Page 32 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

10 DEFINITION OF SOLID WASTE ANALYSIS AND MINIMIZATION

4 Off-site recycling. If waste is generated, develop a separation method and transport
the waste to another organization so that another company could use the waste as a
raw material. For example, the company could transport the cardboard to a third-party
processor for recycling.
5 Waste treatment to render the waste less hazardous. If waste is generated, develop
a separation method and treat the waste so it is less harmful before releasing it to the
environment. This solution applies mostly to chemical processes, such as treating
waste water and releasing it to the public sewer.
6 Secure disposal. Dispose of the waste at a secure landfill. The company could use
its waste hauler to transport the cardboard to a local landfill.
7 Direct release to the environment. If waste is generated, develop a separation
method and release the waste directly to the environment. In this final scenario, the
company could stage the cardboard in an outside area to allow it to biodegrade.

1.4 The Three Rs and the Two Es

If this book were to be reduced to one key idea, it would be the application of the three Rs
and the two Es as they apply to solid waste minimization. From a technical and regulatory
standpoint, the hierarchy mentioned in the previous section is excellent, but it does not hit
home with the leadership of many organizations and does not promote the full benefits of
solid waste minimization. In terms of communicating and promoting solid waste mini-
mization the three Rs and the two Es have served as very effective tools. The three Rs are

■ Reduce
■ Reuse
■ Recycle

The three Rs are a summary of the hierarchy discussed in the previous section. In terms
of the hierarchy, the first item discussed, source reduction, has been separated into two
components, reduce and reuse. Reuse has been added to emphasize the fact that many
items that are being disposed of at a landfill by organizations could have been reused,
such as cardboard containers, plastic caps, or rubber bands. Finally, all recycling meth-
ods, in-process, on-site, and off-site, have been lumped into one category for simplicity.
And the two Es are

■ Environment
■ Economics

The concept is to apply the three Rs at an organization to help the two Es. The three
Rs provide the solutions to the solid waste problem and are based on the hierarchy of
solid waste management. The two Es communicate the goals of these efforts, to lessen
the environmental impact of an organization and improve an organization’s economics
or bottom line. This simple phrase is easy to understand and has served as a great