Reducing Your Facility's Hazardous Waste (Part 6 of 6)

Recycle Your Waste

When all other options for source reduction are exhausted, recycling your waste is generally accepted as the next best option, so long as sham recycling practices are avoided. On-site recycling is preferred over off-site recycling since transporting waste increases your site’s carbon footprint. If off-site recycling is the only available option, it is best to use a location as nearby as possible. Some examples of recycling of hazardous wastes by New York State facilities include:

• Extracting valuable metals from metal plating wastewater sludge prior to disposal;
• Recycling metallic dust from the steelmaking process;
• Reusing filter cake from wastewater treatment in the production of circuit boards;
• Laundering solvent-contaminated wipes for reuse;
• Reprocessing waste paint to make fresh paint; and
• Distilling spent solvents to allow their re-use.

Laboratory Wastes
Columbia University initiated a project to recycle spent solvents from the laboratories located on their campus for reuse on-site. Based on their initial success, they continued to expand their recycling efforts.

Read about their success in this Environmental Excellence Awards Case Study (opens as a PDF).

Industry Initiatives

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) has identified several economic sectors that can benefit from sharing best practices and new approaches to environmental challenges. More information on NYSP2I’s Industry Initiatives program is available on their website.

Submittal Due Date Reminder

Initial Hazardous Waste Reduction Plans (HWRPs), Biennial Updates (BUs) and Annual Status Reports (ASRs) are due no later than July 1, 2018 for the HWRP program. Facilities that generate 25 tons or more per year of certain hazardous wastes, or generators that hold a Part 373 permit, may be subject. Submittal instructions and other program requirements can be found on our website - HWRP guidance.

In case you missed them:

Part 1: Start with Less Hazardous Inputs

Part 2: Product Re-Design

Part 3: Update the Process

Part 4: Changing Your Operating Practices

Part 5: Put the Waste Back into the Process

We would like to know what you think. Please send your questions or comments regarding Hazardous Waste Reduction to us at HW.ReductionPlanning@dec.ny.gov.