California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 25101

(a) In order to protect the public health and the environment and to conserve natural resources, it is in the public interest to establish regulations and incentives which ensure that the generators of hazardous waste employ technology and management practices for the safe handling, treatment, recycling, and destruction of their hazardous wastes prior to disposal.

(b) In order to assist the generators of hazardous waste in meeting the responsibility for the safe disposal of hazardous waste it is necessary to establish the Hazardous Waste Management Council.

(c) The Legislature further declares that in order to protect the public of this state and particularly the communities where hazardous wastes are treated and disposed, it is essential to assure full compensation of all people injured or damaged by hazardous wastes. It is therefore necessary that the Hazardous Waste Management Council, created pursuant to Section 25206,  1 make recommendations regarding a system of insurance and mechanisms establishing liability to achieve this result, as required by subdivision (e) of Section 25208.  2

(d) It is in the best interest of the health and safety of the people of the State of California for the state to obtain and maintain authorization to administer a state hazardous waste program in lieu of the federal program pursuant to Section 3006 of Public Law 94-580, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6926). Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the director shall have those powers necessary to secure and maintain interim and final authorization for the state hazardous waste program pursuant to the requirements of Section 3006 of Public Law 94-580, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6926), and to implement such program in lieu of the federal program.