Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2. Develop and use green alternative monomers (especially renewable
materials) in place of fossil fuel-derived monomers wherever technically
and economically feasible.
3. Minimize the residual monomer content in virgin resin pellets reaching
the processors and ending up in plastic products.
4. Continually research appropriate chemistries for greener alternatives
for additives identified as posing a potential health hazard.
5. Ensure minimum waste of all materials during manufacture.
6. Guard against polluting the air, water, and soil by using the best
available industrial practices. This also includes minimizing incidental
loss of virgin plastic resin pellets during transport.
7. Study and research potential health hazards and ecological problems
associated with plastics additives popularly used. Communicate these
potential hazards and what steps are being taken to minimize them, to
the consumers.
8. Design plastic products that fully exploit the unique characteristics of
the material.
Use phase
a. Where possible to do so safely, design plastic products to be reusable to
ensure that consumers derive the full value of the material.
b. Encourage proper disposal of plastic products to avoid littering
especially in the marine environment where litter management options
are not readily available.
c. Assess the likelihood of release of residual monomer and additives,
from plastic packaging especially into food and beverage.
d. Inform consumers about the positive as well as negative environmental
attributes of the product during use and the industry efforts at
correcting perceived problems.
Waste disposal
a. Encourage reuse, recycling, and resource or energy recovery with
postconsumer plastic waste to cost-effectively extend the value of the
product beyond its immediate service life.
