ABSTRACT

Waste reduction is an economically sensible and sound response to the perceived hazardous waste crisis. Several thousand pounds of hazardous waste are generated annually for every person in the U.S. 1 , 2 Also, the total costs of waste management is escalating at a rate of 20-30%/year. 3 Many pollution control methods do little more than transfer waste from one phase to another. Thus, establishing a comprehensive multimedia approach to reduce the level of wastes that enter the air, land and water is essential. Waste reduction is cost effective, especially when compared to the time, effort and resources required to comply with regulations. Though enforcement sometimes provides the impetus for waste reduction, cost savings are almost always a consequence.