Improving Scientific Methods for Interpretation of Data The need to know about hazards in the environment has generated large amounts of data on toxics Billions of dollars have been invested in analytical equipment, laboratories, and data accumulation since the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). Even with all the data, however, there is a lack of a uniform basis for data interpretation Analytical equipment and laboratory techniques produce data with accuracy in parts per billion or parts per trillion. What does such a detection accuracy mean to a solid waste management unit? If the component detected at a solid waste management system unit is on a regulatory list of cancer-causing agents, the unit may be shut down The goal is to understand the effects of very small quantities of toxic components on the environment In the meantime, how much data should be presented to the public? When should data be delivered to the public? How does the public participate in data gathering and interpretation? Identification of Hazardous and Toxic Consumer Products Requiring Special Waste Management Units. Municipal solid waste is a heterogeneous mass made up of every discard from homes, businesses, and institutions. Although small in quantity, some discards are hazardous, as identified on the product container. Examples are bleach, cleaning fluids, insecticides, and gasoline. The issue is whether household hazardous waste contaminates the municipal waste management unit and whether, because of the large land areas in landfills, certain household wastes should be removed from the garbage How will the consumer store hazardous discards until they are picked up or delivered to the specl for disposal in smaller, highly controlled waste management units. Which products are most hazardous management unit? Who will set up and operate special waste management units as such units will be defined by regulators as hazardous waste units? Paying for Improved Waste Management Units Solid waste management has a tradition of low cost. The improvements demanded by a concerned public are more costly than past practices. The increased costs must be paid by waste generators. This issue involves changing the manner in which a consumer thinks about paying for waste disposal. How is the cost of waste disposal presented to the consumer? When is the consumer asked to pav-at the time of product purchase or when the product is discarded? Since solid waste decays very slowly, who pays for long-term maintenance of land disposal waste management units-the generator at the time of discard or future users as maintenance costs are incurred? Designating Land Disposal Units at or near Large Urban Centers. Waste management units are difficult to place in an urban environment. A suspicious public views these units as open dumps and littered transfer stations served by odorous, dripping garbage collection ucks. Yet it is within urban centers that the greatest quantity of solid waste is generated. Urban land use planning is facing a severe challenge to provide designated waste land disposal units The issues are identifying environmentally acceptable land areas for land disposal units and then preserving lands for the intended use. Who will set a standard for"environmentally acceptable"? Will different standards apply for urban and rural areas? Can a scientific basis be identified that will satisfy a suspicious public regarding the safety of land disposal units? Establishing and Maintaining More Qualified Managers to Develop and Operate waste Management units. Solid waste management units are increasing in quantity and complexity. In response, a set of managers must be trained and put in the appropriate positions to develop and operate expanded and improved management units The goal is to develop the human resources needed to develop and operate waste management units Who will train the managers? How will the cost of training be paid? What standards will apply during the interim period while managers receive training? Future Challenges and Opportunities he multibillion-dollar industry of solid waste management can be supported only by the public which is responsible for the generation of the vast tonnage of wastes. Public attitudes must be modified to reduce the environmental and economic burden placed on society for the disposal of solid waste. National concern must transcend the question of cost in an attempt to implement whateve12-7 Improving Scientific Methods for Interpretation of Data. The need to know about hazards in the environment has generated large amounts of data on toxics. Billions of dollars have been invested in analytical equipment, laboratories, and data accumulation since the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) . Even with all the data, however, there is a lack of a uniform basis for data interpretation. Analytical equipment and laboratory techniques produce data with accuracy in parts per billion or parts per trillion. What does such a detection accuracy mean to a solid waste management unit? If the component detected at a solid waste management system unit is on a regulatory list of cancer-causing agents, the unit may be shut down. The goal is to understand the effects of very small quantities of toxic components on the environment. In the meantime, how much data should be presented to the public? When should data be delivered to the public? How does the public participate in data gathering and interpretation? Identification of Hazardous and Toxic Consumer Products Requiring Special Waste Management Units. Municipal solid waste is a heterogeneous mass made up of every discard from homes, businesses, and institutions. Although small in quantity, some discards are hazardous, as identified on the product container. Examples are bleach, cleaning fluids, insecticides, and gasoline. The issue is whether household hazardous waste contaminates the municipal waste management unit and whether, because of the large land areas in landfills, certain household wastes should be removed from the garbage can for disposal in smaller, highly controlled waste management units. Which products are most hazardous? How will the consumer store hazardous discards until they are picked up or delivered to the special management unit? Who will set up and operate special waste management units as such units will be defined by regulators as hazardous waste units? Paying for Improved Waste Management Units. Solid waste management has a tradition of low cost. The improvements demanded by a concerned public are more costly than past practices . The increased costs must be paid by waste generators. This issue involves changing the manner in which a consumer thinks about paying for waste disposal. How is the cost of waste disposal presented to the consumer? When is the consumer asked to pay—at the time of product purchase or when the product is discarded? Since solid waste decays very slowly, who pays for long-term maintenance of land disposal waste management units—the generator at the time of discard or future users as maintenance costs are incurred? Designating Land Disposal Units at or near Large Urban Centers. Waste management units are difficult to place in an urban environment. A suspicious public views these units as open dumps and littered transfer stations served by odorous, dripping garbage collection trucks. Yet it is within urban centers that the greatest quantity of solid waste is generated. Urban land use planning is facing a severe challenge to provide designated waste management units, especially land disposal units. The issues are identifying environmentally acceptable land areas for land disposal units and then preserving lands for the intended use. Who will set a standard for "environmentally acceptable"? Will different standards apply for urban and rural areas? Can a scientific basis be identified that will satisfy a suspicious public regarding the safety of land disposal units? Establishing and Maintaining More Qualified Managers to Develop and Operate Waste Management Units. Solid waste management units are increasing in quantity and complexity. In response, a set of managers must be trained and put in the appropriate positions to develop and operate expanded and improved management units. The goal is to develop the human resources needed to develop and operate waste management units. Who will train the managers? How will the cost of training be paid? What standards will apply during the interim period while managers receive training? Future Challenges and Opportunities The multibillion-dollar industry of solid waste management can be supported only by the public, which is responsible for the generation of the vast tonnage of wastes. Public attitudes must be modified to reduce the environmental and economic burden placed on society for the disposal of solid waste. National concern must transcend the question of cost in an attempt to implement whatever