Summary: In 1985, more than 800 of the nation's 1,538 land disposal facilities for hazardous waste were supposed to close because they failed to meet new operating requirements. As of October 1991, however, only 257 facilities had actually shut down. While the three states GAO reviewed generally complied with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) guidelines by regularly inspecting facilities, EPA recently relaxed its inspection timeframes due to resource constraints. As a result, violations may go undetected for a longer period of time. The success of the three states in ultimately closing facilities is closely linked to ensuring that facilities install adequate groundwater monitoring systems, which are essential in identifying any threat to human health and the environment; facilities that shut down with waste in place must monitor groundwater for at least 30 years. A lack of groundwater monitoring systems has delayed the closing and cleanup of facilities, as have lengthy negotiations and appeals once enforcement actions are started. A lack of guidance on the timing of post-closure permit applications can add further delays. As a result, contamination may continue to spread and endanger surrounding areas. GAO summarized this report in testimony before Congress; see: Hazardous Waste: Impediments Have Delayed the Closing and Cleanup of Land Disposal Facilities, by Richard L. Hembra, Director of Environmental Protection Issues, before the Subcommittee on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources, House Committee on Government Operations. GAO/T-RCED-92-64, May 28 (17 pages).
