Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO studied options for managing liabilities associated with hazardous waste disposal facilities after closure.
GAO found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) requires facilities obtaining operating permits to design and construct disposal units with waste migration prevention measures; (2) officials have identified activities, such as extended postclosure care and long-term research, to reduce the potential for leakage after facilities close; and (3) established financial requirements to ensure that funds are available to pay for postclosure liabilities. GAO also found that EPA needs to: (1) develop a strategy to comprehensively obtain data on the effectiveness of current disposal requirements; (2) examine long-term postclosure issues, such as insurance and risk pooling, to better ensure funding of postclosure liabilities; (3) implement a strategic plan for developing data and measures to assess postclosure risks, so that a postclosure funding mechanism can be better determined; and (4) pursue private and public funding options to better ensure that needed postclosure liability funds will be available.
