WASTE INSIGHTS BLOG
Waste measurement, reduction and management are critical parts of an organization's carbon responsibility and as such organizations should engage the services of specialist software providers.
EPA Waste Reduction Programs
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Recycling for Large Distributed Organizations
There is a distinct link between the production of waste and greenhouse gas emissions which are proven to have a significant negative effect on our environment in general and climate change specifically.
While it is near impossible to eliminate waste in one form or another, measures such as EPA waste reduction must be maintained to alleviate emissions and to contribute to the initiatives addressing the problem.
EPA Waste Reduction & Recycling
The programs propose that the prevention of waste is as important as the recycling and together these are the best strategies for reducing greenhouse gases.
At the very earliest stages of a typical manufacturing process, toxic emissions are released due to the energy used to extract raw materials. Once the materials are applied to a manufacturing process this invariably involves combustion of fossil fuels to produce the necessary energy.
Once a finished product has reached the end of its natural life, recycling can in itself produce greenhouse gases due to process requirements, although this process can be carbon neutral due to the fact that the use of raw materials for a replacement product are avoided. Should a product not be recycled, it must be disposed of and this is where EPA waste reduction techniques should be applied.
Landfills Play a Significant Part in GHG Emissions Management
The disposal of solid waste contributes in a number of different ways to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions. One of the best-known processes and the first to come immediately to mind is the manufacture of methane gas through decomposition. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, far more potent than carbon dioxide but present in our atmosphere in generally smaller quantities.
If solid waste is not set for landfills, it may be incinerated and the burning process produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. It should be noted that transportation of waste to any of the disposal sites involves the emission of greenhouse gases from the fuels burned by the transportation vehicles.
If waste cannot be prevented, other methods of recycling such as composting should be considered to help reduce the sheer amount of organic waste in landfills and the resulting methane produced during decomposition.
Solid Waste Recycling is a Logical Path to Lowering Carbon Emissions
Recycling is at the core of EPA waste reduction, as the manufacturing process requires a lot less energy use as compared to the requirement when using fresh materials. There is a knock on effect as less energy is needed to extract, to transport and to process the very raw materials used for the product in question.
There is a considerable additional benefit to the recycling of paper products as it has been proven that trees absorb carbon dioxide in a process called “carbon sequestration.” Thus, as paper products are recycled, additional trees may be saved and remain in our national forests, to do their bit to help our environment.
EPA waste reduction is part of an overall process to reduce waste within our industrial and commercial environments. Every organization must proactively address this issue as part of its overall carbon responsibility.
About Verisae
Verisae helps measure, manage and reduce equipment and energy costs including the related business and environmental impacts of carbon emissions. The Sustainability Resource Planning (“SRP”) software platform improves operational efficiency, protects brand integrity and helps ensure regulatory compliance for distributed enterprises across many industries. Verisae delivers a broad range of sustainability solutions to dozens of clients globally with thousands of daily users including an extended network of third-party suppliers. Verisae’s integrated sustainability platform actively tracks millions of assets across thousands of sites worldwide.
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