Date: 1988-10-04
Speaker: THOMAS A. LUKEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such tim as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. since 1970 Congress has enacted extensive environmental legislation directed toward the treatment and disposal of toxic wastes. There has also been substantial legislation designed to handle the cleanup of waste dumps and spills. While these are very Important pieces of legislation. it is becoming clear to many in Government and industry. as well as to private individuals. that endofthepipe pollution controls are not enough. Enormous amounts of toxic waste continue to be released into the air. water. and land. despite stricter pollution controls and skyrocketing waste management costs. The Waste Reduction Act of 1988. the bill now before the House. heralds a new approach to preventing environmental pollution. While other legislation has focused on the treatment or disposal of waste that has already been created. this bill is aimed at reducing toxic waste at the sourcebefore It is generated. Mr. Speaker. there is Increasing evidence of the economic and environmental benefits to be realized In reducing toxic industrial waste at the source rather than managing such waste after it is produced. In reports to Congress In 1986 and 1987. the Office of Technology Assessment projected that source reduction techniques using existing technology could reduce waste currently generated by as much as 50 percent over the next 5 years. Furthermore. OTA concluded that a modest Federal investment In waste reduction information collection and a grant program to the States for technical assistance to aid industry would more than pay for itself in a few years. Testimony received by our subcommittee showed that some companies have made substantial reductions in their toxic waste by implementing manufacturing process changes. raw material substitutions. and other available techniques. At the same time. factors inhibiting the increased use of these kinds of source reduction techniques by other companies have little to do with technological constraints. economic costs. or governmental prohibitions. In fact. lack of awareness or lack of information was cited as the most common reason more companies do not practice source reduction. Many company managers simply are not aware of techniques that could be applied to their business operations. Industries and regulators are frequently so oriented toward meeting the requirements and deadlines of current pollution control regulations and statutes that they do not seek out innovative alternatives. To help remedy this problem. the Waste Reduction Act of 1988 requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and implement a strategy to promote waste reduction at the source. The bill also directs EPA to establish a source reduction clearinghouse to compile information on approaches to source reduction and to facilitate the transfer of source reduction technology. to disseminate information on source reduction techniques. and to promote public education on the benefits of source reduction. In addition. the bill authorizes a program of matching grants to the states for waste reduction programs that promote the use of source reduction techniques by industry. Finally the bill requires industrial generators of toxic chemicals to file annual reports on their source reduction and recycling activities. Mr. Speaker. this bill has more than 230 cosponsors in the House. It opens the door to making significant reductions in the amount of toxic waste generated in this country every year. The time has come for the House to pass this important legislation. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.