Process analysis via waste minimization: Using DuPont's age methodology toidentify process improvement opportunities

Waste is an expense, and thus costs money. Traditional problem-solving appr oaches often miss process improvement Opportunities, resulting in unnecessa ry wastes. This leads to less profitable businesses, DuPont has developed a methodology, that identifies the technologies and practices that reduce wa ste generation. The methodology examines the process starting with the wast estreams, and work back to tbc source of these wastes, asking questions abo ut how it can be eliminated or minimized. This technique asks different que stions about the same process information, so new improvement opportunities are identified. This paper defines waste and waste minimization, and how i t impacts chemical processes. Case studies are included that show how this approach saves money and develops ideas for improving existing processes.