The Nuts and Bolts of Pollution Prevention (P2)
Pollution that is not created does not have to
be managed.
Pollution Prevention is
Common Sense
Accountants call it loss control…
engineers call it efficiency and
managers call it total quality
management… but most of us call
it common sense!
Simply put, pollution prevention, also
known as P2, is about avoiding the
creation of pollution and waste, rather
than trying to clean it up after the
fact.
Traditionally, waste has been
managed through treatment,
pollution control, recycling or
landfill. All these solutions cost
money, and are sometimes not
environmentally sound. Pollution
prevention looks at where waste is
generated, and how best to eliminate or
reduce it at the source.
Common P2 Practices
Pollution prevention opportunities can
be found throughout an operation. For
instance, different equipment, materials,
technology, or even staff routines can
result in pollution prevention. The ways
in which P2 is achieved varies from one
sector to another, but there are seven
common practices.
P2 in Action…
An automotive company used a toxic
chemical (methylene chloride) to flush
heads used to pour foam. They eliminated
the use of the chemical by replacing it with
tap water, reducing emissions and worker
exposure. By not buying and disposing
of the chemical, the cost savings were
$600,000 per year. |
1. Materials or Feedstock
Substitutions
In many cases, it is possible to replace
some of the materials or feedstock
currently used with less toxic
alternatives that perform equally well,
or even better.
2. Product Design or Reformulation
Think about company products—can a
design change or reformulation improve
efficiency and reduce environmental
impact?
P2 in Action…
Many products have been reformulated to
reduce pollution while still performing their
original functions. Mercury has been
removed from thermostats and fluorescent
lights. Asphalt patching mixes can be
changed from diesel-based to water-based. |
3. Equipment or Process
Modifications
Older equipment can be inefficient, or
processes may release an excess of
pollutants and waste. In addition, there
may be substitutes available for areas
where toxic substances are in use.
Rethinking equipment and processes
can result in improved efficiency, safety
and lower costs.
P2 in Action…
A metal fabricator replaced a sand-blasting
process with a "self-recycling" blast booth
that uses steel shot and grit as the blast
medium. This new medium can be used up
to 200 times, where the sand was a onetime
use. The operation now takes 50 per
cent less time and saves $12,000 per year
in labour costs. |
4. Spill and Leak Prevention
Changing existing procedures to prevent waste
from spills or leaks can save money in product
and clean-up costs as well as reduce worker
hazards.
P2 In Action…
- install splash guards and drip trays
around equipment
- install leak detection equipment
- ensure gaskets and hoses are properly fitted
|
5. On-site Re-use, Recycling or Recovery
All non-product outputs should be viewed
as raw materials loss. On-site re-use
and recycling could have significant
environmental or economic benefits. Think
of waste as a potential product that is being
thrown away, and that a price is paid to
manage that waste. Remember, one person’s
waste is another person’s treasure.
P2 in Action…
A soap manufacturer re-uses all excess plastic
removed from bottles after molding in making new
bottles. Water from product changeover clean-outs
is collected in tote tanks and re-used as process
water in manufacturing. These re-use and recycling
actions, along with other P2 initiatives, have
reduced waste by an estimated 75 per cent and
yielded savings close to $25,000 a year. |
6. Improved Inventory Management or
Purchasing Techniques
Many businesses are now practicing "first-in,
first-out" or "just-in-time" delivery. This
reduces waste and losses of material or
product from expiration or over-stocking.
P2 in Action…
- avoid the need for drum disposal and purchase
materials in re-usable totes
- minimize inventory by establishing minimum
and maximum storage quantities for chemical
substances
- let suppliers know about P2 commitments…
maybe they have some ideas!
|
7. Good Operating Practices or Training
P2 can be part of ongoing efforts to enhance
operating efficiencies through staff training.
Adjust production schedules to minimize
equipment changeovers; review maintenance
scheduling; and investigate staff training to
improve material handling and identify P2
opportunities.
P2 in Action…
Golf courses have found that improvements in
maintenance and turf management can help reduce
the areas treated with pesticides and fertilizers by
33 per cent to 50 per cent. |
Give it a whirl!
P2 is as much about increasing company
efficiencies, reducing waste management
costs, improving flexibility and gaining a
competitive advantage as it is about
enhancing an ability to protect the
environment.
These are just a few ideas and examples to get
started and to apply to current processes and
practices.
Want to know more?
Here are some good sources of information
about pollution prevention:
For further information, please contact:
Environment Canada
National Office of Pollution Prevention
Place Vincent Massey
351 St. Joseph Blvd., 13th Floor
Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3
Phone: (819) 994-0186
Fax: (819) 953-7970
E-mail: CEPAP2Plans@ec.gc.ca
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