ESTIMATING THE RELEASE RATES AND COSTS OF TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS WASTE

In the United States more than 160 million metric tons of hazardous waste are generated annually, and there has been concern over the management of these wastes and their impact on the population and environment. Responding to this issue, policy makers have begun to examine the risks and costs associated with hazardous waste treatment, transport, and disposal. The focus of this paper is the expected releases and costs associated with the transportation of hazardous waste by truck. Expected release rates are derived for eight container classes that may be used in the transport of hazardous materials and waste. The results indicate that the expected fraction released per mile shipped ranges from approximately 10-8 to 10-6, depending on the container class. Expected released fractions at terminal points range from 10-6 to 10-3. Thus, the expected released fractions during transport are potentially as large as the corresponding released fractions at disposal sites and treatment facilities. A review is also conducted of previous studies of the cost of hazardous waste transport. Several deficiencies are noted, particularly assumptions related to shipment characteristics and the lack of a comparison of actual rates charged by waste haulers. To overcome these deficiencies, new formulas are derived for estimating the cost of waste transport by tanker and stake (flatbed) truck. Cost estimates based on these formulas are subsequently compared with quoted industry rates. A conclusion is reached that the revised procedure is representative and can be used in policy analysis.