Waste reduction process changes

Economic evaluations of waste-reduction options should involve a comparison of operating costs to illustrate where cost savings would accrue. For example, a waste-reduction measure that reduces the amount of raw material lost down the drain during the process will reduce raw-material costs. Raw-material substitution or process changes may reduce the amount of solid waste that must be transported offsite, reducing the transport costs for waste disposal. 

Wherever possible, environmental protection efforts first should be aimed at minimizing the amount of wastes or pollutants generated. Waste reduction at its source through product design changes, industrial process changes, or material substitution should be a primary objective. 

Stabilization is the process used for reduction of hazard potential of the waste by converting the contaminants into their least soluble, least immobile, or least toxic form. Other characteristics of the waste may not change in this treatment. 

This study involved the pollution prevention assessment of a metal parts coating unit to bring about pollution prevention through waste reduction by making process changes, while maintaining the same costs. 

Process changes, operations changes, and equipment changes accounted for 87% of the source reduction activities reported to INFORM. Such efficiency-oriented opportunities continued to be found by plants that had previously achieved significant reductions in waste generation. 

Process Changes Optimization. In the original process, considerable quantities of acetylene and ammonia had to be disposed of as waste products. After the drastic reduction in the amount of resin produced, the consumption of these raw materials could be carefully scrutinized. Improvements can be achieved by ... 

Modifications of the manufacturing process can yield substantial waste reduction. Some such modifications are of a chemical nature. Changes in chemical reaction conditions can minimize the production of by-product hazardous substances. In some cases, potentially hazardous catalysts, such as those formulated from toxic substances, can be replaced by catalysts that are nonhazardous or that can be recycled rather than discarded. Wastes can be minimized by volume reduction, for example, through dewatering and drying sludge. 

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