Section 25208.1 Of Article 9.5. Surface Impoundments From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 20. >> Chapter 6.5. >> Article 9.5.
25208.1
. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a) Discharges of liquid hazardous wastes or hazardous wastes
containing free liquids into lined or unlined ponds, pits, and
lagoons pose a serious threat to the quality of the waters of the
state.
(b) Recent reports indicate that hazardous waste contamination
from surface impoundments is migrating to domestic drinking water
supplies and threatening the continued beneficial uses of the state's
ground and surface waters, air, and environment.
(c) Under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of
1976 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.), and under state regulations, the
storage of hazardous wastes in existing ponds has not been required
to meet the same requirements as new impoundments, such as double
liners, leachate collection, and leak detection.
(d) Recent studies have found that synthetic liners, clay liners,
and combinations, including clay and synthetic liners, impede, but do
not eliminate, leachate from surface impoundments migrating into the
surrounding environment.
(e) It is in the public interest to establish a continuing program
for the purpose of preventing contamination from, and improper
storage, treatment, and disposal of, liquid hazardous wastes or
hazardous wastes containing free liquids in surface impoundments. It
is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this article, to
establish a program that will ensure that existing surface
impoundments are either made safe or are closed, so that they do not
contaminate the air or waters of the state, and so that the health,
property, and resources of the people of the state are protected.