ABSTRACT
In many respects, pollution prevention and waste minimization are less creatures of legislative fiat than are many other areas related to waste management. In part, this is due to the way that the legislative and regulatory waste management framework developed in the United States (1). In the United States, the major regulatory strategy for addressing wastes, particularly hazardous or toxic wastes, is a “command-and-control” system imposed upon the regulated community from the top down. By contrast, many pollution prevention initiatives are voluntary efforts initiated by companies that seek to improve the “bottom line,” rather than requirements imposed by a regulatory agency.
