Industrial ecology resource extraction

Opportunities for P2 at the macroscale can be identified from three distinct perspectives. First, waste-generation audits identify flow rates and compositions of materials in the industrial economy, which are potential P2 targets, from natural resource extraction to consumer product disposal. Second, industrial ecology studies examine the uses and the wastes associated with a particular material. Third, life-cycle analyses (LCA) assess the environmental impacts due to the life cycles of individual products/processes by determining waste generation rates, energy consumption, and raw material usage. 

The acceptability of some industrial and ephemeral development projects such as landfill or mineral extraction may depend upon an ability to restore the landscape after exploitation has been completed. As more rural development projects come to fruition, ecologists will become increasingly involved in resource management to ensure that yields are sustained and to avert the undesirable consequences of development. Some industrial developments and rearranged plant layout schemes will not be complicated, but when ecology studies are needed, the employment of specialist consultants is recommended. 

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