Waste management preference order

In October 1989 the Canadian Council of Ministries of Environment adopted as its goal the reduction of wastes in Canada by 50 % by the year 2000 [60]. Therefore the govermnent has spelled out the "four Rs" of waste management in order of preference reduce, reuse, recycle and recover. With respect to reduction, rechargeable batteries are promoted as preferable to primary batteries, even though the relative enviromnental risk is still debated by experts. 

As discussed in the introduction, the hierarchy set forth by the USEPA in the Pollution Prevention Act establishes an order to which waste-management activities should be employed to reduce the quantity of waste generated. The preferred method is source reduction, as indicated in Fig. 25-1. This approach actually precedes traditional waste management by addressing the source of the problem prior to its occurrence. 

Elements of the waste management hierarchy can be placed in the following order of preference " ... 

A method of identifying appropriate waste management options, by listing the options in descending order of preference. 

Derivation of discharge limits is important in order to keep releases of radionuclides into the environment at an acceptable level. The derivation of such limits for waste management facilities is a planned activity widiin the RADWASS programme [3]. Although the preferred approach to radioactive waste management is concentration and containment of radionuclides rather tl dilution and dispersion in the environment radioactive substances may be released within authorized limits and also through the reuse of materials. When radionuclides are released into the environment, species other than humans should be taken into consideration. The presence of humans should generally be assumed in the assessment of impacts on the environment. 

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