(1) The general assembly hereby finds that adverse public health and environmental impacts can result from the improper land disposal of hazardous waste and that the need for establishing safe sites with adequate capacity for the disposal of hazardous waste is a matter of statewide concern, and the provisions of this part 2 are therefore enacted to provide an effective method of establishing such sites.
(2) It is the intent of the general assembly that generators of hazardous waste be encouraged to use on-site and off-site alternative treatment methods to reduce the amount of hazardous waste that must be discharged into the environment and the associated hazards to the health and welfare of the citizens of this state. Alternative management technologies which detoxify, stabilize, and reduce the amount of hazardous waste that must be buried are available. For such purpose, the provisions of this part 2 are enacted to allow the development of safe alternative methods for the treatment of hazardous waste and to provide a means for the designation of hazardous waste disposal sites when such methods are unable to obviate the need for hazardous waste disposal on land. Whereas the state of Colorado may be responsible for the perpetual care of hazardous waste land disposal facilities, alternative technologies such as incineration, resource recovery, or physical, chemical, or biological degradation should be implemented to the maximum extent possible.
Source: L. 83: Entire section added, p. 1089, § 3, effective June 3.