Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), hazardous waste generators are required to make good-faith efforts or certify that they have established a formal program to minimize the generation of hazardous waste, depending on whether or not they are considered a Large or Small Quantity Generator (LQG or SQG). Many states also have their own, sometimes more stringent, regulations on reducing the use of toxic materials.
In addition to regulations and state guidance, toxic use reduction and waste minimization efforts can protect personnel, have large benefits for the environment, and reduce operating costs and potential liabilities for laboratories.
To learn more about the potential for waste minimization and toxic use reduction in laboratories move on to the next section in this activity.