Source reduction
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Source reduction refers to any change in the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or products (including packaging) to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste.
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[edit] Synonyms
Pollution Prevention (or P2) and Toxics use reduction are also called source reduction because they address the use of hazardous substances at the source.
[edit] Procedures
Source Reduction is achieved through improvements in production and product design, or through Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP).
[edit] Source reduction in the United States
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission offers guidance for labelling claims: "Source reduction" refers to reducing or lowering the weight, volume or toxicity of a product or package. To avoid being misleading, source reduction claims must qualify the amount of the source reduction and give the basis for any comparison that is made. These principles apply regardless of whether a term like "source reduced" is used.
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Program (TURA) offers 6 strategies to achieve source reduction:
- Toxic chemical substitution
- Production process modification
- Finished product reformulation
- Production modernization
- Improvements in operations and maintenance
- In-process recycling of production material
