Pollution prevention initiatives

A recent study of programs for existing facilities of several companies reveals that a pollution-prevention initiative will tend to progress in stages.9 After a training period and an audit of the wastes in the process, the first reduction efforts emphasize the simple, obvious, and most cost-effective alternatives and are generally directed at extrinsic wastes. 

CAMEO, LHASA, and SYNGEN each possess attributes that are potentially useful in supporting pollution prevention initiatives at EPA. No one program, however, addresses all the chemical synthesis issues that arise during review of new and existing chemicals. Also, the reliability and completeness of the pathways suggested or products proposed is variable but is expected to improve as the authors of these programs continue to enhance the software. 

Congressional initiatives in the early twentieth century were reactive rather than proactive, to the extent that comprehensive pollution prevention initiatives did not hold legislative interest and progress was fragmentary and episodic. In 1912, Congress authorized the U.S. Public Health Service to evaluate health effects of navigable water pollutants but not much else. The 1924 Oil Pollution Control Act was passed to control oil spills in America s coastal waters, with enforcement by the U.S. Secretary of War. How well enforcement worked or whether there were fewer oil spills is not evident. 

The factors are discussed which lead to the formation of environmental regulations in the United States, following the growing realisation over the last 150 years of the environmental impact of the new chemicals which were being developed. Initiatives for new regulations often come from the public, and their concerns at the time, particularly in relation to pollution prevention, air quality, and the protection of children s health. Current environmental regulations are discussed along with their impact on industrial research and development. Future trends are forecast to be related to air quality, children s health, and pollution prevention. 11 refs. 

The initial steps for WREAFS pollution prevention projects usually begin with an opportunity assessment of the specific operation. For example, within DOD the greatest quantities of hazardous waste are generated by plating, cleaning and stripping operations. By conducting waste minimization opportunity assessments at several of these operations, pollution prevention alternatives and recommendations can be shared with similar operations. An assessment of a... 

Some trade organizations and technical societies were invited to submit nominees for membership in WRISE and 20 individuals have been selected as initial Institute members. All possess credentials of accomplishment in pollution prevention, show evidence of a continuing interest in environmental protection and are, or have been, responsible for plant management or process design/selection or are highly knowledgeable of industrial operations for which waste reduction techniques are applicable. 

Initiation of Corporate Pollution Prevention Programs - Polaroid Dow. Dupont Monsanto, etc... 

This initial phase of the pollution prevention program consists of four steps securing business leadership support, establishing the program, selecting the waste streams, and creating a core assessment team. 

Economic concerns. Many companies are unaware of the economic advantages associated with pollution prevention. Legitimate concerns may include decreased profit margins or the lack of funds required for the initial capital investment. 

To better evaluate pollution prevention options, the project attempted to assess the risks posed to individuals and populations exposed to chemical contaminants released from the refinery. An initial risk assessment analysis was performed to identify chemicals requiring further study, and to establish a baseline by which to judge potential risk reduction opportunities. Since change in exposure to benzene was used as a proxy for evaluating relative risk reductions associated with alternative pollution prevention options, the usual uncertainty associated with risk assessments was not a factor in the option analysis. The uncertainty in absolute risk assessments can arise from multiple sources the use of animal study results, difficulties with human studies, variation in individual responses to chemical exposures, the impact of differing dose rates, multiple simultaneous exposure to chem-... 

In the United States, the 1990 PPA was the first major national policy initiative aimed at promoting P2 as a fundamental component of environmental protection efforts. Under Section 6602 (b) of the 1990 PPA, Congress established a national policy that prioritized P2 over other means of reducing pollution. The policy and definitions discussed below are adapted from the USEPA s pollution prevention documents. The policy highlighted the following aspects ... 

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