Future developments - can the industry progress

Initial investment in abatement technology is certainly one of the deciding factors for some companies. Often these firms cannot, or do not identify with the real savings associated with improved environmental performance. Waste minimisation, company image and brand association are all difficult to evaluate. 

As with any new concept, environmental awareness and management takes time to develop. Some companies within the industry will continue to operate in an unprofessional, unethical and more importantly, illegal manner, however, progressive incremental improvement can be seen to be in operation within the industry. In tandem, market forces and regulatory constraints will eventually snare unwilling victims. 

If more chemical companies, especially smaller companies, are to be encouraged to tackle environmental issues associated with their companies 

If this assumption is correct, and only key areas of legislative control are necessary, can deregulation be a viable alternative to limitless prescriptive control Understanding the constraints and limitations that the chemical industry operate under may help future legislators act with balanced consideration of both the needs of the environment and the future of the chemical industry. 

The industry has reached a cross roads legislative controls cannot continue in 

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