Between the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976 and 1981, no new hazardous waste facilities had been sited in the United States. Public reaction to Love Canal and the Valley of the Drums, perceptions of health and environmental risks, and the resulting "not in my backyard" syndrome contributed to the construction freeze. The same concerns are being expressed today, but I feel that we, as a society, are now taking a more national and responsible view of hazardous wastes and recognizing our ability to deal with the problems of waste management and disposal. The problems are not technical. I sincerely believe that we have the technological capability to manage hazardous waste in a way that protects public health and the environment. The problems are social and political, and therefore the focus of my talk.

I would like to begin with a discussion of the concerns most often raised by citizen groups when a facility has been proposed for their community, and then identify the elements of the siting process that have led to the successful siting of new facilities.