Targeting industrial processes for pollution prevention

作者：Danming Li · 发表于：Environmental Solutions · 年份：1997 · 研究领域：Environmental Impact and Sustainability、Sustainable Industrial Ecology

Before investing in pollution prevention projects, companies need to focus on the processes that have the potential to result in the greatest payback. All too often, companies hire outside consultants to conduct one-time, isolated opportunity assessments in response to state or Federal planning requirements but do not continue to seek opportunities as operations are modified. As a result, companies may end up investing in projects to meet their immediate needs while missing opportunities for savings that may result from broader, longer term solutions. Similarly, departments may implement projects independently and end up missing opportunities to take advantage of economies of scale or internal reuse/recycling possibilities. The companies that have profited the most from pollution prevention strategies are those that have fully integrated the concept into their major business decisions at all levels within the organization. In this respect, pollution prevention is one of several possible tools to minimize projected environmental impacts.