Department of Defense and General Services Administration Management and Sales of Hazardous Materials
Gao ID: T-NSIAD-90-15 February 13, 1990GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) and the General Services Administration's (GSA) management of hazardous materials and their public sale of surplus hazardous materials. GAO found that DOD and GSA initiated some improved inventory management techniques such as reuse, recycling, and treatment to minimize hazardous waste, but: (1) there was not sufficient, reliable data to assess their efforts to manage hazardous materials and waste; (2) DOD inventory management practices did not minimize the amount of unused hazardous materials transferred for disposal; (3) neither DOD nor GSA developed or implemented adequate safeguards to prevent the sale of hazardous materials to irresponsible buyers; and (4) neither DOD nor GSA properly identified or routinely informed buyers of any special handling and safety requirements of hazardous materials for sale.