Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (R3)

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 sets up the R3 hierarchy of preferred approaches to protecting the environment. First and foremost, pollution should be prevented at the source whenever feasible (Reduce). If waste streams cannot be prevented, they should be Reused, Recycled, or treated. Disposal should be the last resort.

The EPA has recommended the following hierarchy for dealing with waste: