Hazardous industrial waste regulatory developments

Traditionally, most industrial chemical processes were targeted toward meeting required product specifications at competitive prices without much regard to emissions from hazardous chemicals and their by-products. Recently, however, these considerations, especially process emissions such as solid waste, aqueous discharges, and air emissions, have dominated process development because of the regulatory and permit requirements of the... 

Historically, governments have developed poHcies and created extensive regulatory frameworks or voluntary initiatives to force or induce industry to focus on waste emissions to air, land, and water. They have also focused on the reduction and elimination of toxics as opposed to preventing waste and toxics generation through chemistry and chemical technology innovations. As a result, and somewhat predictably, there is now an extensive industry to help companies identify hazardous properties of the chemicals routinely found in commercial products. Sadly there continues to be far less focus on, and certainly far less is understood, about how to transition from current unsustainable practices of making chemicals and the myriad of products made from chemicals. 

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