Pollution prevention: A regulatory update

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6655006

Walzer, A E ^[1]; Maynard, J W ^[2]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
2. Maynard (J.W.), Columbus, OH (United States)

Pollution prevention is the emphasis of the 1990s environmental philosophy. This new environmental era was ushered in when President Bush signed the Pollution Prevention Act in October 1990. This law, with its accompanying philosophy, was in response to the realization that end-of-the-pipe treatment, which frequently changed the media in which a pollutant or waste was discharged, was inadequate to protect the environment and human health. Pollution prevention advocates source reduction, where material substitutions and engineering solutions are sought to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and pollutants. This proactive approach reduces environmental impacts such as those of former waste sites which have produced environmental legacies that will cost billions of dollars and take decades to remediate. This paper describes pollution prevention philosophy and summarizes regulatory pollution prevention requirements. It describes current regulatory trends in the area of pollution prevention, including voluntary programs and enforcement actions. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 is described, and pollution prevention initiatives embodied in other laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act, are discussed. A historical overview of waste minimization initiatives within the Department of Energy is given, and other pollution prevention initiatives that affect federal facilities, such as Executive Order 12780, which mandates recycling and the procurement of recycled materials, are also outlined.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400; AC05-76OR00001
• OSTI ID: 6655006
• Report Number(s): CONF-930205-54; ON: DE93009727
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
LAND POLLUTION ABATEMENT
LAWS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION LAWS
PROCESSING
RECYCLING
REGULATIONS
US CLEAN AIR ACT
US CLEAN WATER ACT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT