REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Cleaner Production aims to prevent the potential environmental impacts of production by carefully analysing the process steps and improving management of the process to reduce the use of water, energy, toxic chemicals as well as minimising the generation of waste at source. The benefits are not only to the environment but also to the business.

CLEANER PRODUCTION MAKES BUSINESS SENSE

Without even considering the environment or any environmental legislation, any company would be interested in CP, merely for economic reasons. Although the intention is to achieve a lower level of pollution and environmental risk, more efficient use of materials and process optimisation results in less wastes and emissions, which in turn result in lower operating costs.

CP is an approach to business which requires an attitude change - where environmental impacts of business are prevented at source rather than considered an inevitable part of business. The economic impact is almost always beneficial due to the increased efficiency of operation.

Cleaner Production leads to savings. Those companies which have participated on local CP demonstration projects have shown an average improvement in turnover of 2-7%, with small companies achieving up to 25%! These are savings in operating costs every year which would otherwise be wasted in inefficiencies. The majority of savings are low-cost improvements in management and have low associated capital expenditure. The average payback for the higher capital expenditure options is between 6-24 months. The competitive advantage for companies implementing CP becomes obvious when you look at these figures.

CLEANER PRODUCTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The overall effect is business aiming at Sustainable Development - which meets the needs of today's generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

UNEP and UNIDO have recommended CP as the optimum approach offering a win-win solution to the need for increased economic development and the essential need to minimise the environmental degradation associated with development, i.e. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

CP directly addresses the twin objectives of ensuring a sustainable future for our planet while maintaining the necessary growth required meeting current social and economic needs.

Industries today must account for the environmental impacts of their activities while remaining profitable in an increasingly competitive world. This challenge requires a solution that enables firms to: