Waste Management

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, specifically the Bureau of Waste Management or BWM, is responsible for implementing and enforcing solid and hazardous waste regulations in the state. The Pollution Prevention Institute, or PPI, works in various waste management and waste prevention areas including food recovery, beneficial reuse and hazardous waste regulatory compliance.

Sustainable materials management

Sustainable materials management, or SMM, is an EPA-sponsored program that offers a systematic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life-cycle. It involves making more informed choices about the materials we use, their production, consumption, management, and disposal. 

Applying SMM principles across a product's entire life-cycle can help reduce waste, save energy, and decrease emissions, which helps the environment. In addition to helping the environment, SMM reduces expenses from waste disposal and material purchases, helping industries, communities, and institutions save money. 

In October 2021, PPI was awarded a two-year SMM grant to work with industry, schools and communities, providing technical assistance to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. Public resources gathered and created by PPI can be found on the SMM Resources page.

Hazardous waste regulatory compliance assistance

The Pollution Prevention Institute, through the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, or SBEAP, works primarily with hazardous waste regulations by providing free and confidential compliance assistance for Kansas small businesses that may need help understanding or identifying how the regulations apply to their facility. This service is administered through our hotline, email communication, on-site visits and the various tools posted below, as well as training events. In addition to dealing with hazardous waste regulations, SBEAP also assists with air quality permits, storage tanks regulations, and waste or stormwater permits. Check “Need Help” to request assistance. 

Prescription drug and sharps waste

Prescription drug abuse and disposal are both a public and environmental health threat. According to the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rates of drug overdose deaths in rural areas were surpassing the rates in urban areas. Improper disposal of medications, whether via sewers or landfills, leads to surface water contamination.

Sharps is a medical term for devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin. They may be used to manage the medical conditions of people or their pets. Disposing of sharps improperly may present serious safety and public health risks, especially to solid waste and recycling workers.

Related Resources