ABSTRACT
Waste in this context means physical waste that occurs in rubber plant processing. Its handling and disposal are important because of escalating environmental regulations. This chapter deals with US regulations, but Canada and other countries have similar requirements. One way to reduce waste is to have a limited number of product lines. Flowsheets of a plant's operations are essential in determining where waste occurs. High waste in a plant not only impairs the bottom line of net profits: if the waste is not handled according to prevailing environmental laws, major penalties may be incurred by the corporation and by the responsible individuals. The environmental protection codes that govern a rubber plant's operations in the United States are found in five federal acts. These are: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Clean Water Act of 1977, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), and Clean Air Act of 1992.
