Remediation of Hazardous Waste Sites

Projected costs of remediation of hazardous waste sites continue to mount and now range in the neighborhood of a trillion dollars or more, not counting legal fees. Even with such expenditures it is unlikely that most sites will be restored to pristine conditions. Many sites may not even be returned to a status suitable for unrestricted public access. Projected costs have increased for two major reasons: More sites have been discovered, and the costs of treating them have mounted. The universe of hazardous waste sites being considered for Superfund sites now numbers more than 32,000. An ultimate total of 75,000 has been estimated. In addition, under the Resource, Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), there are at least 37,000 sites where corrective action may be required. During the past 10 years there has been considerable experience in assessing the need for and the conduct of remediation work. It is now possible to project ultimate costs. The estimated cost of the more stringent approach is over $1 trillion dollars. Remediation would not achieve a pristine environment and indeed would not render all areas fit for unrestricted public access. Despite the cost, it likely would not have beneficial health effects beyond those achievedmore » by less than half the expenditures incurred in a less stringent approach.« less