Waste Minimization: As Easy as A, B, C!
- Avoid chlorinated organic solvents, cyanide compounds, and petroleum-based compounds when water-based substitutes exist.
- Buy drainboards and drip pans to enhance drip reuse in process baths.
- Choose closed-loop (i.e., fully enclosed) recycling designs to reduce wastes and worker exposures.
- Decrease the frequency of painting and paint removal to minimal levels.
- Ensure a neat work environment to prevent spills of toxic chemicals.
- Foster a regular program of waste minimization/pollution prevention planning and auditing.
- Give employees incentives to find new waste minimization/pollution prevention ideas.
- Have and use covers for all containers holding fluids that evaporate.
- Instruct employees in waste minimization/pollution prevention.
- Just use storage containers with secondary containment (e.g., drip trays, absorbent paper, a barrier around loading/unloading areas).
- Keep track of toxic chemical inventories to ensure fewer containers on-site, thus minimizing spills, spoilage, evaporation, and unnecessary purchasing.
- Label containers to prevent mistakes that could result in wastes requiring disposal.
- Monitor and maintain the appropriate temperature for heated materials.
- Never allow leaks to persist.
- Only use sprays when absolutely necessary, since they waste chemicals through dispersion (e.g., paint over spray).
- Preclean parts with physical methods (e.g., squeegees, rags) before using solvents.
- Quit disposing of baths without checking bath quality, and restore quality through the use of non-toxic additives where possible.
- Recycle chemicals no longer needed through the Surplus Chemical Program (call 766-3696 for more information).
- Select continuous rather than batch processes whenever possible, to avoid start-up wastes.
- Try redesigning processes so they require fewer toxic chemicals.
- Use machines instead of manual methods where toxicity concerns exist and process precision would reduce wastes significantly (e.g., paint spraying).
- Varnish and other coatings that are not essential should be avoided.
- Wash parts only when absolutely necessary. Xerox double-sided as often as possible. Yield maximization is one goal, and...
- Zero waste is the other.