Pollution prevention (P2) is the practice of reducing or eliminating the generation of waste while avoiding shifting the hazards from one medium to another (e.g., from water to air, from hazardous waste to solid waste, or from environmental concerns to fire safety concerns) . Although the pollution prevention concept is traditionally associated with hazardous chemicals, it is also applicable to energy consumption and natural resource use (e.g., water, minerals, and wood). Generally speaking, pollution prevention strategies reduce the overall use of waste- or hazard-generating material by:
substitution with a lower-hazard alternative material or chemical;
process reformulation, product redesign, or process modernization;
improved housekeeping or operation and maintenance practices; or,
extending the useful life of the material, product or process through reuse and recycling.
The strict definition of pollution prevention excludes the treatment of wastes prior to disposal, since treatment methods typically involve the addition of hazardous chemical, energy, and natural resource inputs. Toxics use reduction refers to pollution prevention efforts that focus on processes with hazardous material inputs.
Silver Recovery – A central silver recovery unit, installed in the main campus (Building 68), collects and recycles fixer from the Institute’s photographic processing centers. This unit diverts all of the Institute’s photographic fixer from the hazardous waste stream, and realizes its value as a commodity by reclaiming the silver.
Green Goods Purchasing – MIT already has some resources to make purchasing for your DLC a little easier and greener.
Start with the VPF Preferred supplies list. Be sure to select “Yes” under Sustainable. If you cannot find what you are looking for with the Sustainable filter, perhaps try one of the Small/Disadvantaged Business filters.
Staples eCat in Buy To Pay: Staples has many eco-friendly options. A quck way to view most of them is through the “My Lists” drop down menu – select Eco-Friendly Products. You can also filter by eco-friendly or recycled in a regulary search.
Solvent Recycling – Laboratories that use high volumes of xylene, methanol, acetonitirile and certain other solvents may be good candidates to try a model solvent recycling unit that is available for loan through the EHS Office.
At work, at home, or in your community, you can adopt a variety of approaches to pollution prevention.
To implement pollution prevention techniques consider:
packaging of products you routinely use or purchase; paper/cardboard is easier to recycle and reuse than Styrofoam.
the intended use of a given chemical and whether an alternative can be used. Toxic, aggressive acids have been used to clean stubborn residue on laboratory glassware when a lower hazard caustic might be just as effective.
if somebody else has the chemical you are ordering. EHS Assistant software includes a feature that allows labs to share inventories.
if a chemical has a short shelf life, minimize the quantity ordered of that chemical. Prudent handling practices for peroxide formers like ethers, 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran indicate the material should be discarded within 12 months of opening or 18 months of receiving so as to minimize the risk of forming shock-sensitive crystals.
what housekeeping or improved operation and measures can you take to minimize waste. Worn seals on pumps create oil leaks, a hazardous waste.
how your lab’s or PI’s money is being spent. Indoor air quality or exposure issues from hazardous materials translate to increased health care costs and lost work time. Lab cleanouts from accumulated hazardous chemicals mean the PI pays for the chemical twice: first for the initial purchase and again when unwanted material is declared a waste. Equipment that is not optimized for performance or is not properly maintained will consume more oil or may not carry out a process as effectively resulting in lost research time.
Pollution prevention (P2) is the practice of reducing or eliminating the generation of waste while avoiding shifting the hazards from one medium to another (e.g., from water to air, from hazardous waste to solid waste, or from environmental concerns to fire safety concerns) . Although the pollution prevention concept is traditionally associated with hazardous chemicals, it is also applicable to energy consumption and natural resource use (e.g., water, minerals, and wood). Generally speaking, pollution prevention strategies reduce the overall use of waste- or hazard-generating material by:
substitution with a lower-hazard alternative material or chemical;
process reformulation, product redesign, or process modernization;
improved housekeeping or operation and maintenance practices; or,
extending the useful life of the material, product or process through reuse and recycling.
The strict definition of pollution prevention excludes the treatment of wastes prior to disposal, since treatment methods typically involve the addition of hazardous chemical, energy, and natural resource inputs. Toxics use reduction refers to pollution prevention efforts that focus on processes with hazardous material inputs.
Silver Recovery – A central silver recovery unit, installed in the main campus (Building 68), collects and recycles fixer from the Institute’s photographic processing centers. This unit diverts all of the Institute’s photographic fixer from the hazardous waste stream, and realizes its value as a commodity by reclaiming the silver.
Green Goods Purchasing – MIT already has some resources to make purchasing for your DLC a little easier and greener.
Start with the VPF Preferred supplies list. Be sure to select “Yes” under Sustainable. If you cannot find what you are looking for with the Sustainable filter, perhaps try one of the Small/Disadvantaged Business filters.
Staples eCat in Buy To Pay: Staples has many eco-friendly options. A quck way to view most of them is through the “My Lists” drop down menu – select Eco-Friendly Products. You can also filter by eco-friendly or recycled in a regulary search.
Solvent Recycling – Laboratories that use high volumes of xylene, methanol, acetonitirile and certain other solvents may be good candidates to try a model solvent recycling unit that is available for loan through the EHS Office.
At work, at home, or in your community, you can adopt a variety of approaches to pollution prevention.
To implement pollution prevention techniques consider:
packaging of products you routinely use or purchase; paper/cardboard is easier to recycle and reuse than Styrofoam.
the intended use of a given chemical and whether an alternative can be used. Toxic, aggressive acids have been used to clean stubborn residue on laboratory glassware when a lower hazard caustic might be just as effective.
if somebody else has the chemical you are ordering. EHS Assistant software includes a feature that allows labs to share inventories.
if a chemical has a short shelf life, minimize the quantity ordered of that chemical. Prudent handling practices for peroxide formers like ethers, 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran indicate the material should be discarded within 12 months of opening or 18 months of receiving so as to minimize the risk of forming shock-sensitive crystals.
what housekeeping or improved operation and measures can you take to minimize waste. Worn seals on pumps create oil leaks, a hazardous waste.
how your lab’s or PI’s money is being spent. Indoor air quality or exposure issues from hazardous materials translate to increased health care costs and lost work time. Lab cleanouts from accumulated hazardous chemicals mean the PI pays for the chemical twice: first for the initial purchase and again when unwanted material is declared a waste. Equipment that is not optimized for performance or is not properly maintained will consume more oil or may not carry out a process as effectively resulting in lost research time.