|
| Block 8: Environmental Issues and Public Health - Air Pollution Chapter 9: Cleaner Production; Pollution Control And Economic Development |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Environmental pollution arises out of a wide range of human activities. The fuels (coal, fuel oil, gas) and processes involved in the production of usable energy, including electricity generation and steam generation in industrial plants, and the fossil fuels (petrol and diesel) used for road transportation are major sources of air pollution. The disposal of domestic, medical and hazardous industrial solid wastes may result in air pollution (if incineration is used) or land and water pollution if landfill is used as a means of disposal.
Chemical processes such as oil refining, fertiliser production, iron and steel manufacturing and the production of various plastics are sources of air pollution. Leather production (the processing of hides and skins) results in pollutant discharges to air, water and to land. Mining of minerals results in water pollution (acid mine drainage) and large-scale solid waste dumps (mine tailings); ore smelting produces air pollution. Over the last 30-40 years, emission reduction technology and alternative processes that are less polluting have been developed to mitigate the environmental impacts of all these activities.
Early attempts (1960-70 onwards) to limit and control environmental pollution focussed on so-called "end-of-pipe" approaches, essentially the development of processes to reduce the pollutant concentrations in plant effluents (air, water discharges, mainly) through the addition of pollution abatement equipment immediately prior to the discharge of the air or water stream. The pollution control measures were relatively effective, particularly when applied to new installations. Environmental laws were introduced (for example, the Clean Air Act of 1970 in the United States, and similar laws in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe) to compel industries (including vehicle manufacturers) to utilise air pollution control devices, particularly on new installations and vehicles. But the retrospective fitting of these pollution control devices to existing plants is expensive and extended periods of grace were usually granted to industries for the installation of pollution control measures to existing plants thus undermining the potential benefits of new emission control technologies. In addition, continuing increases in the activities causing pollution (road traffic, industrial output) undermined the objective of an overall decrease in pollutant emissions.
In the mid-1990’s there was a growing recognition that, while "end-of-pipe" approaches to the management and reduction of emissions had resulted in considerable improvements, environmental problems (particularly air pollution problems) persisted and alternative approaches were needed to provide long-term solutions to environmental problems were required. Hence the development of the notion of ‘Cleaner Production’ as a broader approach to the development of techniques, approaches and technologies aimed at avoiding and minimising environmental impacts of economic activities.
The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) promotes the development and use of Cleaner Production through the promotion of biannual international seminars, facilitating access to the financing of related research and development activities, providing training and the publication of a quarterly journal, Industry and Development.
UNEP adopted the following definition of Cleaner Production:
Cleaner Production is the continuous application of an integrated preventive environmental strategy to processes, products, and services to increase overall efficiency, and reduce risks to humans and the environment. Cleaner Production can be applied to the processes used in any industry, to products themselves and to various services provided in society.
For production processes, Cleaner Production results from one or a combination of conserving raw materials, water and energy; eliminating toxic and dangerous raw materials; and reducing the quantity and toxicity of all emissions and wastes at source during the production process.
For products, Cleaner Production aims to reduce the environmental, health and safety impacts of products over their entire life cycles, from raw materials extraction, through manufacturing and use, to the 'ultimate' disposal of the product.
For services, Cleaner Production implies incorporating environmental concerns into designing and delivering services.
Thus far, the promotion and use of Cleaner Production methods is essentially voluntary. The large-scale adoption of the Best Available Technology/Techniques (BAT) or Cleaner Production methods to minimise environmental impacts depends on a more active regulatory approach.