Pollution prevention (P2) aims to reduce or eliminate pollution at its source through practices like increasing energy efficiency, using renewable fuels, reducing agricultural inputs, and modifying industrial processes to produce less waste. P2 benefits the environment by lowering pollution hazards and conserving resources, and benefits financial costs by reducing waste management expenses. Waste minimization also aims to reduce hazardous wastes through practices like careful chemical handling, solvent reuse, and neutralizing byproducts. While waste minimization focuses specifically on hazardous waste, pollution prevention more broadly addresses reducing all toxic releases to air, water and land.

1. Pollution Prevention &
Waste Minimization
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3. Pollution prevention (P2) is
any practice that reduces,
eliminates, or prevents
pollution at its source.
P2, also known as "source
reduction".

4. Reducing the amount
of pollution produced
means less waste to
control, treat, or
dispose of.
Less pollution means
less hazards posed to
public health and the
environment.

7. In the energy
sector, Pollution
prevention
approaches
include:
Increasing
efficiency in
energy use;
Use of
environme
ntally
benign
fuel
sources.

8. AGRICULTURAL
SECTOR
•Reducing the use of water and chemical inputs;
•Adoption of less environmentally harmful pesticides or
cultivation of crop strains with natural resistance to pests
•Protection of sensitive areas.

9. INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
Modifying a production process to
produce less waste
Using non-toxic or less toxic
chemicals as cleaners, degreasers and
other maintenance chemicals
Implementing water and energy
conservation practices

10. HOMES & SCHOOLS
Using reusable water bottles instead of
throw-aways
Automatically turning off lights when not
in use
Automatically turning off fans and other
electrical equipments when not in use
Switching to "green" cleaners

11. WHY IS POLLUTION
PREVENTION IMPORTANT?
Pollution prevention
reduces both financial
costs (waste
management and
cleanup) and
environmental costs
(health problems and
environmental
damage).
Pollution prevention protects
the environment by conserving
and protecting natural
resources strengthening
economic growth through more
efficient production in industry
and less need for households,
businesses and communities to
handle waste.

12. WASTE MINIMIZATION

13. Definition
• Waste Minimization is reduction in the quantity
of hazardous wastes achieved through a
conscientious application of innovative or
alternative procedures.

14. Waste
Minimization
Suggestions

15. Take care when weighing and transferring chemicals in order to minimize
spills and additional wastes generated during spill clean up.
Review experimental protocol to assure that chemical usage is minimized.
Order smallest container of material necessary for use.
Rotate chemical stock to keep chemicals from becoming outdated.
Avoid mixing hazardous and non-hazardous wastes; avoid contaminating
glassware.

16. Distill and reuse solvents.
Practice good housekeeping.
Neutralize hazardous by-products as the final
step of an experiment (Contact EH&S)

17. Difference between Pollution Prevention
and Waste Minimization
Waste Minimization is a
term found in
the Resource
Conservation and
Recovery Act
(RCRA) that refers to
source reduction and
environmentally sound
recycling of RCRA
hazardous waste.
Pollution Prevention is
a term found in
the Pollution
Prevention Act of
1990 that refers to
source reduction of all
toxic wastes, including
those released to air,
water and land
resources.