Masa-aki Hosomi

(Water and Soil Environment Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies)

Abstract

The present situation and future trend of hazardous waste research in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was described. RCRA and CERCLA (so-called " Superfund" , amended as SARA in 1986) authorized EPA to do the enforcement on hazardous waste management and clean-up of uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. It is the primary mission of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) in EPA organization to provide high quality, timely scientific and technical information required for EPA's decision making. Reserach support for RCRA program provides the scientific and engineering basis for characterizing wastes, determining the hazard they pose, and formulating controls. ORD's research program related to CERCLA focuses on assessing health and environmental risks posed by Superfund sites and on evaluating equipment and techniques for discovering, assessing, preventing, controlling, removing, and ultimately disposing of hazardous substances released into the environment. Research on characterizing the potential exposure and health and ecological effects posed by hazardous wastes is likely to be an area of significant importance. Development and evaluation of alternative technologies for clean-up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites will remain an EPA priority. Emphasis will also continue on research of groundwater monitoring and municipal solid waste combustion.

Key words: hazardous waste, research programs, USA, Superfund, RCRA