Assessment, Management, and Minimization

Regulations and public attitudes remain a focus of hazardous waste management. McManus (1996) presented the voluntary, external environmental audit as a useful method for managing risk and keeping up with regulations. Partnerships among environmental organizations and businesses were evaluated by Walton (1996). He emphasized that regulations focus on "paper" compliance instead of "real world" performance and that a market-driven paradigm is required to integrate environment and business, which relies on economic incentives. Niemeyer (1996) conducted a survey to profile Nebraskans' attitudes toward household hazardous-waste-management practices. She found that the majority reported that they had no community household hazardous-waste-collection programs, and many reported they were disposing of household hazardous waste in potentially harmful ways, such as pouring on the ground, down the drain, or burning. James et al. (1996) discussed an economic risk-cost-benefit analysis in hazardous waste management using a specific case study and stressed the usefulness of such analyses even in the absence of quality data. Databases, software, and surveys have provided important information for hazardous waste management personnel. Clarke et al. (1996) developed a database that includes nearly 2 000 values for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) concentrations and toxicity equivalencies for fish in the U.S. and international waterways. They found that there are quantifiable amounts of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) for fish in waterways throughout the world and in the U.S., regardless of habitat and feeding habits. Currently available process simulator software packages were reviewed by Hilaly and Sikdar (1996), who concluded that the simulation packages currently available need to be augmented with pollution-prevention models. Cailas et al. (1996) proposed an indicator of solid waste generation potential (SWGP), based on socioeconomic variables, as a means of assisting in the development of integrated solid waste management plans. The use of geographic information systems (GISs) to depict the spatial distribution of the SWGP will help planners visualize the expected overall refuse generation pattern and identify critical regions.