Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
additional treatment of wastewater using reverse osmosis reduces the amount of heavy
metals in the discharged wastewater.
Recycling of metals, plastic, glass, wood products, and many other materials can greatly
minimize the amount of solid waste generated and disposed of in a landfill. Often, these
activities result in significant cost savings. The future in this arena is promising, as the dis-
covery of new options for the beneficial reuse of waste materials parallels the appearance
of new waste sources (USEPA 2009).
Energy reduction strategies evaluate the energy types consumed and their usage rates
by location over time. In addition, energy loss and potential recovery/recycling may also
come into play.
Purchasing habits can greatly assist minimization efforts. When supplies are purchased
in bulk containers, the number of containers requiring disposal is reduced. It is also possi-
ble to realize reductions in energy usage and air emissions through production efficiencies.
For instance, switching to more efficient gas turbines in certain production processes may
save energy, while conducting energy-intensive activities at night when energy demand is
low can lower air emissions. At off-peak times, power companies are more likely to substi-
tute a nonfossil fuel such as hydroelectric for coal.
Product packaging and transportation methods are also important areas where many
improvements can be made from an environmental perspective. For instance, using pack-
aging made from biodegradable material instead of plastic can have a significant positive
impact on the environment. In transportation, the use of rail or barges to transport prod-
ucts consumes much less fossil fuel and reduces air emissions.
13.3.6 Step 6: Assessing Results
Practicing pollution prevention has qualitative and quantitative benefits that can result in
significant financial gains and cost avoidance. The evidence of quantitative pollution pre-
vention benefits can be found by tracking reductions, especially if data have been collected
before a pollution prevention program was initiated. Quantitative evaluation is reflected
by the reductions of USEPA (2009)
• Waste volumes
• Raw materials
• Energy usage
On-site qualitative benefits are realized by USEPA (2009)
• Release avoidance
• Additional protection of human health and the environment
• Lowering regulatory reporting requirements
• Lowering environmental liability
Across an urbanized watershed, qualitative improvements will be seen in ecosystem
health, receiving water quality (surface water and groundwater), soil conditions, and air
pollution levels.
Continuous improvement, evaluation, and inspection should be developed as part of
program assessment, because the lack of an effective pollution prevention program can
result in significant liability and cost.
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