On the generation and disposal of hazardous materials

This dissertation is aimed at addressing some of the questions that revolve around the effectiveness of various environmental regulations concerning the generation and disposal of hazardous wastes. It includes two separate (stand-alone) essays about different aspects of hazardous waste regulations. The first essay examines hazardous waste regulations on a national level, but focuses on the differences that exist in hazardous waste regulations at the state level. More specifically, it deals with the interstate shipments of hazardous wastes, and looks at how the differences in state tax and liability laws might explain the differences in the amount of hazardous wastes imported into a particular state. The second essay focuses on a particular state (Georgia), and examines in detail one of the hazardous waste regulations in effect there, the requirement that all large quantity generators of hazardous wastes file a Hazardous Waste Reduction Plan. It attempts to shed light on the question of which reduction methods are the most effective (i.e., lead to lower levels of waste generation).