50 Design of an Expert System for Early Environmental Assessment of Manufacturing Processes

crisis. Several thousand pounds of hazardous waste are generated annually for every person in the nation.1.2 Also, the total cost of waste management is escalating at a rate of 20-309'0/yr.~ The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) finds that reducing waste, by preventing it from being generated at the source, is now a practical way to complement the costly pollution control regulatory system.' Many pollution control methods do little more than transfer waste from one phase to another. Thus, establishing a comprehensive multimedia approach to reduce the level of wastes that enter the air, land and water is essential. Waste reduction pays for itself relatively quickly, especially when compared to the time and effort needed to comply with regulations. Though enforcement sometimes provides the impetus for waste reduction. cost savings are almost always a consequence.