A Member of Partners for the
Environment
The Waste Minimization
National Plan is part of
Partners for the
Environment, a consortium
of EPA's voluntary programs.
Together, these programs work
with small and large businesses,
citizens' groups, and other organizations to
incorporate pollution prevention as a central
consideration in doing business. The programs
set reachable environmental goals, such as con-
serving water and energy and reducing toxic
emissions and solid wastes. These voluntary
efforts are achieving measurable environmental
results often more quickly and with lower costs
than traditional regulatory approaches.
For More Information
Copies of the Waste Minimization
National Plan and other supporting
documents are available on the
Internet. You can access EPA's Public Access
Server through gopher.epa.gov or
http://www.epa.gov. Go to "Offices and
Regions," then "Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response," and then "Office of
Solid Waste."
For more information, call the RCRA Hotline
at 800 424-9346 or TDD 800 553-7672 (hearing
impaired). Within the Washington, D.C., area
call 703 412-9810 or TDD 703 412-3323. You
can also call EPA's Waste Minimization Branch
at 703 308-8402. For technical assistance on
waste minimization, call your state or regional
hazardous waste agency. The RCRA Hotline
can provide a list of contacts.
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Benefits of Waste
Minimization
• Reduce Costs
• Exhibit Environmental Leadership
• Improve Human Health and the Environment
• Build Better Community Relations
• Reduce Impacts of RCRA Requirements
hat Is the Waste Minimization
National Plan?
WASTE
MINIMIZATION
More and more compa-
nies are taking steps
to minimize haz-
ardous waste generation in
their facilities. To encourage
waste minimization nation-
wide, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) devel-
oped the Waste Minimization
National Plan. This initiative
promotes a long-term national
effort to minimize the genera-
tion of hazardous chemicals in wastes regulated
under the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA). It emphasizes source reduction
(reducing waste at its source, before it is even
generated) and environmentally sound recy-
cling over waste treatment and disposal.
What Are the Goals of the
National Plan?
NATIONAL PLAN
ardous waste by 25 percent by the year 2000 and 50
percent by 2005. EPA is developing ways to track
progress toward these national goals.
Why Target PBT Chemicals?
• ~m educing PBT chemicals can prevent risks to
1"^ human health and the environment. Persistent
JL m.chemicals remain in the environment for a
long time. Bioaccumulative chemicals build up in
plant and animal tissues, magnifying exposure
through the food chain. Toxic chemicals cause
adverse effects in humans, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Who Can Help Achieve the Goals of the
National Plan?
Waste generators that are required to com-
ply with RCRA regulations can be the
key players in the National Plan.
Government agencies, trade associations, and non-
governmental organizations also can support the
national goal to reduce PBT chemicals.
How Can EPA Help?
E
PA is helping companies identify PBT
chemicals and methods to minimize these
chemicals in their waste by providing:
T
he goals of the National Plan are to reduce
the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and
toxic (PBT) chemicals in the nation's haz-
• A prioritized list of PBT metals to assist indus-
try in prioritizing reductions in the metal con-
tent of the hazardous wastes they send to com-
bustion facilities. (Planned for mid-1996.)
• Screening tools to assist stakeholders in identifying
their waste minimization priorities for PBT chemi-
cals in RCRA wastes. (Planned for late 1996.)
• A handbook on new approaches for including
pollution prevention in the permit process.
(Planned for late 1996.)
How Can You Make the
National Plan a Reality?
You can become involved with the National
Plan by:
• Setting your own waste minimization
goals (which may be higher or lower than
EPA's national goals).
• Developing a plan for achieving
your goals.
• Measuring your progress along the way.
The Challenge: How Far
Can You Go Toward
Achieving the National
Goals?
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