Health & Saf. Code, § 41980

The Legislature finds and declares that:

(a) Incineration has not been used extensively in California as a means of disposal of toxic waste materials, primarily because of the extensive area available for landfill, the low cost of landfill as a method of disposal, and problems with air pollution.

(b) Because problems may result from disposing of certain toxic waste materials in landfills, incineration should be investigated as a method of disposal.

(c) Incineration of certain toxic waste materials has the advantage, when compared to disposal by landfill, of breaking down toxic waste materials into harmless compounds or elements.

(d) The incineration of certain toxic waste materials can result in the net production of energy, which can help to displace the combustion of fossil fuels and reduce dependence on imported energy supplies.

(e) Improper or incomplete incineration of toxic waste materials can result in emissions of compounds in amounts or concentrations which may be hazardous to public health, and hazardous to economically or environmentally significant animal or plant life.

Therefore, it is the intent and purpose of the Legislature to investigate the methods of ensuring that emissions from incineration of toxic wastes do not endanger public health and welfare, while determining what appropriate role incineration could play in reducing the landfilling of toxic waste materials in California.