Waste prevention/reduction strategies

Making companies prepare plans which focus on safer chemical use has proved particularly successful in the USA. The benefits of mandatory pollution prevention planning have been demonstrated in the state of Massachusetts. Here, over 550 companies had to assess toxic use reduction options with technical help supplied by university and government experts. Toxic use reduction strategies included material substitution and product reformulation. Within ten years, industry has reduced the use of toxic chemicals by 40%, by-product waste by 58% and toxic emissions by 80%. A cost benefit analysis reveals that the same companies saved a total of Saved a total of USD 14 million (Euro 18.76 million) overthis period through the adoption of more efficient and safer processes. The programme is ongoing and has been expanded to community outreach and assessment of substitutes forsome hazardous material flows and products within the state. 

Waste prevention (or reduction) involves both (upstream) alterations in product design as well as in consumer habits (downstream). Such strategies assure that the two objectives of (quantity) less waste produced and (quality) less hazardous constituents utilized in production (so that less hazardous wastes is generated) are both met. Waste prevention is a strategy that prevents waste and its associated risks from being produced in the first place. 

These Amendments set a priority for pollution prevention with respect to land disposal of hazardous waste. Industries generating hazardous waste were required to establish a hazardous-waste reduction program, as distinct from recycling. Reporting requirements have been established in order to assess the success of pollution-reduction strategies. 

Sometimes it is impossible to eliminate hazardous waste completely. However, the high costs associated with hazardous waste management and disposal provide incentives to produce as little as possible. There are several possible approaches. Some reduction strategies prevent hazardous waste generalion. Some apply to the waste produced. 

This study identifies and examines source reduction, recycling, and treatment strategies for reducing California s metal-bearing waste streams. All of the strategies examined are alternatives to land disposal of the wastes. The methodologies stressed in the report are those that prevent the generation of hazardous wastes. Pollution prevention is preferable to "end-of-the-pipe treatment or recovery. 

This book analyzes alternatives to land disposal of hazardous metal waste streams, focusing on methods that prevent waste generation. Source reduction, recycling, and treatment strategies are examined. 

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