INTERNATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

CASE STUDY # 105

1. Headline: A waste reduction programme that got results

from good housekeeping practices in the chemical industry

2. Background: See below.

3. Cleaner Production Principle: Good housekeeping

4. Description of Cleaner Production Application: ICI

Americas Inc.'s research and development laboratory used a

management approach to reduce the quantity of waste

generated. An Environmental Compliance Committee was

formed to develop and implement procedures to minimize the

production of waste materials. New waste handling

practices have been developed to increase the quantity of

waste that can be recovered. Some of these practices

include: segregating spent chlorinated and

non-chlorinated solvents to allow for off-site recovery;

segregating hazardous from non-hazardous waste; and

returning unused agricultural research chemicals for reuse

or reformulation. Since the program was implemented, the

quantity of hazardous waste generated has been reduced by

70 percent even though the research activities have

doubled. This reduction saves the company $37,000 per

year in waste management costs.

Material/Energy Balance and Substitution

FEEDSTOCKS: Various solvents and

research chemicals

WASTES: Spent chlorinated and

non-chlorinated solvents.

MEDIUM: Solvent

5. Economics

DIRECT COST:

$37,000/yr

6. Advantages:

FEEDSTOCK REDUCTION:

Slight

WASTE PRODUCTION:

70% reduction in waste

volume

IMPACT:

Waste generated was reduced

by 70 percent.

7. Constraints: No information provided.

8. Contact and Citation:

Accomplishments of North Carolina Industries - Case

Summaries, Hunt, G., et al., North Carolina Department of

Natural Resources, January 1986, p. 16 A presentation of

this case study can also be found in: "Proven Profit from

Pollution Prevention," D. Huisingh, L. Martin, H. Hilger,

N. Seldman, The Institute for Self-Reliance 2425 18th

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 1985, case study 18, Page

75.

Name and Location of Company:

North Carolina Department of Natural Resources

P.O. Box 27687

Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7687

United States

9. Keywords: United States, USA, chemical, good

housekeeping, solvent, chlorine, waste segregation.

10. Reviewer's Comments: This case study was originally

abstracted for the United States Environmental Protection

Agency's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse.

It underwent a UNEP IE funded technical review in 1994 for

quality and completeness. It was edited for the ICPIC

diskette in July 1995.

( Docno: UNEP02.52 034-010-A-120 )