Waste Reduction Technology Evaluations of the U.S. EPA WRITE Program

The Waste Reduction Innovative Technology Evaluation (WRITE) Program was established in 1989 to provide objective, accurate performance and cost data about waste reducing technologies for a variety of industrial and commercial applications. EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory conducts the Program's full− or pilot-scale technology evaluations cooperatively with six states and one local government. In WRITE's second year, four evaluations had been completed and 10 other active projects were to be completed within several months. In this paper, results are summarized for completed projects and descriptions provided for the technologies and test designs of the active projects. The projects emphasize waste reducing modifications for metal finishing, electronics manufacturing, transportation, solvent cleaning and stripping, and printing and publishing operations. The 35 technology evaluations planned for the full life of the Program and subsequent technology transfer activities are intended to speed the early introduction of cleaner, pollution preventing technologies.