2019 Sustainable Packaging Symposium

A Different View of Source Reduction

Author

David Wagger - Presenter, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)
According to EPA, Source Reduction “is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source”. It resides at the top of EPA’s Environmental Protection Hierarchy, followed by Re-Use, Recycling, Treatment, and Disposal (Release), from more to less preferable. As defined in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, Source Reduction “means any practice which ... reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal”. It further “includes equipment or technology modifications, process or procedure modifications, reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of raw materials, and improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training, or inventory control”. Both the PPA and EPA acknowledge existing regulatory barriers to Source Reduction opportunities. A common strategy seems to be mass reduction of packaging and products, in part to reduce energy use and emissions during manufacturing, transport and/or use. Such dematerialization and other Source Reduction strategies affect Re-Use, Recycling, Treatment, and Disposal (Release) differently. The presentation will explore some of these differences, especially potential challenges and opportunities for Recycling.