The commendable practice of recycling solvents and chemical waste is most often framed within the context of environmental responsibility and stewardship—as indeed it should be. But a very significant and more immediate advantage is the direct economic benefit your company can realize. Spent solvents are a paradigm case Saturated lacquer-thinners, acetones, chlorides, and other [...]
BE AWARE—AND BEWARE—OF YOUR “CRADLE-TO-GRAVE” RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGING HAZARDOUS WASTE One of the oft-forgotten imperatives of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is that you’re responsible for any hazardous waste you “generate” from “cradle-to-grave.” This includes its generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal. Thereby, you’re not only accountable for a hazardous waste from [...]
The size and impact of the EPA has grown exponentially since its inception in 1970, and so has its effects upon the way a legitimate business can operate without running afoul of a myriad of environmental laws and complicated regulations. This is doubly so for enterprises needing to dispose of hazardous waste, as the [...]
Craft Breweries Are Setting the Bar High When you think of a craft brewery, you typically think about the delicious beverages it produces. What you almost certainly do not think about is the water and wastewater management challenges they face. For these breweries, practicing sustainability is more vital than ever. Many craft breweries are [...]
We’ve all become familiar with the big, noisy waste collection trucks that frequent our businesses and neighborhoods. But could automated vacuum waste collection systems (AVAC) soon make them a thing of the past? With more people becoming conscious of better air quality and climate resiliency, it’s a definite possibility. These systems are already growing [...]
4 Items That Are Perfect for Repurposed Metal Projects The next time you have metals to dispose of, think twice about simply recycling them and, of course, don’t even think about throwing them in the trash. You might be surprised at how you can repurpose them. Recently, repurposing items—metal in particular—has become a major trend. [...]
Clarifying "Waters of the United States" Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Army Corps of Engineers released a final rule under the Clean Water Act that further defines the scope of the “waters of the United States.” Under the rule, there are three categories of waters for which the reach of federal jurisdiction, [...]
Electronic Waste: An Inconvenient Reality Chances are you probably have amassed a hefty chunk of electronic waste (e-waste) in your living space over the years. Dusty jewel cases filled with CDs, boxes of remote controls from TVs you junked long ago, and perhaps even a few old computers. You’re not alone. Many people have [...]
What is Upcycling? Unless you’re a frequenter of the vintage handmade-craft site Etsy or the image sharing site Pinterest, you might go your whole life without ever hearing the term ‘upcycling’. Coined in the mid-1990s, the neologism is German-born. Reiner Pilz—speaking about European waste disposal systems in an interview published in 1994—said, “Recycling, I call it [...]
Successful Sustainability: One Step at a Time Why should only the largest corporations, like Coca-Cola and Toms, get all the credit and accolades for trying to do their part to help the environment? It may feel like a monumental task to become a ‘green’ company, but small businesses can certainly be a part of [...]
