Abstract |
Congress established the national policy for the United States that wherever feasible, the generation of hazardous waste is to be reduced or eliminated as expeditiously as possible (RCRA Section 1003(b)). The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 further stressed the importance of reducing pollution at its source. In 1993, Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA; U.S. Congress, 1993) requiring federal agencies to define their goals and objectives and to track progress towards them. In order to comply with GPRA requirements, EPA identified a variety of performance goals related to its major environmental programs. One of the goals EPA set for its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) waste minimization program is to reduce, as a nation, the presence of certain chemicals in hazardous wastes by 50 percent by the year 2005, compared to amounts generated in 1991. In discussion with numerous stakeholders, EPA heard that waste minimization progress may be encouraged by focusing on a priority list of chemicals, and measuring results over time. |