ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the preliminary environmental impact assessment of manufacturing processes performed based on a waste stream summary generated by a computer aided process simulation (PROVAL). It analyses very early stages of process development, offers flexibility and opportunity for implementing changes and modifications in the process, aimed principally towards achieving a true reduction in hazardous waste generation. Waste reduction refers to in-plant practices that reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of hazardous waste so as to reduce risks to health and environment. 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 nation. The chapter discusses the five distinct approaches that industry can take to reduce the generation of hazardous waste, namely: change the raw materials of production; change production technology and equipment; improve production operations and procedures; recycle waste within the plant; and redesign or reformulate end products.
