Assessment of State and Regional Needs for Hazardous Waste Facilities

Abstract

Few communities will welcome a hazardous waste management facility. Evidence of hazardous waste repositories that are out of control because of past management failure has led to the widely held perception that hazardous wastes are unmanageable. Although unduly pessimistic, this perception stands as a major barrier to the siting of new hazardous waste management facilities. Nonetheless, both public agencies and private developers have found that siting proposals also flounder because of failure to demonstrate "need" to the satisfaction of participants in the siting process. "Need" is a complex concept, involving both marketing and public policy components. Market forces determine whether the capacity and services provided by available facilities is adequate to meet the actual or anticipated demand at a price that waste generators are willing to pay. Public policy determines whether available capacity is adequate to treat and dispose of the hazardous wastes generated in the manner preferred by the public. A needs assessment incorporating both marketing and public policy factors is a necessary, although by no means sufficient, precursor to a site selection process.