A way you can reduce hazardous waste is to reduce the use of hazardous materials through conservation and _____

A way you can reduce hazardous waste is to reduce the use of hazardous materials through conservation and _____

• A. Recycling
• B. Substitution
• C. Reuse
• D. Disposal

Answer: (B)

Reducing hazardous waste starts with cutting the amount of hazardous materials used in the first place, not just handling it after it’s created. Substitution means selecting safer alternatives that perform the same function but pose fewer hazards, so waste generation drops at the source. For example, swapping a toxic solvent for a less hazardous one or redesigning a process to use safer inputs lowers the potential waste you’d have to manage later. The other options address waste after it’s formed: recycling reprocesses waste, reuse extends the life of items, and disposal removes waste, but none directly reduce the use of hazardous materials themselves.

Reducing hazardous waste starts with cutting the amount of hazardous materials used in the first place, not just handling it after it’s created. Substitution means selecting safer alternatives that perform the same function but pose fewer hazards, so waste generation drops at the source. For example, swapping a toxic solvent for a less hazardous one or redesigning a process to use safer inputs lowers the potential waste you’d have to manage later. The other options address waste after it’s formed: recycling reprocesses waste, reuse extends the life of items, and disposal removes waste, but none directly reduce the use of hazardous materials themselves.