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.. : _ - ` ~1, CHAPTER SIX -REGULATION OF SUBSURFACE DISPOSAL fi.l Purpose Government regulation of waste disposal is designed to prevent trespass of potentially harmful materials belonging to one individual or organization onto the property or resources of another. In the case of subsurface waste disposal, the general invisibility of potentially damaging processes requires that extraordinary care be used to ensure that proposed operations have a sound technical basis. Although alter- nate means of disposal exist for the wastes that are potentially inject- able, placement of the wastes underground can have etonomic and environ- mental benefits if the risks associated with this method can be reduced to levels equal to or less than those of the alternatives. During the last twenty years, the government agencies responsible for managing the risks associated with waste disposal in Ontario have • ~ developed regulatfions-to-accomplish-the prod ective functions required~by statute. These rules specify basic procedures and performance stand- . ards, and so are general enough to cover different physical situations. The agencies that presently share authority for regulation of subsurface disposal are the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The responsibilities of these agencies are described in the next section. The rules of the two agencies are not ~ wholly consistent and correction of this situation should be considered. It has been concluded in this report that, under proper operating condi- ~ tions, brine can be safely injected into the Detroit River Group. Tt is apparent, however, that present operating rules may involve some small risk that brine could flow upward into freshwater aquifers in some areas. The purpose of this shaper is to describe the regulatory frame- •~rork in Ontario, to attempt to put the risks in perspective, and to suggest for consideration of MOE additional rules or modifications of 115