Pollution prevention economics

BNA Books, Washington, DC, 1995 (d) J.R. Aldrich. Pollution Prevention Economics Financial Impacts on Business and Industry. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996 (e) R.C. Kirkwood, A. J. Longley. Clean Technology and the Environment. Blackie Academic, London, 1995 (f) P. Sharratt, M. Sparshott. Case Studies in Environmental Technology. I Chem E Rugby, UK, 1996. 

Topics covered include life cycle analysis, identifying and prioritizing pollutants for industrial sites, selecting environmentally compatible materials, design of unit operations for waste minimization, and pollution prevention economics. 

There are profound opportunities for both industiy and the individual to prevent the generation of waste indeed, pollution prevention is today primarily stimulated by economics, legislation, liabihty concerns, and the enhanced environmental benefit of managing waste at the source. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 has estabhshed pollution prevention as a national policy, declaring that waste should be prevented or reduced at the source wherever feasible, while pollu-... 

The TCP approach is relatively simple and can be easily applied to studies involving comparisons of different equipments, different processes, or even parts of processes. CCP has now emerged as the most realistic approach that can be employed in economic project analyses. It is the recommended procedure for pollution-prevention studies. The LCC approach is usually applied to the life-cycle analysis (LCA) of a product or seiwice. It has found occasional application in projec t analysis. 

If an option proves to be technically ineffective or inappropriate, it is deleted from the list of potential alternatives. Either follo ving or concurrent with the technical evaluation, an economic study is performed, weighing standard measures of profitability such as payback period, investment returns, and net present value. Many of these costs (or, more appropriately, cost saving may be substantial yet are difficult to quantify. (Refer to Economic Considerations Associated with Pollution Prevention.)... 

Pollution-Prevention Incentives ( A Baker s Dozen ) Various means exist to encourage pollution prevention through regiilatoiy measures, economic incentives, and technical assistance programs. Since the benefits of pollution prevention can surpass prevention barriers, a baker s dozen incentives is presented below ... 

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH POLLUTION-PREVENTION PROGRAMS... 

The purpose of this subsection is to outhne the basic elements of a pollution-prevention cost-accounting system that incorporates both traditional and less tangible economic variables. The intent is not to present a detailed discussion of economic analysis but to help identify the more important elements that must be considered to properly quantify pollution-prevention options. 

The main problem with the traditional type of economic analysis is that it is difficult—nay, in some cases impossible—to quantify some of the not-so-obvious economic merits of a pollution-prevention program. Several considerations have just recently surfaced as factors that need to be taken into account in any meaningful economic analysis of a pollution-prevention effort. What follows is a summary listing of these considerations, most which have been detailed earher. 

Implementation of cleaner production processes and pollution prevention measures can yield both economic and environmental benefits. The primary treatment technologies afforded to this manufacturing include the following ... 

Implementation of cleaner production processes and pollution prevention measures can yield both economic and environmental benefits. The following production-related targets can be achieved by measures such as those described above. The numbers relate to the production processes before the addition of pollution control measures. In sulfuric acid plants that use the double-contact, double absorption process, emissions levels of 2 to 4 kilograms of sulfur dioxide... 

A pesticide manufacturing plant should prepare a hazard assessment and operability study and also prepare and implement an emergency preparedness and response plan that takes into account neighboring land use and the potential consequences of an emergency. Measures to avoid the release of harmful substances should be incorporated in the design, operation, maintenance, and management of the plant. Implementation of cleaner production processes and pollution prevention measures can yield both economic and environmental benefits. 

Although numerous cases have been documented where petroleum refineries have simultaneously reduced pollution outputs and operating costs through pollution prevention techniques, there are often barriers to their im-plementation. The primary barrier to most pollution prevention projects is cost. Many pollution prevention options simply do not pay for themselves, or the economics often appear marginal. Corporate investments typically must earn an adequate return on invested capital for the shareholders and some pollution prevention options at some facilities may not meet the requirements set by company policies. 

Feasibility Analysis Phase The point in a pollution prevention program at which waste reduction options are evaluated technically, economically and environmentally. The results are used to select options to be recommended for implementation. 

I highly recommend you follow the methodology of McHugh (McHugh, R.T., The Economics of Waste Minimization, McGraw-Hill Book Publishers, 1990). McHugh defines four tiers of potential costs, which the author applies to pollution prevention, but the principles and methodology are universal ... 

Significant opportunities exist for industry to reduce or prevent pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. In addition, such changes may offer industry substantial savings in reduced raw materials, pollution control, and liability costs, as well as protect the environment and reduce health and safety risks to workers. Where pollution prevention practices can be both environmentally beneficial and economically feasible, one would consider their implementation to be prudent. 

If the program continues and additional reductions are desired, more expensive and more complex projects begin to emerge (Phase II). These are often associated with equipment modifications, process modifications and process control and may include the addition or adaptation of auxiliary equipment for simple source treatment, possibly for recycle. This phase usually has little immediate ROI, and more inclusive approaches to assessing the economics of the operation (estimating costs for waste handling, long-term liability, risk) are needed to justify the continued pollution-prevention operation. 

Unitika is a Petrochemical company created in 1889 and which has grown especially into the textile business. Today, their business covers a wide range of economical areas, including financial activities. Its environmental division provides facilities for water treatment, incinerators, air pollution prevention facilities and heavy metal fixing agents. Their R D center conducts research to develop new business areas and products in four segments polymers, environment, advanced materials, and health. 

EPA. 1992c. Di-w-octylphthalate exposure report for delisting petition. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Memorandum from Annett Nold, Exposure Assessment Branch, Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics to Ken Mitchell, Toxics Release Inventory Management Staff, Economics and Technology Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. September 21, 1992. 

When pollution prevention and recycling options are not economically feasibly, pollution can still be reduced by treating wastes so that they are transformed into... 

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization [39-41] and Ausubel and Sladovich [4] emphasize the importance of cleaner production, pollution prevention, waste minimization, sustainable development, zero emission, materials substimtion, dematerialization, decarbonization, functional economic analysis, and IE indicators. These ways and means for analysis and design of industrial ecology are described separately herein. 

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