Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers Essay

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Introduction

Factories are governed by the duty of care to ensure that they undertake waste management practices during the production process. In order for an organization to ensure that the wastes produced are managed correctly, Cooks (2012) has recommended five major steps that should be taken by factories. These steps include: (1) monitoring; (2) collection; (3) transportation, (4) processing; and (5) disposal / recycle. The first step according to Cooks (2012) ensures that waste management needs have been identified, measures to minimize waste outputs and recycling are noted, and that waste minimization progress has been reviewed. In the second step, measures are taken to ensure that the process of waste collection from bin containers has been organized well. For example, it is important to ensure the correct collection bin sizes are provided at the desired frequency (Cooks, 2012). Moreover, it is also important to ensure that all the bins have labels and stickers in order to differentiate the waste products being discarded. This helps to keep biodegradable wastes away from the non-biodegradable wastes. Under this step, it is important to make sure that the bins can be easily accessed by the truck drivers.

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Analysis

In the third step (transportation), Cooks (2012) argues that waste products and waste vehicles should be organized in such a way as to ensure that the waste collected is transported from the factory to the waste processing plant and landfills (Cooks, 2012). It is also important to ensure that different types of wastes are transported using designated vehicles. For example, corrosive factory wastes should be transported in vehicles equipped with thicker and compacted walls to prevent corrosion (Cooks, 2012). Before transporting the waste, it is important to ensure that the company, drivers, and vehicles have been licensed by the local municipal council. Also, the EPA and safety standards for hazardous factory waste products must be upheld to avoid human and environmental effects (CYEN 2010).

Cooks 2012) also proposes that during processing, the wastes collected from the factory should undergo a separation process for purposes of identifying recyclable and non-recycled wastes. While the non-recyclable wastes have to be delivered to landfills, the recyclable wastes need to be treated and packaged for reuse or recycling (CYEN 2010). The recyclable wastes are classified as raw materials and should thus be sent to recycling plants. On the other hand, liquid and hazardous wastes from the factories should be delivered to the treatment plants to make them less hazardous to both the environment and humans (Cooks, 2012).

The last step proposed by Cooks (2012) is the recycling or disposal of the collected and processed factory wastes. Cooks argues that this step has to adhere to the EPA regulations governing industrial wastes. For example, it is the responsibility of the relevant environmental management authorities to ensure that certain non-recyclable wastes have been buried in suitable depths to avoid contaminating the water systems (CYEN 2010). Recyclable waste materials are sold to other recycling plants from the production of new products. The cycle for waste management is completed at this stage.

In waste management, it is important to consider what wastes need to be prioritized. This is normally done by the identification and classification of hazardous wastes in line with the EPA’s recommendations. The easy explores the steps used to determine which wastes are more important than others during waste reduction.

The first step taken to identify hazardous waste is to determine the category of the wastes in terms of their effects on humans and the environment, its recyclability, and reuse (EPA, 2005). Under this stage, the volatility and toxicity levels of the wastes are identified. The next step is to determine the wastes that have been excluded as hazardous to humans and the environment. Next, wastes that have been classified by the EPA as being hazardous are determined, along with the effects that they pose to both humans and the environment. In the third step, one has to determine the characteristics of hazardous waste (White & Heckenberg, 2011). After determining the level of toxicity in terms of chemical components, effects to humans and the environment, and the cost of waste management, we then determine if the waste is regulated under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 (White & Heckenberg, 2011). A chemical assessment test is also conducted to measure waste properties before classifying them. Moreover, measurable properties of hazardous wastes are also determined to facilitate classification.

Conclusion

The CDPHE (2008) proposes that the next step involves current available waste management standards evaluation before going aboard to the process of hazardous waste classification (CDPHE 2008). Once the current waste management standards have been evaluated, one should then determine the effects of the waste on the environment and people before. This is an important step in order to decide on whether to reduce waste or not. Thereafter, we need to prioritize the wastes that are to be reduced by the government based on the listed process and procedures.

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Reference List

CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) 2008, Hazardous Waste Identification Guidance Document. Web.

Cooks, J 2014, 5 Steps to effective waste management 2012. Web.

CYEN 2010, Solid waste management. Web.

EPA, 2005, Introduction to United States Environmental Protection Agency Hazardous Waste Identification (40 CFR Parts 261). Web.

White, R & Heckenberg, D 2005, What is hazardous waste and what makes IT hazardous? Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, December 24). Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers. https://ivypanda.com/essays/waste-management-steps-for-manufacturers/

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"Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers." IvyPanda, 24 Dec. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/waste-management-steps-for-manufacturers/.

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IvyPanda. (2020) 'Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers'. 24 December.

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IvyPanda. 2020. "Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers." December 24, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/waste-management-steps-for-manufacturers/.

1. IvyPanda. "Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers." December 24, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/waste-management-steps-for-manufacturers/.


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IvyPanda. "Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers." December 24, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/waste-management-steps-for-manufacturers/.

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