A unit operations approach to waste minimization

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Abstract
Experience with waste minimization audits has shown that there are problems which are common to multiple industrial categories. Presently, there is no easy way to identify waste minimization techniques developed in one industry and apply them to another industry. Additionally, there is no technique available allowing researchers to attack problems at their source where changes will have the greatest impact on hazardous waste generation. This work reports on a method to describe industrial wastes in terms of six sets: Laboratory, Reaction, Separation, Mechanical, Housekeeping and Transportation wastes. These are broken down further by the three basic unit operation sets of processes: Processes, Unit Operations and Unit Operation Configurations. A solutions database was developed that is described in terms of these sets. The top 823 waste generators in South Carolina and their associated 4031 waste streams were also described in terms of the sets. It was found that the greatest amount of hazardous waste was generated by operations in the reactions set. Solutions that are applicable to multiple industrial categories include rinsing, cleaning, and mixing. The unit operations approach was found to be a useful approach for database analysis.