Many terms have been used to describe pollution prevention and related activities. This guidance manual uses the following terms. References for sources of definitions are given in parentheses.
"Pollution prevention" means the use of source reduction techniques in order to reduce risk to public health, safety, welfare and the environment and, as a second preference, the use of environmentally sound recycling to achieve these same goals. Pollution prevention avoids cross-media transfers of wastes and/or pollutants and is multi-media in scope. It addresses all types of waste and environmental releases to the air, water and land. (Note: This is Ohio EPA's working definition of pollution prevention. See Chapter 4 of this manual for U.S. EPA's definition.)
"Source reduction" means any effort to reduce, at the source, the quantity of waste generated, toxic chemical use, or any release into the environment. Source reduction measures include, but are not limited to, process modifications, feedstock purity, good operating and management practices, increases in the efficiency of machinery, and recycling within a waste generating or other production process. (Ohio EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention, Fact Sheet #1, March, 1993)
"Recycle" means to use, reuse or reclaim a material (Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3745-50-10). Recycling does not include incineration, burning waste as fuel, or other treatment.
"Reuse" means reutilization of a material in an environmentally sound manner that will not result in a hazard to human health or the environment (OAC 3745-50-10). A material is reused if it is either:
"Reclaim" A material is "reclaimed" if it is processed to recover a usable product or if it is regenerated. (OAC 3745-51-01)
"Waste minimization" means any effort to reduce or recycle the quantity of waste generated, and when feasible, to reduce or eliminate toxicity. "Waste minimization" does not include treatment, unless the treatment is part of the recycling process. (Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 6111.045(F)) (Note: Waste minimization for hazardous waste is defined at OAC 3745-50-10)
"Treatment" means any method, technique or process designed to change the physical, chemical or biological characteristics or composition of industrial waste or other waste; to neutralize the waste; to recover energy or material resources from the waste; to render the waste nonhazardous or less hazardous, safer to transport, store, or dispose of, or amenable for recovery, storage, further treatment, or disposal; or to reduce the volume of the waste. (ORC 6111.045(F))