Beyond pollution prevention, hazardous chemical waste can be minimized by reusing the waste in another process or by recovering its energy value. Beneficial reuse is exemplified when laboratories use surplus base to neutralize waste acids. This not only minimizes hazardous waste, but creates a product that can be safely disposed of in the sanitary sewer.
Hazardous waste is minimized when organic solvents are disposed of in a waste collection carboy.
Most waste organic solvents from the University have a high BTU value and are excellent fuels. To recover their energy, waste solvents are blended with other fuels and used to produce cement. Chemical destruction by this process, which reaches 3000 F, is very efficient. Lime in the cement neutralizes any acid gases that are produced.