At the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Define pollution prevention, source reduction, and sustainability
- List the benefits of pollution prevention
- Describe pollution prevention strategies
- Describe the purpose of an environmental management system
The following key questions are answered in this module:
What is pollution prevention?
Pollution prevention is any practice that reduces or eliminates pollution at its source, so pollution prevention is also known as source reduction.
What are the benefits of pollution prevention?
There are many direct and indirect benefits of preventing pollution, including reduced environmental impact and cost.
What are some source reduction methods?
Source reduction can be achieved by improving process efficiency, using alternative materials, and utilizing in-process recycling practices.
What should be the focus of waste reduction efforts?
The focus of waste reduction should be to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reducing the amount of waste generated should be the priority.
What is green chemistry?
Green, or sustainable chemistry refers to the design of chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous materials.
Below is a transcript of the video sample provided for this module:
A life cycle analysis shows that there are many things to consider when evaluating pollution prevention strategies. New products should be designed with pollution prevention in mind. To minimize the environmental impact, the following best practices should be followed: minimize the resources, raw materials, water, energy, etc. required to manufacture a product; reduce or eliminate hazardous materials required to produce the product; use recycled materials when possible; design processes that produce minimal or, preferably, zero waste; minimize packing and use recyclable packaging materials; design products with a long, useful life; and design products that are recyclable.
Use the additional resources and links below to learn more about this topic:
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – www.epa.gov
- Pollution Prevention (P2) - https://www.epa.gov/p2
- Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship & Compliance Assistance Center – www.FedCenter.gov
- Pollution Prevention Program - https://www.fedcenter.gov/programs/p2/index.cfm
- National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (P2) – www.p2.org
- What is Pollution Prevention - http://www.p2.org/about/what-is-pollution-prevention/