Is underground injection really necessary? Can it simply be banned?
If properly situated, constructed, and operated, injection wells are by far the best way to dispose of some waste fluids. Also, not all injection wells are used for waste fluid disposal. Other common uses of injection wells include aquifer recharge, ground water clean-up, petroleum and natural gas storage, mineral production, and enhanced recovery of petroleum. The injection of untreated hazardous waste above or into USDWs has been banned since 1985. Large capacity cesspools and most motor vehicle waste disposal wells have been banned starting in 2000.
