Charging generators for waste management costs

The Department of Energy (DOE) has recognized the need for waste management that incorporates improved waste-handling techniques and more stringent regulatory requirements to prevent future liabilities such as Superfund sites. DOE-Oak Ridge Operations (DOE-ORO) has recognized that an effective waste management program focuses on control at the source and that the burden for responsible waste management can be placed on generators by charging for waste management costs. The principle of including the waste management costs in the total cost of the product, even when the product is research and development, is being implemented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This paper summarizes a plan to charge waste generators, the administrative structure of the plan, a comparison between the rate structure and changes in waste disposal operations, and issues that have surfaced as the plan is implemented