Waste Minimization

• Author: Frank B. Friedman
• Pages: 369-379

Chapter 8:

Waste Minimization

Many companies are now exploring multimedia waste minimization.

This concept defines waste very broadly to include all materials re-

leased into the environment, on or off site. In essence, it means reducing the

amounts of air emissions, effluent, and hazardous and nonhazardous wastes

generated. If nothing else, a waste minimization program recognizes the

growing legal pressure to control remaining sources of pollution. It is easier

and probably cheaper to develop your own reduction program than to wait

for regulation. Reductions can come from source reduction, recycling, and

other beneficial uses of materials. It also employs the use of life cycle analy-

sis to determine if product or raw material substitution is appropriate as well

as other examples discussed in Chapter 3 (Environmental Management in

the 21st Century).

Waste minimization is not a new concept. At least since RCRA was

amended in 1984 to require generators to certify that they have minimized

their hazardous waste generation, many companies have made efforts to

generate less solid and hazardous waste. These minimization programs,

however, generally have not included reductions in air emissions or effluent

discharges into water,even when the companies have been making those re-

ductions as required by other statutes (such as the CAA, which creates con-

stant pressure to reduce emissions of both conventional and toxic air pollut-

ants). The passage of EPCRA1in 1986 inspired a change in this attitude.

EPCRA put industry on notice that releases at levels once unquestioned are

subject to public and legislative scrutiny and possible control. This chapter

focuses on how to broaden minimization programs to encompass emissions

and effluent as well as solid and hazardous wastes.

Solid Waste Reduction: A Case Study

In April 1991, McDonald’s Corporation and the Environmental Defense

Fund released an innovative report addressing the recommendations made

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