Points and Issues Assignment- Spring 2014

1. POINTS AND ISSUES PRESENTATION
SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT HAVE MANDATORY REFORMS FOR POLLUTING INDUSTRIES?
BY: SARAH MASSEY

2. HISTORY OF LAWS REGULATING POLLUTING
INDUSTRIES:
• EVEN IN THE PAST THERE HAS BEEN MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF
HUMANS FROM POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT.
• GARBAGE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE BEFORE 10,000 B.C.. ONCE HUMANS
BEGAN MOVING AWAY FROM NOMADIC LIVING TO PRIMITIVE LIVING
• PEOPLE REALIZED A LONG TIME AGO THE EFFECTS THAT DUMPING CERTAIN
ITEMS WOULD MAKE.

3. NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON WASTE
MANAGEMENT
• IN THE 1800S, AS LATE AS THE CIVIL WAR, PIGS, GOATS, AND STRAY DOGS WERE FREE TO ROAM THE STREETS AS
"BIOLOGICAL VACUUM CLEANERS." IN FACT, THE NEED TO HAVE ANIMALS AVAILABLE TO EAT THE GARBAGE WAS SUCH A
CONCERN THAT CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA ENACTED AN ORDINANCE IN 1834 TO PROHIBIT VULTURE HUNTING
BECAUSE THEY ATE THE CITY'S GARBAGE!
• 1956- ONLY 37% OF NATIONAL LANDFILLS WERE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
• 1965- CONGRESS PASSED A THE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ACT (SWDA) WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO ASSIST STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH THE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF DEVELOPING AND MANAGING WASTE
DISPOSAL PROGRAMS AND TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES FOR WASTE COLLECTION,
TRANSPORTATION, RECOVERY, AND DISPOSAL.
• 1970- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WAS BORN
• 1976- 1976, CONGRESS EXPANDED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ROLL IN WASTE MANAGEMENT BY PASSING THE
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA). THE GOAL OF THE RCRA. TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT,
CONSERVE RESOURCES, AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE BEING GENERATED.
• 1980- CONGRESS PASSED THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT
(CERCLA). ITS PURPOSE WAS TO IMPLEMENT A NATIONAL RESPONSE FOR PROBLEMS RESULTING FROM PAST
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, TO IMPOSE LIABILITY ON THOSE ENTITIES CREATING THE PROBLEM, AND
TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED SOILS AND GROUNDWATER CAUSED BY THOSE PRACTICES

4. OKLAHOMA’S PERSPECTIVE
• 1890 – 1906: WHEN STATUTES IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC, PROHIBITED DISPOSAL PRACTICES, THEY TYPICALLY WERE
DIRECTED TOWARD PREVENTION OF WATER POLLUTION OR THE SPREAD OF DISEASE TO ANIMALS OR HUMANS,
RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL. FOR EXAMPLE, IN
OKLAHOMA TERRITORY IT WAS UNLAWFUL TO:
• "[THROW] GAS TAR, OR REFUSE OF ANY GAS HOUSE OR FACTORY INTO ANY PUBLIC WATERS, RIVER, OR
STREAM, OR INTO ANY SEWER OR STREAM EMPTYING INTO ANY SUCH PUBLIC WATER, RIVER, OR STREAM;"45
• "[DISPOSE] OF ANY ARTICLE OF FOOD, DRINK, DRUG, OR MEDICINE [KNOWN TO BE] TAINTED, DECAYED,
SPOILED, OR OTHERWISE UNWHOLESOME OR UNFIT TO BE EATEN OR DRANK WITH INTENT [THAT THE MATERIAL
BE CONSUMED] BY ANY PERSON OR ANIMAL;"46
• "PUT ANY DEAD ANIMAL, CARCASS, OR PART THEREOF, INTO ANY WELL, SPRING, BROOK, OR BRANCH OF
RUNNING WATER [USED FOR] DOMESTIC PURPOSES...[OR] INTO ANY RIVER, CREEK, OR POND;" 47OR
• "PUT ANY DEAD ANIMAL OR ANY PART OF A CARCASS OF A DEAD ANIMAL IN ANY ROAD, STREET, ALLEY, LANE,
LOT, FIELD MEADOW, COMMON OR SCHOOL SECTION, WITHOUT BURYING [AT LEAST TWO FEET DEEP]."

5. OKLAHOMA’S PERSPECTIVE (CONT.)
• 1970: THE OKLAHOMA SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT
• 1976: THE OKLAHOMA HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT
• 1980: OKLAHOMA'S SUPERFUND PROGRAM
• 1989: THE OKLAHOMA WASTE TIRE RECYCLING ACT
• 1993: THE OKLAHOMA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
• 1994: THE OKLAHOMA UNIFORM ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING ACT
• 1996: THE OKLAHOMA BROWNFIELDS VOLUNTARY REDEVELOPMENT ACT

6. SO HOW MANY DISPOSAL SITES ARE THERE
JUST IN OKLAHOMA?
CURRENTLY THERE ARE:
• 46 SOLID WASTE TRANSFER
STATIONS
• 37 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
LANDFILLS
• 11 PRIVATELY-OWNED, NON-
HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE
LANDFILLS
• 8 CONSTRUCTION/DEMOLITION
LANDFILLS
• 7 MEDICAL WASTE PROCESSING
FACILITIES
• 3 YARD WASTE COMPOSTING
FACILITIES
• 9 PRIVATELY-OWNED, NON-
HAZARDOUS WASTE INJECTION
WELLS
• 1 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
INCINERATOR
• 1 COMMERCIAL HAZARDOUS WASTE
LANDFILL
• 1 COMMERCIAL, NON-HAZARDOUS
WASTE INJECTION WELL

7. THERE ARE MANY WAYS SOMEONE MAY GET
RID OF WASTE:
• LANDFILL
• DUMPING AT SEA OR LOCAL
RIVERS/LAKES
• BURNIING
• ETC.

8. • EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT
HUMANS DISPOSE OF WASTE, THERE WAS ONE
THAT REALLY CAPTURED MY ATTENTION; THE
DISPOSING OF WASTE IN OUR WATERS. EVEN
THOUGH IT IS REGULATED AT A CONSIDERABLY
SAFE AMOUNT FOR HUMANS, THERE IS
SOMETHING THAT IS STILL IMPORTANT TO
REALIZE.

9. SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN “SAFE AMOUNTS”
OF WASTE IS DUMPED INTO OUR WATER?
• WHEN WASTE LIKE MERCURY OR LEAD IS DUMPED INTO OUR
WATERS, IT IS DUMPED AT A SAFE AMOUNT FOR HUMANS. THE
ONLY ISSUE IS WHEN THEY DUMP THE CHEMICAL INTO THE WATER
IT CAN BE EATEN BY A SMALL ORGANISM, LIKE A PLANKTON THEN
THE PLANKTON MAY GET EATEN BY A CRAWFISH, WHICH IS THEN
EATEN BY A FISH, WHICH IS EATEN BY HUMANS. THE REASON THIS
IS AN ISSUE IS BECAUSE WHEN LEAD ENTERS A BODY IT GETS
STORED IN THE FAT TISSUE AND CANNOT ESCAPE UNLESS
THROUGH A MOTHER’S BREAST MILK TO HER BABY. SO, THE LEAD
JUST BUILDS UP UNTIL IT GETS EXCRETED OR MAY EVEN CAUSE
AN ILLNESS.

10. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES ON HOW IT
GETS PASSED UP THE FOOD CHAIN:
• JULIE HOOD EXPLAINS THAT BIOAMPLIFICATION (OR BIOMAGNIFICATION, AS THE
NEXT PICTURE SHOWS) REFERS TO AN INCREASE IN THE CONCENTRATION OF A
SUBSTANCE AS YOU MOVE UP THE FOOD CHAIN. THIS OFTEN OCCURS BECAUSE
THE POLLUTANT IS PERSISTENT, MEANING THAT IT CANNOT BE, OR IS VERY
SLOWLY, BROKEN DOWN BY NATURAL PROCESSES. THESE PERSISTENT
POLLUTANTS ARE TRANSFERRED UP THE FOOD CHAIN FASTER THAN THEY ARE
BROKEN DOWN OR EXCRETED.
• SHE ALSO STATES THAT, “BIOACCUMULATION OCCURS WITHIN AN ORGANISM,
WHERE A CONCENTRATION OF A SUBSTANCE BUILDS UP IN THE TISSUES AND IS
ABSORBED FASTER THAN IT IS REMOVED. BIOACCUMULATION OFTEN OCCURS IN
TWO WAYS, SIMULTANEOUSLY: BY EATING CONTAMINATED FOOD, AND BY
ABSORPTION DIRECTLY FROM WATER. THIS SECOND CASE IS SPECIFICALLY
REFERRED TO AS BIOCONCENTRATION.”

12. SO SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT HAVE
MANDATORY REFORMS FOR POLLUTING
INDUSTRIES?
• EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ALREADY REGULATIONS TO CONTROL HOW MUCH
WASTE IS DISPOSED IN OUR LAND AND WATER. I BELIEVE THERE IS STILL
MANY WAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN
CHANGING SOME OF THE REGULATIONS.
• I ALSO BELIEVE IT ISN’T JUST THE GOVERNMENT THAT COULD MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. EVERYONE HERE COULD BE MAKING SMALL CHANGES TO HELP
OUT OUR ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE IF OUR ENVIRONMENT ENDS UP BEING
CONTAMINATED THAN SO DO WE AND OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
• I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS
POSSIBLE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

13. RESOURCES:
• FOLLOWING THE MERCURY TRAIL. STEPHEN PALUMBI: N.D. ONLINE VIDEO.
HTTP://MARINEBIO.ORG/OCEANS/OCEAN-DUMPING.ASP
• HOOP, VAN DER JULIE. “BIOAMPLIFICATIO, BIOACCUMULATION, AND BIOCONCENTRATION.”
MERCURY POLICY. HTTP://MERCURYPOLICY.SCRIPTS.MIT.EDU/BLOG/?P=499
• HOOP, VAN DER JULIE. BIOAMPLIFICATION, BIOACCUMULATION AND BIOCONCENTRATION.
17 JAN 2013. IMAGE
• ROBERTS, JON. “A BRIEF HISTORY OF WASTE REGULATION IN THE UNITED STATES AND
OKLAHOMA.” OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
WWW.DEQ.STATE.OK.US. 2011
• WWW.SCIENCEGEEK.NET. IMAGE#2