The South Carolina Universities Research and Education Foundation is authorized to expend monies in the Hazardous Waste Management Research Fund only as provided in this article. The foundation shall establish a comprehensive research program with a primary emphasis on improving current hazardous waste management practices including, but not limited to, waste minimization and reduction and the development of more effective and efficient methods of conducting governmental response actions at abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The fund must be used for research that will:

(1) have a direct and positive impact on waste minimization and reduction in this State;

(2) recommend strategies to deal effectively with major existing hazardous waste management problems in this State and to improve current hazardous waste management practices;

(3) provide research and recommendations on cost-effective hazardous waste management techniques and new or emerging technologies for use in the public and private sectors including, but not limited to, the development of more efficient and effective methods of cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;

(4) provide hazardous waste management education, training, and public information;

(5) assess the impact of existing and emerging hazardous waste management practices on the public health and environment;

(6) provide research and recommendations on other waste management practices that may be identified through research conducted pursuant to this section.