Waste Source Reduction

Office of Waste Management
1350 Energy Lane
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
(612) 649-5750
Toll Free 1-800-652-9747

Waste source reduction is the first priority among waste management options because it has virtually no negative effect the environment, conserves energy and resources, and does not require new facilities.

Waste source reduction can be defined as any activity that prevents waste at its source. It includes:

Comparing reduction, recycling

Recycling is an activity that uses waste in place of virgin material in the manufacture of a new product. Unlike reduction, recycling is a familiar concept to most Minnesotans and usually overshadows reduction when the two are promoted together. While these two waste reduction methods have the same basic goals of environmental protection and resource conservation, in practice they differ.

Example 1
Waste:Bag groceries in reusable canvas bags.
Example 2
Waste:Purchase milk in a reusable container and return it for reuse as a bottle.
Uses waste:Take a single-use bottle to a recycling center for remanufacture into a new bottle.

Cost savings with reduction

Reduction practices save money directly and indirectly. For example, by using compact fluorescent light bulbs, a business can reduce maintenance, solid waste and energy costs.

Sometimes, projecting long-term costs will determine whether money saved through reduction will offset an initial investment. For example, a school cafeteria considers whether to use reusable trays, which require wishing, instead of single-use dishes. Over the long term, the cost of the dishwasher and labor may be less than the cost of continuously purchasing and disposing of plastic dishes. Teachers have observed that children learn waste habits at school as well as at home.

Measuring the results

Source reduction can be readily measured on a product-by-product basis. For each change, costs as well as weight and volume of waste produced can be determined. If hauling truck scales are used, an entire facility's waste change can be measured over time. Measuring a community's waste change is possible, but expensive. However, too much emphasis on measuring techniques may divert money away from reduction programs.

Alternative ways of assessing the effects of reduction can be found. For example, the use of surveys to determine how well people have incorporated source reduction practices into their daily routines may help estimate success of a community source reduction program.

Waste source reduction pilot project

In the spring of 1989, Itasca County was selected for Minnesota's first source reduction pilot project. The staff of the Minnesota office of Waste Management (OWM) is working with county government, businesses and institutions to implement and analyze reduction practices.

The evaluation will show how much waste can be eliminated through specific reduction practices.The measures implemented to date have demonstrated significant cost savings and reduction of waste.

Reduction committees have recognized that there is no such thing as throwing an item away. It goes somewhere. It may be "single-use", but it is not "disposable." It may be moved, compacted, buried or changed to ash and vapor, but something still must be done with the resultant waste. Realizing this has motivated the pilot committees to find solutions.

Reduction does not require new facilities, but does require forethought -- buying durable, repairable products and reusable versus single-use products; reusing an original product over and over again; reducing the toxicity or quantity of material used to produce and package an item, or simply reducing the material used to accomplish any task. All reduce waste at its source.

For more information

For technical assistance on source reduction, contact:

Kenneth Brown
612-649-5743, or 800-652-9747 toll free in Minnesota.

For printed information, contact:

OWM Waste Education Clearinghouse
612-649-5784, or 800-8776300 toll-free.


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Last Updated: November 22, 1995