Hazardous waste management in the Texas construction industry

Abstract

This pilot study reports the statewide, regulatory compliance of general construction contractors in Texas who generated regulated amounts of hazardous waste during 1990, defined by existing state and federal hazardous-waste-management regulations: specifically, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act (TSWDA). The study was needed because there is presently no knowledge of how well general contractors in Texas are complying with laws enacted to protect human health and the environment from the mismanagement of hazardous waste. The importance of this study is that it addresses the issue of whether regulatory compliance is a problem for general contractors in Texas and the construction industry in general. The implications for this stem from the potential that both environmental harm and enforcement activity could increase as a consequence . Using a combination of survey and archival design methods, the study derived two counts: (1) actual number of general contractors in Texas who generate regulated amounts of hazardous waste and observe regulatory requirements; and (2) estimated number of contractors in Texas who generate regulated amounts of hazardous waste. The comparison equates to one of "compilers" versus "should be complying." Dividing the count of compilers by the count of should-be compilers, equals the degree of regulatory compliance. Using a 95% confidence interval, the study observed that during 1990 only 1 out of 28 general contractors, generating regulated amounts of hazardous waste complied with regulatory requirements (a strong showing of noncompli-ance). In order to resolve the problem of non-compliance, the study recommends that related efforts be undertaken to: (a) expand this study, both in scope and detail to verify the problem identified; (b) improve industry understanding of waste management regulations; (c) promote observance of proper waste-management procedures; (d) summon government support for outreach programs aimed at improving waste management in the construction industry - in particular hazardous waste; (e) initiate further research to design solutions for hazardous-waste-management problems; and (f) implement hazardous-waste minimization and recovery practices in the construction industry.