42 U.S.C. § 6982: Special studies; plans for research, development, and demonstrations

The Administrator shall undertake a study and publish a report on resource recovery from glass and plastic waste, including a scientific, technological, and economic investigation of potential solutions to implement such recovery. The Administrator shall undertake a systematic study of the composition of the solid waste stream and of anticipated future changes in the composition of such stream and shall publish a report containing the results of such study and quantitatively evaluating the potential utility of such components. the degree of public need for the potential results of such research, development, or demonstration, the potential for research, development, and demonstration without Federal action, including the degree of restraint on such potential posed by the risks involved, and the magnitude of effort and period of time necessary to develop the technology to the point where Federal assistance can be ended. The Administrator shall undertake a comprehensive study and analysis of, and publish a report on, systems of small-scale and low technology solid waste management, including household resource recovery and resource recovery systems which have special application to multiple dwelling units and high density housing and office complexes. Such study and analysis shall include an investigation of the degree to which such systems could contribute to energy conservation. The Administrator shall undertake research and studies concerning the compatibility of front-end source separation systems with high technology resource recovery systems and shall publish a report containing the results of such research and studies. the sources and volume of discarded material generated per year from mining; present disposal practices; potential dangers to human health and the environment from surface runoff of leachate and air pollution by dust; alternatives to current disposal methods; the cost of those alternatives in terms of the impact on mine product costs; and potential for use of discarded material as a secondary source of the mine product. what types of solid waste (including but not limited to sewage and pollution treatment residues and other residues from industrial operations such as extraction of oil from shale, liquefaction and gasification of coal and coal slurry pipeline operations) shall be classified as sludge; the effects of air and water pollution legislation on the creation of large volumes of sludge; the amounts of sludge originating in each State and in each industry producing sludge; methods of disposal of such sludge, including the cost, efficiency, and effectiveness of such methods; alternative methods for the use of sludge, including agricultural applications of sludge and energy recovery from sludge; and methods to reclaim areas which have been used for the disposal of sludge or which have been damaged by sludge. The Administrator shall undertake a study and publish a report respecting discarded motor vehicle tires which shall include an analysis of the problems involved in the collection, recovery of resources including energy, and use of such tires. The Administrator shall conduct research and report on the economics of, and impediments, to the effective functioning of resource recovery facilities. the appropriateness of recommended incentives and disincentives to foster resource conservation; the effect of existing public policies (including subsidies and economic incentives and disincentives, percentage depletion allowances, capital gains treatment and other tax incentives and disincentives) upon resource conservation, and the likely effect of the modification or elimination of such incentives and disincentives upon resource conservation; the appropriateness and feasibility of restricting the manufacture or use of categories of consumer products as a resource conservation strategy; the appropriateness and feasibility of employing as a resource conservation strategy the imposition of solid waste management charges on consumer products, which charges would reflect the costs of solid waste management services, litter pickup, the value of recoverable components of such product, final disposal, and any social value associated with the nonrecycling or uncontrolled disposal of such product; and the need for further research, development, and demonstration in the area of resource conservation. the product categories on which such charges would be imposed; the appropriate state in the production of such consumer product at which to levy such charge; appropriate criteria for establishing such charges for each consumer product category; methods for the adjustment of such charges to reflect actions such as recycling which would reduce the overall quantities of solid waste requiring disposal; and procedures for amending, modifying, or revising such charges to reflect changing conditions. The design for the study required in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include timetables for the completion of the study. A preliminary report putting forth the study design shall be sent to the President and the Congress within six months following October 21, 1976 , and followup reports shall be sent six months thereafter. Each recommendation resulting from the study shall include at least two alternatives to the proposed recommendation. The results of such investigation and study, including recommendations, shall be reported to the President and the Congress not later than two years after October 21, 1976 . There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $2,000,000 to carry out this subsection. The Administrator shall undertake a comprehensive study and analysis of and publish a report on systems to alleviate the hazards to aviation from birds congregating and feeding on landfills in the vicinity of airports. The Administrator shall complete the research and studies, and submit the reports, required under subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (k) not later than October 1, 1978 . The Administrator shall complete the research and studies, and submit the reports, required under subsections (a), (h), and (i) not later than October 1, 1979 . Upon completion, each study specified in subsections (a) through (k) of this section, the Administrator shall prepare a plan for research, development, and demonstration respecting the findings of the study and shall submit any legislative recommendations resulting from such study to appropriate committees of Congress. the sources and volume of discarded material generated per year from such wastes; present disposal practices; potential danger to human health and the environment from the surface runoff or leachate; documented cases which prove or have caused danger to human health and the environment from surface runoff or leachate; alternatives to current disposal methods; the cost of such alternatives; and the impact of those alternatives on the exploration for, and development and production of, crude oil and natural gas or geothermal energy. The Administrator shall complete the research and study and submit the report required under paragraph (1) not later than twenty-four months from October 21, 1980 . Upon completion of the study, the Administrator shall prepare a summary of the findings of the study, a plan for research, development, and demonstration respecting the findings of the study, and shall submit the findings and the study, along with any recommendations resulting from such study, to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the United States Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representatives. There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $1,000,000 to carry out the provisions of this subsection. the source and volumes of such material generated per year; present disposal and utilization practices; potential danger, if any, to human health and the environment from the disposal and reuse of such materials; documented cases in which danger to human health or the environment from surface runoff or leachate has been proved; alternatives to current disposal methods; the costs of such alternatives; the impact of those alternatives on the use of coal and other natural resources; and the current and potential utilization of such materials. the source and volumes of such materials generated per year; present disposal practices; potential danger, if any, to human health and the environment from the disposal of such materials; documented cases in which danger to human health or the environment has been proved; alternatives to current disposal methods; the costs of such alternatives; the impact of those alternatives on the use of natural resources; and the current and potential utilization of such materials. the source and volumes of such materials generated per year; present disposal and utilization practices; potential danger, if any, to human health and the environment from the disposal and reuse of such materials; documented cases in which danger to human health or the environment has been proved; alternatives to current disposal methods; the costs of such alternatives; the impact of those alternatives on the use of phosphate rock and uranium ore, and other natural resources; and the current and potential utilization of such materials. There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $8,000,000 for the fiscal years 1978 and 1979 to carry out this section other than subsection (j). The Administrator shall compile, and not later than October 1, 1986 , submit to the Congress, a report on the feasibility and desirability of establishing standards of performance or of taking other additional actions under this chapter to require the generators of hazardous waste to reduce the volume or quantity and toxicity of the hazardous waste they generate, and of establishing with respect to hazardous wastes required management practices or other requirements to assure such wastes are managed in ways that minimize present and future risks to human health and the environment. Such report shall include any recommendations for legislative changes which the Administrator determines are feasible and desirable to implement the national policy established by section 6902 of this title . methods to reduce the volume of materials before placement in landfills; more efficient systems for depositing waste in landfills; methods to enhance the rate of decomposition of solid waste in landfills, in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner; methane production from closed landfill units; innovative uses of closed landfill sites, including use for energy production such as solar or wind energy and use for metals recovery; potential for use of sewage treatment sludge in reclaiming landfilled areas; and methods to coordinate use of a landfill owned by one municipality by nearby municipalities, and to establish equitable rates for such use, taking into account the need to provide future landfill capacity to replace that so used.