The complete set of data would result in a series of such curves indicating biological, economic, and esthetic effects on a short- or longterm basis. The complexities associated with biological and ecological systems, the synergistic and antagonistic relationships among pollutants, and quantification of esthetic factors all may be found in this area of research. TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT The development of treatment processes and pollution control techniques and the determination of the capital and operating costs associated with those systems is another major area for research and development and demonstration. The results of this effort may be illustrated by a series of curves (fig. 3), which would present the costs of reducing the concentration of any pollutant-having an initial concentration of C1, C2, C3, et cetera to any desired residual level. The total pollutional load from any pollutant may be obtained by relating concentration to flow or volume of wastes. The scientific and technical data and information which could be presented in a form as illustrated by figures 2 and 3 would enable the water quality control administrator to know the costs of achieving or COST TO ACHIEVE FINAL CONCENTRATION IN WASTE TREATMENT OR CONTROL Figure 3 protecting any water use. The gathering of that data and information has top priority in the research and development effort of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration. Considerably more data than currently available are needed. The components of our research, development, and demonstration effort and their interrelationships can be illustrated by the feedback control system model shown in figure 4. I need not indicate to this committee the magnitude of the water pollution problem nor the importance of finding solutions to those problems. WASTE MANAGEMENT I would like to call attention to the need for looking at water pollution control in its broadest sense-water quality management. All alternatives-technical, economic, legislative, enforcement, management-must be examined and considered in arriving at the best solution. Both the short- and long-range aspects of the solution should be considered. Solutions acceptable today may not be applicable in the future. Solutions which have been rejected in the past may be applicable today. Water quality is intimately related to water quantity and thus water quality management is an important component of water resource management. The relationships among water, air, and land resource utilization and management are coming into sharper focus. That we must effectively control pollution of these resources if we are to have environmental conditions for our well-being and economic growth, there is no question. I am confident that we have the talent and resources which will permit population growth and industrial expansion while at the same time we will be able to enhance the quality of our environment. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. (Appendix A of Dr. Weinberger's statement follows:) APPENDIX A ALTERNATE WAYS OF CONTROLLING POLLUTION ("Waste Management and Control"-National Academy of Sciences) 1. Recovery and reuse.-Recovery of used air, water, or land for reuse and/or recovery of pollutants themselves for beneficial purposes. 2. Waste treatment.-Modification of contaminants in a waste, or separation of contaminants from a waste plus disposition of the residues in non-polluting fashion. 3. Product modification.-Deliberate introduction of properties into materials that may eventually become environmental contaminants, in order to reduce their pollutional effects or to enhance their controllability. 4. Process change.-Modification of the process in which a contaminant is used or created so that the contaminant is not released or its release is reduced. 5. Elimination.-Prevention of a contaminant from entering the environment by eliminating its use or generation. 6. Dispersion.-Distribution of a waste discharge over a larger area of the land or into a larger volume of air or water. 7. Dilution.-Artificial augmentation of the volume of the environment used to assimilate wastes. 8. Detention. Temporary hold-up of the production or the release of discharges for later gradual release or for release at a more advantageous time. 9. Diversion.-Transportation of a waste to another location for discharge. 10. Environmental treatment.-Treatment of air, land, or water to remove pollutants, to diminish their effects, or to eliminate or inhibit their generation. 11. Desensitization.-Desensitization of pollution receptors. Senator RANDOLPH. Thank you very much, Doctor. You are hopeful, I see. Dr. WEINBERGER. Yes, sir; and with a good deal of confidence. I think we do have the competence within our Nation to accomplish what we as Americans certainly want and will have, sir. Senator RANDOLPH. Thank you, sir. Colonel Meyer. STATEMENT OF COL. ALVIN F. MEYER, JR., U.S. AIR FORCE, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROL COMMITTEE Colonel MEYER. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. We again welcome the opportunity to appear before you and discuss some of the activities of the Department of Defense in the total area of environmental pollution control. As you know from our previous testimony, we do believe that this Department has long exhibited leadership in aggressively attacking the problems of all forms of waste disposal. We are concerned, as we have said in the past, with the prevention of the effects of environmental hazards on our military personnel, on operational capability, and on our adjacent civilian neighbors. In the past, we have given to the subcommittee and this is a matter of record-information on some specialized environmental pollution problems, such as those relating to air and the control of waste from vessels. We are particularly pleased to be afforded the opportunity to participate in these hearings, oriented as they are toward efforts to develop and demonstrate new improved systems of waste disposal. We shall utilize as a central theme the subject of solid wastes, as an example, since we are aware of the current interest of this committee therein. In so doing we shall endeavor to keep in perspective the larger issues of the total environmental question. Although these hearings are concerned with research, it appears that presenting some information on past experiences involving the translation of research and development into operations may shed some useful light on this Department's role in Federal participation in the total waste management effort. As an aside, I might point out several years ago when we were testifying on air pollution from aircraft and missile launchers, we did discuss some aspects of our systems management procedures. I am accompanied this morning by representatives of the Department of Defense Environmental Pollution Control Committee, so that if questions arise with regard to specifics, these specialists will be available to you and to me to assist in responding thereto. NATURE OF PROBLEM You will recollect that in previous appearances before this subcommittee, it was pointed out that there are approximately 6,000 major defense installations, worldwide. They vary in size from small, isolated bases to large and extensive complexes typical of a modern city with its industrial area. At these installations, there are all of the varied activities characteristic of a civilian community, along with those specialized operations associated with defense activities. There are generated at these installations the types of wastes associated with normal community and industrial activity, as well as certain special problems, such as the residues from defense materiel. There are included food wastes, packaging materials, and all of the miscellaneous debris and residues characteristic of an industrialized urban society. There does not appear to be, from the information available, any significant difference in the type or amounts of such wastes generated in these military communities, as compared with civilian communities of comparable size. The large-sized industrial complexes of the military departments, as is the case with civilian industry, generate considerable amounts of solid wastes, including residues of metal machining, packing materials, and military materiel, which has either outlived its usefulness or does not, for one reason or another, meet quality standards. The outfitting and provisioning of military units and naval vessels involve large quantities of packing materials and containers, which present a major need for efficient waste management. Another source of industrial waste or solid waste is the construction and demolition of buildings and facilities. This creates large amounts of waste construction material which must be processed and disposed of. This is, in some ways, comparable to the problems presented by urban renewal or large-scale community development pro grams. On our larger installations, there is a natural resources conservation program, which deals with the problems associated with the maintenance of forests and related agricultural operations. In the case of the Chief of Engineers' civil works activities, reservoir clearing and the accumulation of solid wastes associated with river and harbor operations are special problems. A major concern of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is that related to the collection, removal, and disposal of harbor debris, which will be discussed briefly later on. There are also some unique problems relating to the manufacturing, testing, and disposal of specialized military materiel and munitions. For rather obvious reasons, this is only mentioned in passing at this time. WASTE DISPOSAL PRACTICES Sir, I have mentioned that the military departments have long been concerned with the problems of hygiene and sanitation, and that the matter of waste disposal has been of traditional interest. As we shall bring out in this discussion, there has been considerable pioneering in both technology and administrative procedures in what is now described as waste management. Many of these procedures have subsequently been adapted to civilian utility. They arose from an understanding of the need to maintain the human resource represented by military personnel, and also from an appreciation of the need for conservation of scarce resources. I would not like to clutter up the record unnecessarily with some historical information but one aspect of any research program is to undertake an analysis of what is known, what is the existing state of the art. RECYCLING So, while it might seem facetious to point this out, the concept of reclamation and reuse which has been advocated for civilian communities and is being practiced in certain new installations, is one of longstanding practice in the military departments. As an example, I should like to quote for you from the "Manual for the Quartermaster Corps, U.S. Army, 1916," in this regard: Empty barrels, boxes, crates, and other packages, together with metal turnings, scrap metal, ground bone and other waste products which accumulate at arsenals, depots and military posts which are unsuitable for the public service will be disposed of in the manner prescribed for property condemned and ordered sold in paragraph 680, Army Regulations, 1913-hides and tallows not required for public use will be carefully preserved and sold as may be convenient in the manner prescribed above. This same manual contains instructions relating to the disposal of garbage, and a variety of other instructions relating to what today would be called environmental pollution or waste management operations. WASTE MANAGEMENT We have mentioned the fact that the military departments have long been pioneers, and it also seems useful to point out that the publication "Military Preventive Medicine," first issued in 1930, contained extensive recommendations regarding the handling and disposal of wastes. This book and its subsequent editions were widely used also in civilian public health departments. With regard to some specific actions concerning solid waste management, beginning in 1939 |