Number: 1978-07
WHEREAS, hazardous wastes represent an ever-growing number of particularly dangerous discards of our highly-industrialized, science and technology-based society; and
WHEREAS, such wastes pose a substantial danger now and in the future to human, plant, and animal life, and therefore should be handled or disposed of with special care and precautions; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that over 90 percent of the potentially hazardous wastes are disposed of in an environmentally inadequate and irresponsible manner, resulting in the uncontrolled discharge of hazardous residues into the environment; and
WHEREAS, the technology is available today to treat responsibly and safely dispose of most non-radioactive hazardous wastes;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 16-19, 1978, in Phoenix, Ariz., calls upon President Carter and the executive agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to hazardous waste management as required by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, which is essential to safeguard man, wildlife, and the environment from the consequences of improper hazardous waste disposal, both now and in the future, by the development of federal and state regulatory programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government and the states, in addition to regulating the generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of all hazardous wastes, should encourage the reduction in the amounts of hazardous wastes generated and in the reuse and recycling of hazardous wastes whenever economically and environmentally feasible.