HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1533

BYRepresentatives Nelson, D. Sommers, Rust and Brekke

Requiring landfills to contain hazardous wastes for the life of the waste.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; D. Sommers, Ranking Republican Member; Brekke, G. Fisher, Fraser, Phillips, Pruitt, Schoon, Sprenkle, Van Luven and Walker.

House Staff:Rick Anderson (786-7114)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Roughly half of the 233,500 tons of hazardous waste generated in 1986 were sent out-of-state.  No hazardous waste landfills in the state are currently permitted to accept wastes generated "off-site" (wastes not generated at the disposal site).  One company has received the necessary permits to landfill its own "on-site" wastes (wastes generated at the disposal site).

Two companies are presently attempting to site landfills to accept off-site wastes.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Department of Ecology must consider the period of time over which hazardous substances are likely to remain toxic and the measures necessary to contain the wastes during that time when developing the state hazardous waste management plan.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: The original bill directed local governments to include a requirement that all hazardous waste landfills be constructed to permanently contain the waste in their local hazardous waste management plan. Instead, the substitute bill directs the Department of Ecology to consider the period of time over which hazardous substances are likely to remain toxic and the measures necessary to contain the wastes during that time when developing the state hazardous waste management plan.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Dick Nelson; David Bricklin, Washington Environmental Council; Jim Boldt, Rabanco; Terry Husseman, Department of Ecology.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Nuclear waste regulations require containment of waste for thousands of years, however, no similar regulations exist for hazardous waste.  Some hazardous wastes do not break down over time, and hence will be hazardous indefinitely.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.