Implement a Beneficial Reuse Program to Lower Your Generator Status

Lacheta, Darrin
(Tosoh SMD, Inc., Grove City, OH)

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Prior to 2006 Tosoh SMD (Tosoh), a supplier of sputtering targets and thin film materials, had been classified as a large quantity generator of hazardous waste. Tosoh regularly generates corrosive and flammable hazardous waste streams from manufacturing and laboratory operations. Tosoh, with the aid of an outside vendor, implemented a beneficial reuse program and lowered its generator status to “Small Quantity”. The outside vendor matched Tosoh’s hazardous waste streams with companies that needed similar materials as inputs. These beneficially reused materials no longer count against Tosoh’s hazardous waste generator status. The costs associated with Tosoh’s beneficial reuse program are similar to hazardous waste disposal costs, but Tosoh benefits from a lower burden in areas such as completing annual reports, conducting facility inspections and employee training. The receiving companies benefit from purchasing substitute materials at lower cost than virgin materials. The planet benefits because a smaller amount of hazardous materials are used to accomplish multiple tasks. The beneficial reuse program has been much more effective than Tosoh’s previous participation in Waste Exchange Programs, which tend to focus on bulk shipments. Tosoh’s successful beneficial reuse program has extended into solid waste streams allowing Tosoh to reach corporate recycling/reuse goals.

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