Assessment of Waste Generation

The assessment of waste generation should start with the collection of information about the plant s waste-stream process and operation. A thorough understanding of the waste-generating process and streams is considered the best option for the reduction of this waste. 

After the collection of this information, priorities should be given to the hazardous waste sources by keeping in view comphance with the current environmental regulations. This should take into consideration 

The next step is to search for the possible ways to reduce wastes. The new potential option should have its merits over the other possible options available. The available options are pubhshed literatvure, conference proceedings, equipment vendors, state environmental agencies, and consultants. There may be many proposals for waste minimization. 

These merits are low capital-cost requirement, operating-cost reduction, reduction of waste hazards, short recovery period, ease of implementation, and overall economical burden. 

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Overall quantitative and qualitative assessment of waste generated from the application. 

Assessment Phase The assessment phase aims to collect data needed to identify and analyze pollution-prevention opportunities. Assessment of the facility s waste-reduction needs includes the examination of hazardous waste streams, process operations, and the identification of techniques that often promise the reduction of waste generation. Information is often derived from obsei vations made during a facihty walk-through, interviews with employees (e.g., operators, line workers), and review of site or regulatory records. One professional organization suggests the following information sources be reviewed, as available (Ref. 7) ... 

By performing a material balance in conjunc tion with a pollution prevention assessment, the amount of waste generated becomes known. The success of the pollution prevention program can therefore be measured by using this information on baseline generation rates (i.e., that rate at which waste is generated without pollution prevention considerations). 

A review of the effect that the E Factor concept has had over the last 15 years on developments in the (fine) chemical industry and pharmaceutical industry with regard to waste minimization and to assessing its current status in the broader context of green chemistry and sustainability has been presented recently by Sheldon [37]. It was concluded that the E Factor concept played a major role in focusing the attention of the chemical industry worldwide, and particularly the pharmaceutical industry, on the problem of waste generation in chemicals manufacture. 

The disposal of actinides requires effective containment of waste generated by the nuclear fuel cycle. Because actinides (e.g., Pu and Np) are long lived, they have a major impact on risk assessments of geologic repositories [46, 47]. Current research concerns new specific matrices designed for the immobilization of these long-lived radio nuclides. 

Funding for developing commercial waste disposal faciUties is to come from the waste generators. In the case of spent fuel disposal, a Nuclear Waste Fund is accumulating based on an assessment of one mill per kilowatt-hour of electricity. For low level wastes, surcharges on waste disposal and direct assessments of utiUties have been imposed. 

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