Waste management audits

Does the facility evaluate (for example, audit) the off-site waste management facilities used to manage hazardous wastes If yes, do the evaluations ensure that wastes will be handled safely, without causing harm to waste handlers, the public, or the environment Flave the reviews been documented ... 

Puglionesi, P. S., and R. A. Craig (1991). State-of-the-Art Techniques for Chlorine Supply Release Prevention. Environmental Analysis, Audits and Assessments—Papers From the 84th Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Air and Waste Management Association, June 16-21, 1991, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 91-145.5. Pittsburgh, PA Air and Waste Management Association. 

Audits may differ. Some concentrate on particular facets, e.g. waste minimization, energy conservation. A management audit will probably cover organizational structures and relationships, communications, procedures acceptance and implementation, training and quality assurance. A technical audit will consider the performance of plant and equipment, monitoring and inspection programmes. Items for inclusion in auditing are listed in Table 17.12. 

The organizations common objective, in short, is promoting national-level solutions for hazardous waste management [18]. One recent initiative has been e-Stewards, a system for auditing and certifying recyclers and take-back programs so that conscientious consumers know which ones meet high standards [19]. 

Procedures governing assessment of new suppliers, evaluations of raw materials, supplier audits, TSCA premanufacturing notification, waste management, and preparation of specifications, labels, and MSDSs. 

Industrial waste is an important source of energy and material hence, many industries are engaged in extensive environmental audits and evaluate their own waste management activities. There are large economic as well as environmental benefits when appropriate waste management is implemented. The existing system within industry requires an energy-optimisation alternative for the plastics waste... 

Follow-Up. If no savings result, the effort has been wasted. Thus the audit leader must ensure that the potential of every good design idea is recognized by management and the project-generation channels of the company. 

Consider the environmental benefits and the savings in process and waste-treatment operating costs, along with the payback period for an investment, to decide which options are viable candidates. Once this is done, the audit team can develop draft recommendations to include in the final report and presentation to top management. 

At the time of the Site I audit, only two established work zones remained on site an exehision zone eneompassing the waste treatment area and a elean zone eneompassing the remainder of the site. Aeeord-ing to the eontraetor s projeet manager, EPA approved this reduetion in site work zones. As a result of this zone designation, workers exit the exehision zone direetly into a elean zone, removing and disearding PPE in a barrel adjaeent to the operations trailer. 

Organize seminar to present the results of the waste audit and its evaluation and tangible waste reductions achieved so far to plant management and to draft waste reduction plan... 

Emerson Electric, a manufacturer of power tools, implemented a Waste and Energy Management Program to identify opportunities for pollution prevention. An audit resulted in the following actions5 ... 

DHS. May 1988. Waste Audit Study Metal Finishing Industry. California Dept, of Health Services, Toxic Substances Control Division, Alternative Technology Section. Prepared by PRC Environmental Management, Inc. 

According to information from 3M as well as from numerous facility audits, the initiation of an effective waste reduction program begins with a strong management commitment. It is advisable to "work from the top down". The plan can be implemented beginning with a waste minimization assessment such as the one detailed in the EPA assessment manual (USEPA 1988). 

The major activities undertaken by the Waste Reduction Unit include managing the Department s Hazardous Waste Reduction Grants Program and contracting for waste audit studies to assist California s smaller businesses in reducing their hazardous wastes. Each of these two activities is discussed below. 

PRC Environmental Management, Inc. 1988. Waste Audit Study—Metal Finishing Industry. United States Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Health Services, San Francisco, California. 

Industry Observations Wasle Management Concerns Technology Development and Transfer Management Involvement Waste Audit Results... 

Waste Audits The company must identify the processes, the products, and the waste streams in which (hazardous) chemicals are used. Mass balances of specific (hazardous) chemicals will help to identify source reduction opportunities. Engineering interns could be very valuable in conducting such audits. An outside person can achieve significant progress in this area as well, due to the fact that he or she may be able to cut through some of the management and personnel barriers of the industry. 

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