What are the general principles for the management of Prescribed Industrial Waste?
Some of the core and general principles include the following:
- Automobiles should only be allowed to operate after obtaining an EPA permit unless exemptions are given out.
- It should be mandatory to use the EPA transport certificates.
- Only licensed sites should be permitted for use when it comes to waste disposal that belongs to either category B or C.
- Landfills should not be used to dispose of wastes that belong to category A.
When should something be considered a waste product?
According to the Environmental Protection Act of 1993, the following classifications of products are considered wastes.
- Any disposed of, unwanted, ignored, rejected, or excess matter.
- It does not matter whether the above products are meant to be sold, recycled, reprocessed, reused, or purified by an independent operation.
Typical types of wastes include:
- Commercial and industrial wastes are obtained from large-scale industrial operations as well as demolition and construction wastes.
- Municipal wastes gathered from residential settings and kerbside collection points organized by local councils.
What are three impediments to establishing effective recycling schemes and how could these be overcome?
To begin with, the situation barrier is one of the impediments. In this case, containers used for gathering and recycling wastes are largely inappropriate. There should be adequate recycling cans that accommodate a large variety of waste products. In addition, insufficient space might lead to a lack of enough containers for recycling. This challenge can be solved by making sure that waste products are collected more frequently.
Second, behavioral and knowledge barriers can also impede the process. Individuals seem to be too occupied to an extent that they have little knowledge of what is supposed to be recycled. Hence, councils should establish local recycling schemes. Local populations should be taught the importance and technicality of recycling waste products. For instance, educational pamphlets can be sent out to them.
Third, attitude can be a major barrier bearing in mind that some people hardly appreciate the importance of recycling because no awards are given out. Such a negative attitude towards recycling can be overcome by simple and plain information on the long-term benefits of recycling. Moreover, people should be encouraged by demonstrating the pragmatic effects of recycling at a local level.
Which is better in terms of waste reduction, recycling, or reuse? Explain your answer
Reduction of waste products is similar to prevention. It mainly aims at minimizing the number of waste products emanating from a given source. Some of the benefits include pollution reduction, conservation of energy, and protection of natural resources. The order of relevance of these benefits is illuminated in the waste management hierarchy namely reduce, reuse, and recycle. Hence, it is necessary to minimize consumption and subsequent generation of waste products. Out of the three hierarchies, waste reduction is the best approach to managing the menace.
Why is it important to have accurate information regarding the amounts of waste generated in any State or Country?
- Assists in the identification and assessment of viable waste reduction measures.
- Enhances the examination of present waste reduction exercises.
- Appraises the effectiveness of the current waste reduction practices.
- Establishes new strategies for minimizing the production of wastes.
- Discusses trends in waste production and propose necessary actions.
Why is “Planning” an important part of the waste auditing process?
Planning is fundamental in making sure that the process of auditing wastes is executed in the most effective manner. Obtaining relevant support is part and parcel of planning. In addition, the process requires shrewd management. For instance, the set goals and objectives should be clearly outlined. The challenges realized during the process of auditing wastes should also be brought into the limelight and discussed. Needless to say, both effort and time will be required to implement an efficient planning process.
What is meant by the “life cycle” approach when developing an approach to waste management? What would you do to implement such an approach?
This refers to a methodology of product evaluation in its immediate environment. Factors pertaining to a given product are measured using scientific tools. Besides, the existence and life cycle of a product in regards to its environmental load are put into consideration during the assessment process. In order to implement this approach, evaluation of all the stages of the wastes lifecycle is important.
- In stage 1, recovery and primary processing takes place. Identification and examination of how raw materials are processed are carried out in this stage.
- In stage 2, materials are produced followed by the generation of semi-finished goods.
- In stage 3, the given product is manufactured. Besides, the assessment of the production process takes place followed by a keen examination of packaging and transportation mechanisms.
- In stage 4, utilization of the product takes place
- In stage 5, disposal of the product winds up the process.
It is crucial to examine both inputs and outputs in LCA. When the analysis has been concluded, the available data ought to be interpreted so that it can be easy to make a number of recommendations that may secure both financial and time resources.
Waste Management at a Printing Company
‘Y’ Company is a well-established organization that deals with printing operations. The company deals with all categories and volumes of printing needs for their customers. It serves a large number of clients. In regards to profitability, the company is indeed making gainful returns on its investment portfolio. In spite of its impressive profitability, the company still needs to address a number of issues. First, it currently generates excess waste products that are not being managed well. This should be addressed as soon as possible.
The new waste management laws instituted in the State of Victoria clearly stipulate the limits of waste products that can be generated at any given time. Organizations that fail to comply with the new waste management regulations may face prosecution. From the outset, it is evident that the company is currently operating against the new piece of legislation. It is crucial for “Y” company to rectify its waste production and management mechanisms.
First, it is necessary to assess how far the company has deviated from the waste management targets set by the State of Victoria. This can be attained by taking stock of the composition and quantity of wastes generated. The actual amounts of wastes produced within a given period should be accurately measured and availed for analysis. This measurement should entail an adequate description of both the composition and quantity of wastes generated from the firm. The above analysis will assist in identifying both the primary and secondary sources of wastes. The information will facilitate a more direct approach or strategy of handling waste products.
Second, inspection is crucial so that we can be in a position to estimate both the rate (quantity) and composition of wastes produced. Besides, individuals charged with the duty of generating and disposing of wastes can provide the much-needed accurate information during the inspection process.
Measurements of the quantities of wastes generated are fundamental because it will offer a hint on the strategies that can be used to minimize wastes as per the set regulatory standards. In addition, individuals dealing with waste production should be interviewed so that the rationale for this generation can be established. If rectifications are made in regards to the quantities of wastes produced, the company will be in a position to overhaul its waste management program in tandem with the amounts produced at the workplace.
Owing to the nature of the operations carried out by “Y” company, it is vivid that most wastage emanates from disposed of printer papers occasioned by human error or faulty printing machines. After establishing the main causes of wastages, the next stage is to institute mechanisms of eliminating the errors. For example, programs that teach users how to avoid errors should be established at the workplace. When workers are sufficiently educated on the best ways to operate the printing machines, the above-mentioned wastages will definitely be reduced or avoided completely.
Employees assigned to different workstations in the company should also be taught about the social and environmental risks of wastes generated by printing materials. In addition, workers should be made to understand that the company and employees experience numerous economic losses when unwarranted wastes are generated from the company. Furthermore, workers should understand that they risk facing gross legislative impacts when they generate and dispose of wastes in a haphazard manner. They should comprehend that the processes of waste production and disposal are serious issues. The latter will obviously assist in reducing wastages occasioned by human error.
It is also vital to manage errors originating from faulty printing machines as soon as they are noticed. If faulty printing machines are repaired or replaced without much delay, it will assist in minimizing wastages from the company.