Indianapolis, Indiana – The EPA’s desire to send the waste out of Ohio is explained by a professor from Indiana University.
The IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs is where Marc Lame teaches. He cites the “Interstate Commerce Clause,” according to which businesses are permitted to transport hazardous waste to other states without the agreement of those jurisdictions. That’s when things can become dangerous, he continued.
According to Lame, bringing in hazardous garbage is frequently just perceived as a business transaction, which prevents states and communities from being informed. According to him, if facilities like the landfill in Russellville operate properly and adhere to federal rules, there is a minimal immediate risk.
Yet he cautions that research evolves with time, making it challenging to foresee how the environment might alter in the ensuing decades.
“We don’t know for the long term. We have tried to do this for several decades. Based on the facilities, we can say they don’t leak if they were created a certain way. But, for real sustainability for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, we are not sure if that is something we have to maintain,” said Lame.
Lame emphasized the significance of looking at the certifications for facilities that take hazardous waste to make sure they are being watched and using their permission, among other things. He also thinks that states ought to give environmental agencies the funding they need to keep toxic waste facilities running efficiently.
