The prevention principle

Environmentally sound manufacture does not have its source only in developing and improving the techniques for treating solid, liquid and gaseous wastes at the end of the production process. Our experience shows that more effort and capital budgets must be devoted to developing preventive measures. Although the treatment techniques have become very advanced and meet ecological requirements to a very high degree, they are now reaching the limits of their technological and economic feasibility. Environmental protection at the production site has undergone structural change in recent years. The emphasis has shifted to preventive techniques which affect the production process itself, avoiding the emergence of waste at the “end of the pipe” by preventing its formation or recycling it straight away. This integrated approach is in harmony with the demands of sustainable production. The functions of in-process environmental protection measures need to be looked at as a whole from the points of view of both environmental protection and cost-effectiveness. Some integrated methods are described.