It is widely accepted that as a society we need to move away from landfill as an "end-of pipe" solution to waste management towards treating the issue of waste in a more proactive and sustainable manner.

Enshrined in European and UK law through Waste Framework Directive 91/156/EEC and the DETR's Waste Strategy 'Making Waste Work' the waste hierarchy sets out the main options for the management of wastes, in particular solid waste. It is the primary tool for assessing the 'Best Practicable Environmental Option' (BPEO) for waste management.

The options are presented on a sliding scale with the most sustainable option first (reduction) and the least sustainable option last (disposal).

The phrase 'Reduce, Re-use, Recycle' neatly summarises the waste management options in the waste hierarchy.

"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
Applying the principle of 'true cost' as outlined previously, shows that it is far more time and cost effective to tackle the causes of your waste rather than treat the waste once it has been produced. Reducing your waste can be achieved through a combination of monitoring and analysing your systems and processes. This is where your staff can make an invaluable contribution in identifying improvements.

Imagination and innovation is required, remember not to be restricted to the continuous re-use of a material for its original purpose. For example, much ingenuity has been seen in the re-use of materials for packaging, using shredded paper and cardboard as a packaging material is one such example, thus extending the useful life of the paper/cardboard and reducing the cost of buying in specific packaging materials. Repair or upgradeability may also be a consideration when deciding whether an item has re-use potential.

Recycling involves the recovery of materials for use in another product. The process of recycling includes the segregation and collection of waste, as well as the physical recycling itself. The term also encompasses composting and waste exchange.
Items or materials must be considered discarded and available for disposal in order to be recycled, therefore the item or material is legally classified as waste. Although often conducted via a third-party collection agent, recycling can be conducted in-house or through a direct relationship with a re-processor.

Energy can also be recovered from waste by using it as a fuel; the viability of this option is often dependent on the materials calorific value. The energy is usually recovered in the form of heat but can include electricity and biogas generation. This also reduces its volume and weight for disposal. Whilst this process is usually conducted by a second party, some companies employ a small on-site energy recovery incinerator or anaerobic digestion unit.

Disposal generally either involves containment, generally through landfill, or destruction, normally through incineration. Incineration reduces the waste to approximately a third of its original mass. Disposal in these ways is considered the least sustainable option, maximising resource recovery in all the ways outlined reduces the demand for raw materials, thus lessening the impacts on the environment whilst providing an economic incentive to re-use and recycle "waste".

The waste hierarchy can be used most effectively as a guide to help ensure that when developing a waste management policy or decision, an integrated approach, where all options are considered, is taken.

Each decision should be supported with information on:

• the nature of the wastes
• legislative issues
• environmental impacts
• technical feasibility
• mass balance data (a quantitative assessment of resource flows through a process)
• Life Cycle Analysis ( total cost/benefits of each option)

Process and product design will also influence the possible resource / waste management options. Design processes should therefore consider how products and by-products would be suited to the options within the hierarchy, focussing on enabling the best environmental option. For example, a product can be designed so that it may be dismantled in a way that optimises the re-use potential of the material.

A number of financial and legislative measures, such as the Landfill Tax and the Packaging Regulations are in place, or are coming into place, to encourage companies to move the focus of their waste management decisions "up" the hierarchy.