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The strategies of atmospheric disposal via incimeration are not as yet 
fully developed. At the December meeting of the Oslo Commission, highly toxic 
chlorinated compounds including PCBs and dioxins were identified in the flue 
gases and fly ashes of incinerators. Although the technique of incineration 
looks especially attractive for many toxic organic substances, it cannot be 
used for many of the toxic inorganic chemicals that are not combustible. 
I argue that multi-media assessment is necessary for rational waste 
Management. As an oceanographer, I am wont to argue that we know more about 
the plumbing of the oceans than we do about that on land. We can predict the 
fate of materials discharged at the surface ocean much better than we can pre- 
dict the travels of pollutants entering groundwaters and sometime in the future 
entering surface waters. The ages of groundwaters are difficult to obtain, 
whereas the periods of time that deep ocean waters lose contact with the ocean 
surface mixed layer, where the base of sealife originates, can be very well 
estimated. Still, it is quite clear that for some substances, such as high 
level radioactive wastes, the land option today appears most reasonable. But 
for a variety of substances, sewage sludge, mine tailings and dredge spoils, 
ocean disposal scientifically and economically is most attractive. 
Mr. Huaues. Mr. Ricci, we have your statement and we hope 
that you will summarize it for us. 
STATEMENT OF ROCCO RICCI 
Mr. Ricci. I am chief engineer of the Passaic Valley Sewage Com- 
mission. It is an agency in northern New Jersey and serves about 
1.3 million people. I represent the 6 large municipal agencies in the 
northern part of New Jersey which serve 3.3 million people or 45 
percent of the population of the State of New Jersey. 
As most of you undoubtedly are aware, historically we have been 
disposing of our sludge at the so-called 12-mile site. However, pri- 
marily based upon the impetus of the December 31, 1981, deadline 
our agencies have accelerated the studies aimed at exploring the 
viable options that are available to us on land. Now, it should also 
be pointed out that the land based sludge disposal options and the 
current ocean disposal site on the east coast have their own unique 
characteristics, and I think that is important for everybody to re- 
member. 
However, it should also be pointed out that the management of 
the large quantities of sludge produced in all of our densely popu- 
lated coastal States is still one of the major unresolved problems. I 
daresay that disposal of the sludge throughout the country will 
likewise meet the same historical scrutiny that ocean disposal has 
met as one becomes more acquainted with the problems which Dr. 
Goldberg pointed out—what are we doing to the ground waters? 
The density of population and the poor air quality, the lack of 
large open spaces in most of the areas in the east and west coasts 
and the quantities of sludge that are produced present those of us 
as practitioners in the business with a very, very difficult situation, 
as wen as the availability of a limited number of options that are 
viable. 
I would like to stress something which the chairman was good 
enough to point out, but I think it is important to put this thing in 
the correct perspective, and that is to indicate that I have been 
working in various capacities since 1970 among other things, as an 
employee of the Environmental Protection Agency and as a Com- 
missioner of the Energy Department of Environmental Protection, 
