10
Environmental and Health
received national attention. Studies during that timeframe suggested that
there may be an additional 50,000 similar abandoned hazardous waste
dumps around the country. The State of Illinois and environmental
groups sued EPA to issue final hazardous waste regulations (Illinois vs.
Costle, 12 ERC 1597 DC DC 1978). Congress appropriated increased
funding for regulatory programs. The regulations promulgated by the
EPA established, a cradle-to-grave system of controlling hazardous
wastes, meaning that manifests for all hazardous wastes transported
offsite are required. Hazardous wastes are defined under the law as
those waste materials exhibiting certain characteristics (i.e., ignitability,
corrosivity, reactivity, and EP toxicity) or are specifically listed by EPA.
An exception to this is polychlorinated biphenyls which are regulated by
the Toxic Substances Control Act and are not defined under RCRA as a
hazardous waste. Standards have been promulgated to regulate the
generation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous
wastes. A major revision to RCRA came in the 1984 amendments,
where the owners of underground storage tanks containing petroleum
products and regulated substances were required to notify the states of
the existence, size, age, type, and uses of all underground tanks. These
amendments also developed regulations concerning leak detection and
prevention, and corrective actions that are required in the event of a leak.
Regulations Affecting Chemical Manufacturing and Use
The general public often view environmental laws as having their focus on
the effects of toxic and hazardous substances being emitted into the
workplace and/or the environment at the point of manufacture.
However, both the public and the environment can also be exposed to
toxic substances during the use and application of chemicals. To reduce
the risk of exposure through the use of a chemical, a number of federal
laws were enacted aimed at regulating what specific chemicals can be
manufactured and sold.
One of the earliest federal legislation aimed at regulating the
manufacture of chemicals is the
Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act
(FFDCA). The Act provides the regulatory authority for the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to assure the safety of foods, drugs, medical
devices and cosmetics. Adulteration or misbranding of any of these
consumer products is strictly prohibited. The FDA establishes standards
that must be met by manufacturers before certain products may be sold.
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