusses hazardous waste.
- Irene Kiefer references hazardous waste in Andrew Purvis' book "Poisoned Land: The Problem of Hazardous Waste," published by McClelland & Steward, Ltd.Time magazine published an article called "Deadly Discharge" written by Andrew Purvis on July 17, 2000. The article is available online at http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2000/228/danube.html.