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The best means of getting rid of waste is to reduce the amount generated at the source, a process known as source reduction, while waste minimization activities such as reusing and recycling seek to return the waste stream into a production process or alternative
use, thus leading to both economic and environmental benefits.
Traditional approaches to managing waste have relied on regulatory measures, like those under the RCRA, which
set up management techniques to control wastes at the "end-of-the-pipe." But these technologies are not fail-safe. Pollution may still occur. Moreover, public opposition to siting almost any
type of commercial hazardous waste facility has made it difficult to build new facilities. The increasing cost of meeting regulations is another factor in the search for an approach that
avoids creation of waste in the first place.
The source reduction and waste minimization approaches, usually called pollution prevention strategies, are
often seen as flexible alternatives to regulation and ultimately as forms of regulatory relief. Nevertheless, the very existence of tough regulations , emission controls, and adequate
enforcement can spur companies to adopt pollution prevention strategies. In addition, it can be difficult to measure pollution prevention, since it is based upon what is not generated. There
have been some attempts to track these reductions, both in Texas and nationwide.
Hazardous Waste Reduction Programs in Texas
Texas has relied on both voluntary and regulatory programs to encourage source reduction activities. These
programs include:
- Waste Reduction Policy Act of 1991. This act requires that facilities that generate more than 1.102 tons of hazardous
wastes in a year and/or that are required to report releases or transfers of toxic chemicals under the Toxics Release Inventory Program develop: (1) a waste minimization and source
reduction five-year plan; and (2) an executive summary of the plan that must be available for public viewing. Facilities which generate at least 13.2 tons of hazardous waste per year or
that are required to report under the TRI must also submit (3) an annual progress report, due July 1 of each year*. By the end of 1997, more than 1,800
companies had submitted source reduction and waste minimization plans to the TNRCC and about 4,500 companies in all were required to file these site-specific plans by 1999. While
companies are required to submit the plans, how they choose to reduce pollution, and whether in fact they do at all, is strictly voluntary. In addition, as part of the program,
participants must sponsor community environmental programs and citizen communication programs. The TNRCC reports that between 1993 and 1996, reporters under the WRPA implemented about
4,000 Toxics Release Inventory and hazardous waste source reduction programs*.
- Clean Texas. Clean Texas is a voluntary program that has its roots in four separate programs developed under the TNRCC in
the 1990s: Clean Industries 2000, Clean Cities 2000, Clean Texas Star and Clean Industries Plus. Under Clean Industries 2000, industries committed to carry out a plan in concert with the
environmental agency to reduce hazardous or toxic waste by 50 percent from 1987 levels by the year 2000. According to the TCEQ, 195 Texas facilities participated in the voluntary program,
and the original 71 companies that joined had met the goal of reducing toxic releases by 50 percent by 1997*. These same facilities also cut hazardous waste
generation by 15.3 million tons between 1992 and 1994.* Under Clean Cities 2000, 81 local governments enacted programs to reduce generation and disposal of municipal solid waste, and more than one million tons of solid waste was diverted from landfills, either by reducing generation of waste or recycling*. Clean Texas Star worked with other businesses, government agencies and schools to reduce solid waste, while Clean Industries Plus
sought to expand the committments by facilities to work with communities on solving environmental problems. Today, Clean Texas has been refocused along a regional approach, as members are
partnered with others in their regional planning area. Information about the program can be found at www.cleantexas.org.
- Environmental Management Systems. Under legislation passed by the Texas Legislature in 2001, the TCEQ has adopted rules
and guidance to create incentives for those facilities which adopt an EMS, which helps track inputs and outputs in the production process.
- Compliance History. Under legislation approved by the Texas Legislature in 2001, the TCEQ has passed rules and created a
system which ranks facilities according to their compliance with environmental laws. Under the program, facilities which have a good compliance record are eligible for regulatory
flexibility in permitting, inspections and enforcement, while those with a poor enforcement record are not*. The Compliance History of companies is also
posted on TCEQ's website.
- In 1993 the state's voters approved a constitutional amendment known as Proposition 2, which grants
property-tax exemptions for pollution control equipment.
- Through its Office of Pollution Prevention and Recycling, TNRCC has instituted a variety of other source reduction and
waste minimization programs including:
- More than 100 pollution prevention workshops to assist companies and local governments in developing recycling and source
reduction plans.
- Site assessment visits by environmental engineers and other specialists from TNRCC to assist companies in addressing
environmental problems. According to the state, 351 Texas industrial facilities received this technical assistance between 1994 and 1997, which led to more than 171,600 tons of reduced
hazardous and nonhazardous waste and $70 million saved in labor, raw material purchases, and avoided disposal costs.*
- Border Pollution Prevention Initiative to help U.S. and Mexican companies operating in northern Mexico reduce pollution
and increase recycling. Between 1993 and 2001, Texas's environmental agency personnel along with the Mexican Attorney General for the Environment (PROFEPA) conducted site assistance
visits at 31 maquiladora factories in Mexico. The personnel performed pollution prevention analyses and made recommendations to the Mexican officials and plant managers. According to the
TCEQ, these maquiladoras have reduced hazardous waste generation by 11,104 tons, reduced non-hazardous waste generation by 74,188 tons, conserved 296 million gallons of water, and
saved over $60 million in U.S. dollars in avoided material and disposal costs. In addition, the TCEQ have held conferences and trainings with Mexican companies and officials on pollution
prevention and legal requirements for exporting hazardous wastes to Texas (TNRCC, Information from website (www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/exec/oppr/border/success.html, accessed September 2003).
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