Pollution prevention implementation

A number of states such as New Jersey have passed into law the "Pollution Prevention Act" which requires industry to reduce and eventually eliminate toxic waste in the 1990s (295). Cooperation between industry government academia and private environmental groups to implement these pollution prevention acts have begun in earnest (296—302). 

The application of waste-management practices in the United States has recently moved toward securing a new pollution prevention ethic. The performance of pollution prevention assessments and their subsequent implementation will encourage increased activity into methods that 1 further aid in the reduction of hazardous wastes. One of the most important and propitious consequences of the pollution-prevention movement will be the development of life-cycle design and standardized hfe-cycle cost-accounting procedures. These two consequences are briefly discussed in the two paragraphs that follow. Additional information is provided in a later subsection. 

Sources of Information The successful development and implementation of any pollution prevention program is not only dependent on a thorough understanding of the facility s operations but also reqmres an intimate knowledge of current opportunities and advances in the field. In fact, 32 percent of industry respondents to an EPA sui vey identified the lack of technical information as a major factor delaying or preventing the implementation of a waste-... 

Smaller companies can benefit by the assistance offered by these larger corporations. It is clear that access to information is of major importance when implementing efficient pollution-preventiou programs. By adopting such programs, industiy is affirming pollution prevention s application as a good business practice and not simply a noble effort. 

Lack of infoimation. In some instances, the information needed to make a pollution-prevention decision may be confidential or is difficult to obtain. In addition, many decision makers are simply unaware of the potential opportunities available regarding information to aid in the implementation of a pollution-prevention program. 

Con.sumcrprcfcrcncc obstacles. Consumer preference strongly affects the manner in which a product is produced, packaged, and marketed. If the implementation of a pollution-prevention program results in the increase in the cost of a product or decreased convenience or availability, consumers might be reluctant to use it. 

Lacl<. of markets. The implementation of pollution-prevention processes and the production of environmentally friendly products will be of no avail if markets do not exist for such goods. As an example, the recychng of newspaper in the United States has resulted in an overabundance of waste paper without markets prepared to take advantage of this raw material. 

Institutional hai iiers. In an organization without a strong infrastructure to support pollution-prevention plans, waste-reduction programs will be difficult to implement. Similarly, if there is no mechanism in place to hold individuals accountable for their actions, the successful implementation of a pollution-prevention program will be limited. 

Reduced wa.ste-treatment co.sts. As discussed in reason no. 5 of the dirty dozen, the increasing costs of traditional end-of-pipe waste-management practices are avoided or reduced through the implementation of pollution-prevention programs. 

Implements a new system of pollution control. Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPCj, which will eventually replace IPC and EAPC under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. 

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. 

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. 

Implementation Phase the step in a pollution prevention assessment where procedures, training, and equipment changes are put into action to reduce waste. IMPROVE Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments, a collaborative monitoring program to establish present visibility levels and trends, and to identify sources of man-made impairment. 

Discuss some of the barriers to implementing a pollution prevention prognun. 

Discuss the advantages of implementing a pollution prevention procedure in an emergency response procedure. 

Chemicals are an essential part of modern commerce and cannot be eliminated without catastrophic consequences to public health, the environment and the economy. Limiting exposure to the most hazardous chemicals has been the focus of national and international groups for many years. The USEPA relies on the development and implementation of regulations such as the Clean Water Act, Toxics Uses Reduction Act (TURA) and the Clean Air Act (CAA) as regulatory pollution prevention tools. 

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. 

Since the late 1980s, several developed countries have made major public sector commitments to build awareness of cleaner production, also referred to as pollution prevention and waste minimization. These commitments, most notably in Denmark, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S., have led the private sector to investigate and implement pollution prevention measures for existing processes and products. As a result, cleaner production is now seen in these countries as a potentially cost-effective complement to pollution abatement in meeting environmental standards. 

Emerson Electric, a manufacturer of power tools, implemented a Waste and Energy Management Program to identify opportunities for pollution prevention. An audit resulted in the following actions5 ... 

Table 28.14 shows the opportunities for pollution prevention that the U.S. EPA recommended for the plant.12 The opportunity, the type of waste, the possible waste reduction and associated savings, and the implementation cost along with the simple payback time are given in the table. The quantities of waste currently generated by the plant and possible waste reduction depend on the production level of the plant. All values should be considered in that context. 

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