Underground Injection

After the Second World War, as chemical manufacturing expanded in the United States, companies began using deep well injection to dispose of industrial and toxic waste. In response to the expansion of the practice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  received a mandate from Congress to report to them on these waste disposal practices and to develop minimum requirements for underground waste injection. In 1974 this mandate culminated in the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Underground Injection Control program is outlined within that act.