§22-18-5. Powers and duties of director; integration with other acts; establishment of study of hazardous waste management.

(a) In addition to all other powers and duties prescribed in this article or otherwise by law, and unless otherwise specifically set forth in this article, the director shall perform any and all acts necessary to carry out the purposes and requirements of Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

(b) The director shall integrate all provisions of this article for purposes of administration and enforcement and shall avoid duplication to the maximum extent practicable, with the appropriate provisions of: The public health laws in chapter sixteen of this code; article sixteen-a, chapter nineteen of this code; this chapter; and chapters twenty-two-b and twenty-two-c of this code.

(c) The director may enter into any agreements, including reimbursement for services rendered, contracts or cooperative arrangements, under such terms and conditions as he or she deems appropriate, with other state agencies, educational institutions or other organizations and individuals as necessary to implement the provisions of this article.

(d) The director shall cooperate with and may receive and expend money from the federal government and other sources.

(e) The director shall: (1) Encourage, participate in and conduct an ongoing investigation and analysis of methods, incentives, technologies of source reduction, reuse, recycling or recovery of potentially hazardous waste and a strategy for encouraging the utilization or reduction of hazardous waste; and (2) investigate the feasibility of operating an information clearinghouse for hazardous wastes.

(f) The director shall provide for the continuing education and training of appropriate division personnel in matters of hazardous waste management.