Reducing Hazardous Waste Generation An Evaluation and a Call for Action (1985) / Chapter Skim
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3. Approaches for Encouraging Hazardous Waste Reduction
3. Approaches for Encouraging Hazardous Waste Reduction
Pages 45-54
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From page 45... ...
. On the basis of the discussion in Chapter 2, the committee concludes that in the initial phase of implementation of waste reduction strategies -- when industries or individual plants consider changing their waste management practices and implement simple, available, low-cost waste reduction methodologies -- the availability of relatively low-cost land disposal options, attitudes toward change, regulatory issues, and availability of information about existing waste reduction methodologies are the factors that most greatly affect industrial decisions about waste generation.
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From page 46... ...
APPROACHES FOR ENCOURAGING FIRMS TO REDUCE HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATION IN THE INITIAL PHASE Public policy approaches that would be most effective in the initial phase would emphasize the following: · Maintaining the current trend toward changing land disposal practices · Adjusting the regulatory system to encourage, not impede, waste reduction efforts
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From page 47... ...
Although the ~true" long-term costs to society of such options cannot be accurately determined, it seems likely that current costs to the generator do not reflect the net costs to society. The committee believes that public policy should attempt to increase the costs to generators for the use of land disposal options that pose risks to public health or the environment.
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From page 50... ...
The exclusion removes external pressures on those generating the hazardous waste to undertake reduction programs. Certain changes in hazardous waste regulations would be appropriate to protect public health and the environment and at the same time would encourage reduction in waste generation.
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From page 51... ...
Although the committee cannot predict how much waste will be avoided through effective programs of information exchange, such programs are likely to have an important effect, particularly on the smaller firms for which the lack of understanding of the possibilities and economics of waste reduction represents a very critical barrier to implementation of known techniques. The opportunities for public policy to address these concerns include the following: · Educational programs for generators, engineers, and plant operators · Dissemination of information through conferences, workshops, technical literature, and so on · State-established authorities, university-based groups, chambers of commerce, and other appropriate groups to work with firms to implement waste reduction practices · Innovative approaches, such as competitions for novel means to reduce the generation of waste or annual awards for achievement, which encourage industries to share information about waste reduction successes.
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From page 52... ...
These opportunities should be reviewed by other states embarking on such programs. APPROACHES FOR ENCOURAGING FIRMS TO CONTINUE WASTE REDUCTION PROGRAMS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE As firms or plants move from the initial phase, they may have to use more sophisticated and expensive methods to achieve further reductions.
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From page 53... ...
To achieve waste reduction in this phase, it is likely that increasingly sophisticated waste reduction technologies that require significant capital expenditures will be needed. Basic research on new methods for waste reduction may be an area of importance for public policy.
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From page 54... ...
The committee suggests that these activities be initiated and supported now to allow the nation to progress efficiently to the mature phase of waste reduction.
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