United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S8-89/070 Feb. 1990
xvEPA Project Summary
Guidance Document for the
WRITE Pilot Program with
State and Local Governments
M. Lynn Apel, Harry M. Freeman, Michael F. Szabo, and Sunil H. Ambekar
The WRITE Pilot Program With State
and Local Governments is a major
component of a new national
research program being undertaken
by the U.S. EPA called the Waste
Reduction Innovative Technology
Evaluation (WRITE) Program. The
WRITE Program is implemented by
the Pollution Prevention Research
Branch (PPRB) of the Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory (RREL). The
guidance document summarized here
provides an overview of the "WRITE
Program With State and Local
Governments," presents the program
goals, and explains the general policy
regarding funding and execution.
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA's Risk Reduction Engi-
neering Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to
announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
Throughout the last several years,
many industries and government organ-
izations have initiated management pro-
grams and modified manufacturing and
processing operations to incorporate
waste reduction practices. Within the past
year, EPA has taken several actions to
encourage a national program of waste
minimization, or what since has become
included in the phrase "pollution preven-
tion." Pollution prevention is a term that
has been used more frequently within the
last year to describe techniques, prac-
tices, or procedures implemented by the
private and public sectors to prevent the
generation of pollutants. As it is used
today, "pollution prevention" has re-
placed the term "waste minimization"
which was generally applied to the reduc-
tion of hazardous wastes, and defined in
the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments (HSWA) to the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
of 1976.
Source reduction and recycling
precede treatment and disposal in the
hierarchy of waste management and are
the two primary elements upon which all
Agency pollution prevention activities are
focused. Source reduction has been
defined as the reduction or elimination of
waste at the source, usually within a
process. Source reduction measures in-
clude process modifications, feedstock
substitutions, improvements in feedstock
purity, housekeeping and management
procedural changes, increases in the
efficiency of equipment, and recycling
within a process. Likewise, recycling has
been defined as the use or reuse of a
waste material as an effective substitute
for a commercial product or as an
ingredient or feedstock in an industrial
process. It includes the reclamation of
useful constituent fractions within a waste
material or the removal of contaminants
from a waste to allow it to be reused.
Reducing the generation of pollutants
from waste streams can be achieved in
many ways. Process chemistry can be
changed; potential waste streams can be
recycled within a manufacturing process
or back into the process; process
technology and/or equipment can be
modified to produce products more
efficiently and with less waste generated;
plant operations can be changed or
controlled to produce fewer and smaller
waste streams or less waste in general;
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changes in raw materials (feedstocks)
can lead to fewer waste streams or less
hazardous waste streams; and finally,
changes in end products from
manufacturing operations can, in some
instances, be made so as to affect the
types and quantities of wastes emitted.
As a part EPA's national pollution
prevention program, several multimedia
research, development and demon-
stration programs have been established
within the RREL. Through these pro-
grams, waste reduction processes and
technologies are identified, developed
and demonstrated. Addressed under
these programs are hazardous, non-
hazardous, industrial and municipal
wastes. The WRITE Program is the
largest of EPA's pollution prevention
research programs.
The Waste Reduction
Innovative Technology
Evaluation (WRITE) Program
The WRITE Program is designed to
identify, evaluate, and/or demonstrate the
use of innovative engineering and sci-
entific technologies to reduce the volume
and/or toxicity of wastes produced from
the manufacture, processing, and use of
materials. The WRITE Program is broad
in technical scope and addresses the
reduction of pollutants across all environ-
mental media: air, land, surface water,
and groundwater. Attention is directed
toward methodologies with the potential
for reducing the quantity and/or toxicity of
waste produced at the source of
generation, or to achieve practicable on-
site reuse or recycling of waste materials.
Strong consideration is given to the
applicability of a technique on an
industry-wide basis and across industries.
Industries of primary interest under the
WRITE Program include chemical, fabri-
cated metals, electronic, printing and
publishing, lumber, petroleum, transpor-
tation, food, and textile.
The objectives of the WRITE Program
include the following:
• To establish reliable performance and
cost information on pollution preven-
tion techniques by conducting evalua-
tions or demonstrations of the more
promising innovative technologies.
• To accomplish an early introduction of
waste reduction techniques into broad
commercial practice.
• to encourage active participation of
small- and medium-sized companies
in evaluating and adopting pollution
prevention concepts by providing
support to these companies through
state and local government agencies.
• To encourage the transfer of knowl-
edge and technology concerning
pollution prevention practices between
large, medium-sized, and small indus-
tries.
• To provide solutions to important
chemical-, waste stream- and industry-
specific pollution prevention research
needs
These objectives are achieved through
the. implementation of research projects
conducted cooperatively with State and
local governments, private industry, uni-
versities, technical societies and other
organizations under three WRITE sub-
programs: the WRITE Pilot Program with
State and Local Governments, the
WRITE Program With Industry, and the
WRITE Research Program (see Figure
1). Through these subprograms, approxi-
mately 30 waste reduction technologies
will be evaluated and several long-term
waste- and industry-specific research
studies will be undertaken.
WRITE Pilot Program With State
and Local Governments
The WRITE Pilot Program with State
and Local Governments is the largest
subprogram and addresses immediate
information transfer needs between
government and industry. Through the
joint efforts of EPA and various state and
local governments, technical and eco-
nomic evaluations of source reduction
and recycling technologies are being
conducted of manufacturing and pro-
cessing operations across approximately
twenty industries. This joint approach was
chosen because state and local govern-
ment officials are often more familiar with
local industrial practices and regional
manufacturing and economic interests
that can affect the potential success and
widespread applicability of proposed pol-
lution prevention technologies. States
currently participating in this program
include California, Connecticut, Illinois,
Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington.
Under this program, $100,000 per year
is provided by EPA to each participating
state/local government. The state/local
government also contributes additional
matching funds ranging from 25% to
50% of the cost of the research. An
average of five waste reduction technol-
ogies are evaluated by EPA and each
state/local government during a 3-year
period. Waste reduction technologies
evaluated under this program are based
on several selection criteria. These in-
clude: (1) type of waste reduction tech-
nology, (2) status of development, (3)
unique nature of the technology, (4)
application, (5) source reduction perform
ance capability, (6) extent of proces:
modification, (7) cost effectiveness of th<
technology, (8) process safety and healtl
considerations, (9) cost to EPA «nd thi
State/local government, and (10) lega
contractual issues.
The technical and economic evalua
tions conducted for each technolog
include an in-depth study of the process
a literature review of comparable prc
cesses, material and energy balanc
computations, a field demonstration, an
determination of cost estimation pararr
eters including itemization of capital an
operational costs, calculation of the pa\
back period and return on investment.
A summary of the types of informatio
collected during a technical and econorr
ic evaluation of a waste minimizatic
technology under this program is show
in Table 1. The example concerns tt
modification of a cold solvent cleanin
process. In the cold cleaning of ball bea
ings with solvents, using a two-ste
countercurrent cleaning sequence cz
increase the cleaning efficiency. It Ce
also substantially reduce the solvent n
quirement and, hence, the waste gene
ation. This process does not involv
substantial equipment modification. Mati
rial balance calculations indicate a was
reduction of 50 percent and a 33 perce
reduction in fresh solvent requirements.
WRITE Program With Industry
The WRITE Program With Indust
focuses on evaluations of waste reductk
technologies currently in use or und
development by large industries. One
the objectives of this program is
encourage the transfer of knowledge ai
technology concerning pollution prove
tion practices between large, mid-si*
and small industries. Under the WRI
Program With Industry, evaluations
waste reduction technologies are pi
formed directly with industrial firms
through industrial trade associations ar
or technical societies.
WRITE Research Program
In addition to evaluation programs, 1
WRITE Program has a research subp
gram. The WRITE Research Progr,
focuses on pollution prevention reseai
needs, i.e., the generation of data
allow the future demonstration
emerging new pollution prevention tei
niques. Projects under this componenl
the WRITE Program address varic
technical obstacles to waste reduct
and to chemical-, waste stream-, «
industry-specific pollution prevent
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WRITE Program
Evaluation
Subprograms
(70%)
WRITE Pilot Program with
State/Local Governments
(80%)
• State and Local Governments
• Small and Medium Size Industries
Research
Subprogram
(30%)
WRITE Program with
Industry
(20%)
Individual Companies
Industrial Trade Organizations/
Technical Societies
Large Industries
WRITE Research
Program
• Universities
• Other Government Agencies
• Industrial Trade Organizations/
Technical Societies
Figure 1. The EPA Waste Reduction Innovative Technology Evaluation (WRITE) Program.
Table 1. Summary of Engineering Evaluation for Cold Solvent Cleaning
Process Modification
Type of Application
Stage of Development
Unique Nature of
Technology
Applications
Process modification
Demonstration
First-of-a-kind demonstration
Reduces hazardous waste generation in the
cold cleaning operations of the parts
cleaning industry, which is a medium/small-
scale operation.
Performance
Achieves 50% waste reduction by reducing
the fresh solvent requirement by 33%.
Need for Modification
Cost Effectiveness of
Technology
Safety & Health
Requires essentially only minor equipment
modification.
Added capital costs = $600
Net operating savings = $380 per year
Payback period = 1.6 years
Note: Net operating savings include savings
resulting from reduced waste disposal,
reduced solvent requirement, and operation
and maintenance expense.
Properly designed system is considered
safe. Metal cleaning systems are routinely
used in industry without any safety or health
problems.
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issues. These research efforts are con-
ducted with industrial firms, universities,
other government agencies, technical
societies, and industrial trade organiza-
tions.
Methods for Identification and
Evaluation of Waste Reduction
Technologies
The number and type of industries,
waste streams, unit operations, process
modifications, and manufacturing scenar-
ios to which waste reduction technologies
can be applied are considerable and
diverse. For this reason, decision tools
were developed under the WRITE Pro-
gram to assist in the identification and
ranking of waste reduction technologies
with the greatest potential toward
achieving the objectives of the research
program. Two of these tools, a worth
assessment model and a maturity index
are discussed in more detail in this
guidance document.
Worth Assessment Model for
Evaluation of Waste Reduction
Technologies
The Worth Assessment Model for
Evaluation of Waste Reduction Technol-
ogies has been developed under the
WRITE Program to evaluate and rank
potential waste reduction technologies.
Those technologies with the highest
score are then considered for further
study through engineering and economic
evaluations. Weights have been given to
each of the technology selection criteria
identified in the model. The merit of each
technology is evaluated with respect to
these criteria. The model is presented in
Figure 2.
Maturity Index For Technology
Development
The Maturity Index for Technology
Development (Figure 3) is a second tool
used in the evaluation of waste reduction
technologies under the WRITE Program.
Technical developments follow a hier-
archy of successive steps as they pro-
ceed from the idea to commercial reality.
Each step (e.g., documentation of the
idea, bench-scale testing, pilot-scale test-
ing, and sustained operation of integrated
systems) has a unique set of attributes
and characteristics that reflect the relative
maturity of the development.
To successfully conduct an engineer-
ing and economic evaluation of a tech-
nology, a relatively high maturity is
required. The U.S. Department of Energy
has developed a maturity index that can
be used to determine relative maturity.
This maturity index uses a numerical
scale from 1 to 100 that is essentially
arbitrary. Figure 3 presents the scale of
development of a technology, the corre-
sponding maturity index, and associated
developmental characteristics. Technol-
ogies considered under the WRITE Pilot
Program With State and Local Govern-
ments and the WRITE Program With
Industry have a maturity index equal to or
above 29.
Additional EPA Pollution
Prevention Research Activities
The WRITE Program is one of several
activities currently being undertaken by
EPA to address the Agency's goal of
implementation of a national pollution
prevention policy. A summary of some of
the additional EPA activities is provided
in the guidance document.
Waste Reduction Evaluations at
Federal Sites
This research program consists of a
series of demonstration and evaluation
projects for waste reduction conducted
cooperatively by EPA and other federal
agencies such as the Department of
Defense (DOD) and the Department of
Energy (DOE). The WREAFS Program
focuses on waste minimization research
opportunities and technical information at
federal sites.
Many federal activities have estab-
lished waste reduction plans and pro-
grams in the past few years. For
example, an overall goal within DOD is to
reduce hazardous waste generation a
total of 50 percent by 1992 compared
with 1985 levels. Several operation and
process opportunities for waste reduction
exist at federal sites that will reduce
hazardous waste and result in cost
avoidance or cost reduction as well as
productivity, environmental, and human
health benefits. Waste minimization
opportunities can be applied throughout
the federal community in fabrication,
production, and/or maintenance pro-
cesses, depending on the waste
generating function. Industrial activities
that support federal activities through in-
house or contract efforts (whether on-site
or off-site) are generally the same
activities as those within the private
sector. The application may vary, de-
pending on the final product however,
waste reduction techniques can be
successfully employed in both the public
and private sectors.
Waste Reduction Assessments
Program
The Waste Reduction Assessment
Program (WRAP) encourages th
industrial community's use of waste min
mization assessments. The WRAP Prc
gram is designed to assist users i
applying waste minimization assess
ments as a tool for identifying options fc
reducing waste generation. Thes
assessments may be conducted interr
ally by in-house teams or throug
external means, such as consultants, wit
in-house assistance. Preliminary assess
ments will be followed by long-terr
studies to verify the lasting effectivenes
of waste minimization applications.
Initial efforts in the program wi
demonstrate and evaluate the Wast
Minimization Opportunity Assessmei
Manual (EPA1625/7-88/003) published b
EPA in 1988. The development <
standard procedures applicable over
broad range of business sizes and type
will provide a uniform basis for those
decision-making roles to implemen
postpone, or reject identified option
Experience with the assessment protoc
will demonstrate the effectiveness i
translating incentives and disincentive
for waste minimization into quantifiab
factors that can be ranked objectivel
Where appropriate, evaluations will co
elude with revisions to the manuj
Suggested amendments will be tran
ferred to state and regional waste mir
mization programs. Expanded effor
within the program include tailoring tl
EPA manual to reflect the needs
individual industries
Waste Reduction Institute for
Scientists and Engineers
The Waste Reduction Institute f
Scientists and Engineers (WRISE) is
joint university/EPA sponsored institi
comprised of individuals knowledgeat
in the principles and practices of wa:
reduction. Some of the Institute membe
are retired from distinguished careers
industry. The overall purpose of t
group is to counsel EPA with respect
its pollution prevention activities and
serve as liaisons to private indus
generators that the Agency wishes
encourage to adopt and demonstr;
waste reduction techniques. Review z
comment on individual project do(
ments and participation as lecturers
pollution prevention seminars will
undertaken by the Institute personnel.
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Criteria Ranking Weight
Status of Development 5
Maturity index 0-28 (0.0)
Maturity index 29-35 (0.1)
Maturity index 37-70 (0.5)
Maturity index 80-90 (1.0)
Maturity index 90-100 (0.2)
Applications 20
Priority Waste (0.3)
• High (1.0)
• Moderate (0.5)
• None (0.1)
Range of other applications (0.4)
• More than one industry/process (1.0)
• One industry/process (0.5)
• Site-specific application (0.0)
Size of Industry (0.3)
• Small Scale (1.0)
• Medium Scale (1.0)
• Large Scale (0.5)
Source Reduction Performance Capability 20
Significant reduction (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
Slight improvement (0.1)
No change (0.0)
Extent of Process/Equipment Modification 10
Low (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
Significant (0.1)
Cost-Effectiveness of Technology 15
Significant (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
Slightly better (0.1)
Poor (0.0)
Safety and Health Considerations 5
Beneficial (1.0)
Same as conventional (0.5)
Deleterious, but solvable (0.1)
Very hazardous (0.0)
Cost to EPA and State/Local Governments 5
Low (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
High (0.0)
Demonstrator's Qualifications 10
Technical (0.5)
Excellent (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
Poor (0.1)
inancial Condition (0.5)
Excellent (1.0)
Moderate (0.5)
Poor (0.1)
Legal/Contractual Issues 5
None (1.0)
Solvable (0.5)
Serious (0.1)
Length of Evaluation 5
0 to 6 months (1.0)
6 to 12 months (1.0)
Greater than 12 months (0.1)
100
Figure 2. Worth assessment model for evaluation of a waste reduction technology.
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Scale of
Development
Maturity
Index
Characteristics
Commercial
Demonstrational
Prototype
Pilot Plant
Proof -of-Concept
Process Development Unit
Bench
100 Specific private sector interest in system application—commercial operation
97 Specific private sector interest in system application-construction complete
93 Specific private sector interest in system application-system design complete
92 Specific private sector interest in system application-contract awarded
91 Specific private sector interest in system application-letter of intent signed
90 Final form of detailed system cost estimation complete for commercial plant
85 Final form of detailed design of replicate systems completed
83 Final form of detailed design of replicate systems possible (data available)
80 Successfully sustained operation of prototype or modified system meeting all criteria listed
below for prototype system; duration of operation sufficient to access time-based effects sue
as erosion, corrosion, catalyst deactivation, fatigue failures, etc., for determination of plant lift
70 Products/functions of prototype system evaluated in intended commercial application
69 Sustained operation of prototype system at design capacity, at design conditions using design
subsystem properly operation and produced design specification products
64 Specific prototype facility operated
60 Specific prototype facility constructed
42 Specific prototype facility designed
37 Specific prototype facility conceptualized
35 Cost estimate complete based on most up-to-date data
34 Detailed engineering design complete for pilot plant based on most up-to-date data
30 Integrated pilot plant operated
29 Integrated pilot plant constructed
27 Integrated pilot plant designed
26 Integrated subscale pilot plant operated
25 Integrated subscale pilot plant constructed
24 Integrated subscale pilot plant designed
23 Non-integrated pilot plant operated
22 Non-integrated pilot plant constructed
21 Non-integrated pilot plant designed
20 Detailed engineering scale cost analysis complete
18 Integrated system engineering design and specification complete
17 system unit operations engineering design and specification complete
16 system engineering design analysis complete
15 System engineering design conceptualized
14 Engineering design data sufficient for system design collected and analyzed
13 Unit operation elements operated
12 Unit operation elements constructed
11 Unit operation elements designed
10 Mode of operation of unit operation elements detailed
9 System unit operation elements defined
8 Extensive experimental data and evaluation completed on all major system elements;
experiments and analysis conducted to the point of mapping system variable responses an
optimization
7 Extensive experimental data on all major system elements collected and analyzed
6 Laboratory scalelstyle experiments conducted; initial system data collected
5 Single principle experiments conducted to verify essential system elements
4 Detailed documentation of idea, principles, and other essential system elements
3 Physical, chemical, electrical, etc., principles assessed
2 Idea developed to encompass a definable system
1 Describable idea
Figure 3. Maturity index for technology development.
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Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse
Through the Pollution Prevention
Information Clearinghouse (PPIC), a
public domain computerized information
network for the exchange of pollution pre-
vention information among states, local
governments, generators, industry organ-
izations, and the federal government is
being established. This activity is being
jointly undertaken by EPA's Office of
Research and Development and the new-
ly created Pollution Prevention Office.
Some of the issues that have been
addressed under PPIC include establish-
ment of a commonly accepted acces-
sion/indexing technique for clearinghouse
holdings, incorporation of a hot line
telephone number for pollution prevention
information updates, assurance of hard
copy materials when requested, and
incorporation of an electronic information
exchange capability. Services anticipated
through PPIC include: indexed bibli-
ographies and abstracts of pollution
prevention reports and publications, case
studies of demonstrations and evalua-
tions of waste reduction technologies, a
calendar of events including conferences,
seminars, federal and state activities in
pollution prevention, an electronic bulletin
board for communication and message
transmittal among users, and a list of
state, federal, industry, trade organiza-
tion and other recognized contacts
knowledgeable in various aspects of
pollution prevention activities.
The Pollution Prevention Research
Branch welcomes inquires for additional
information concerning the WRITE Pro-
gram and other EPA waste reduction
activities. The full report was prepared by
the Pollution Prevention Research Branch
of the Risk Reduction Engineering Lab-
oratory with assistance from PEI Asso-
ciates, Inc. through Contract No. 68-03-
3389 under the sponsorship of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
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The EPA authors M. Lynn Ape! (also the EPA Project Officer, see below) and Harry
M. Freeman are with the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH
45268; Michael F. Szabo and Sunil H. Ambekar are with PEI Associates, Inc.,
Cincinnati, OH 45246.
The complete report, entitled "Guidance Document For the WRITE Pilot Program
with State and Local Governments," (Order No. PB 89-220 487/AS; Cost: $13.95,
subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
United States
Enviranaraaental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S8-89/070
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