POLLUTION PREVENTION

WHAT IS POLLUTION PREVENTION

Pollution prevention (P2) is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its
source. P2, also known as "source reduction," is the ounce-of-prevention approach to waste
management. Reducing the amount of pollution produced means less waste to control, treat, or
dispose of. Less pollution means less hazards posed to
public health and the environment.

Pollution prevention occurs when raw materials,

water, energy and other resources are utilized
more efficiently, when less harmful substances
are substituted for hazardous ones, and when
toxic substances are eliminated from the production
process. By reducing the use and production of
hazardous substances, and by operating more
efficiently we protect human health, strengthen
our economic well-being, and preserve the environment.

SPECIFIC POLLUTION PREVENTION APPROACHES

Pollution prevention approaches can be applied to all potential and actual pollution-generating
activities, including those found in the energy, agriculture, federal, consumer and industrial
sectors. Prevention practices are essential for preserving wetlands, groundwater sources and
other critical ecosystems - areas in which we especially want to stop pollution before it begins.

In the energy sector, pollution prevention can reduce environmental damages from extraction,
processing, transport and combustion of fuels. Pollution prevention approaches include:

 increasing efficiency in energy use;

 use of environmentally benign fuel sources.
 In the agricultural sector, pollution prevention approaches include:

 Reducing the use of water and chemical inputs;

 Adoption of less environmentally harmful pesticides or cultivation of crop strains with natural
resistance to pests; and
 Protection of sensitive areas.

In the industrial sector, examples of P2 practices include:

 Modifying a production process to produce less waste

 Using non-toxic or less toxic chemicals as cleaners, degreasers and other maintenance
chemicals
 Implementing water and energy conservation practices
 Reusing materials such as drums and pallets rather than disposing of them as waste

In homes and schools examples of P2 practices include:

 Using reusable water bottles instead of throw-aways

 Automatically turning off lights when not in use
 Repairing leaky faucets and hoses
 Switching to "green" cleaners.

WHY IS POLLUTION PREVENTION IMPORTANT

Pollution prevention reduces both financial costs (waste management and cleanup) and
environmental costs (health problems and environmental damage). Pollution prevention protects
the environment by conserving and protecting natural resources while strengthening economic
growth through more efficient production in industry and less need for households, businesses and
communities to handle waste.

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION

Adopting pollution prevention practices and techniques often benefits industry by lowering a
company’s operational and environmental compliance costs. By preventing the generation of waste,
P2 can also reduce or eliminate long-term liabilities and clean-up costs. Furthermore, disposal costs
are reduced when the volume of waste is decreased. This can also lead to a reduction in workplace
exposures to hazardous materials which can affect workers’ health and hence, their productivity. If
less waste is produced, there will also be a diminished need for on-site storage space. Furthermore,
by preventing pollution there will be a greater likelihood that a company will be in compliance with
local, state, and federal compliance statutes. Finally, as community pillars, businesses shoulder an
important responsibility for protecting the environment and natural resources for their own good as
well as that of society.
THE POLLUTION PREVENTION ACT

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established as national policy the following waste
management hierarchy designed to prevent pollution and encourage recycling:
 Prevention—to eliminate or reduce pollution at the source whenever feasible.
 Recycling—to recycle unpreventable wastes in an environmentally safe manner
whenever feasible.
 Treatment—to treat unpreventable, unrecyclable wastes to applicable standards prior to
release or transfer.
 Disposal—to safely dispose of wastes that cannot be prevented, recycled, or treated.

POLLUTION PREVENTION STRATEGIES

P2 TASK FORCE

 Create feasible P2 objectives and corresponding time frames

 Provide training to the individuals involved in the effort
 Oversee the program's main tasks and measure progress
 Evaluate the progress of the effort
 Maintain the program's goals long term.
VOLUNTARY APPROACH

Voluntary approaches to P2 are on the rise. Governmental organization often collaborate with
businesses and regulatory agencies to create a structure of guidelines. There are four types of
voluntary approach programs: public voluntary programs, negotiated agreements, unilateral
commitments, and private agreements. Public voluntary agreements are the least restrictive.
Environmental authorities collaborate and create specific guidelines. Companies are then
invited to follow these procedures on a strictly voluntary basis. Negotiated agreements are
created through collaboration between public authorities and industry authorities. The
agreement establishes bargains that are beneficial to the industry. Unilateral commitments are
established by industry authorities alone, and the guidelines they set are self-regulated. Private
agreements are established between “polluters” and other affected parties.

GOVERNMENTAL APPROACH

EPA has published waste minimization guidelines that comprise 5 major steps:

1. organizing the primary task force

2. assessing the current pollution situation
3. evaluating the feasibility of different program options
4. reporting and planning the preparations based upon the analysis
5. implementing the program.

WASTE REDUCTION ALGORITHM

The EPA makes available software that employs the Waste Reduction Algorithm. They use the
acronym WAR for this method. and state "the goal of WAR is to reduce environmental and
related human health impacts at the design stage.]The WAR tracks pollutants through the entire
production process in order to obtain accurate measurements.

INDUSTRIAL EFFORTS

By maximizing P2 opportunities, some companies choose to redesign their entire industrial

process. Managers focus more on what enters and moves through the entire process, instead of
only focusing on the output. Overall, the P2 strategies that financially benefit companies are the
most likely to be implemented. However, since P2 has only recently been realized as a cost
benefit, many corporations have not adopted significant measures to realize the potential gain.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS

Pollution prevention can also be viewed as a form of environmental entrepreneurship, as

companies see opportunities to reduce costs of waste treatment, storage, and disposal. For
example, 3M has accrued a savings of over $750 million since 1973 due to their implementation
of P2 incentives. If implemented correctly, P2 strategies can result in an increase in process
yield. By reducing the amount of pollution released, companies can avoid some of the liability
costs accrued when large amounts of pollution are released and contaminate the land on which
the facility is located.

INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS

According to EPA, there are some everyday steps that can be taken to prevent pollution:

 Use paper in limited quantities, and print double-sided. Also, look for paper that has been
made with recycled materials.
 When shopping, buy in bulk in order to reduce the amount of packaging required to package
the goods. Look for products made with recycled materials. Bring reusable bags in which to
carry purchased goods in order to reduce the number of disposed paper/plastic bags.
 Use water sparingly by installing water-efficient shower heads and faucets, and
install energy-efficient appliances. Make sure that sinks and hoses are not dripping. Do not
excessively water plants.
 Use transportation efficiently, and utilize mass transportation when possible. Recycling used
motor oil is also a way to eliminate the disposal of a hazardous material.
 Eating locally produced foods reduces the amount of fuel required for the food's
transportation.