Making Hazardous Waste Benign

A manufacturing process resulted in a hazardous waste byproduct which resulted in significant disposal costs. A process engineer was determined to reduce that cost. After several experiments, he found that adding certain chemicals in an additional processing step would render the byproduct benign. The byproduct could then be processed as non-hazardous waste at substantially reduced costs.

During a review of the proposed new process, the environmental officer flatly stated that EPA would not accept the new process. He contended that once material was considered hazardous it would always have to be treated as hazardous, even if the hazard were removed. The new process was rejected.

The process engineer could not believe the logic. The material was chemically changed. It was laboratory proven to be a different material. It simply wasn't the same. In essence, he had done what a waste water treatment plant does when it takes unclean water (hazardous) and processes it into drinkable water (non-hazardous). He contacted the local EPA office to make his case. Unfortunately they were set in their ways. They contended, as did the company environmental officer, that material once hazardous must always be treated as hazardous. They also made sure the process engineer understood they would be checking more frequently to make sure the byproduct material was disposed of properly by a licensed hazardous waste facility.

Undaunted, the engineer appealed this ruling all the way to Washington. Presenting a solid case loaded with factual evidence including independent lab tests, he won approval for his revised process. The resulting benign byproduct would be approved for disposal in the non-hazardous waste stream at significant savings to the company.

Some times in problem solving and continuous improvement efforts we run into roadblockers, negative thinkers, nay-sayers, and rigid thinkers. But if our proposed change has merits supported by substantial facts with benefits clearly calculated and spelled out, then the proactive manager is well advised to try every possible avenue to get the idea approved.



About me: Dan Pelley offers programs in proactive leadership, problem solving and continuous improvement in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. His team based problem solving program typically produces money-saving ideas that offset program costs many times over.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.