Abstract
Consideration of established waste management programs is beneficial to organizations and agencies in the developmental stages of such programs. The intent of this paper is to facilitate the development of comprehensive, efficient and integrated waste characterization programs to ensure regulatory, technical and quality compliance. In the developmental phase, the components needed for each characterization activity, such as characterization technique, qualification of instrumentation and personnel, and input and output documentation, are designed for the program. Indoctrination, training and application of designed characterization processes implement the components. Internal assessments and audits are performed to verify successful implementation and ensure ongoing program improvement.
