Introduction

Cleaner production means the continuous application of an integrated preventive environmental strategy to processes, products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment.

In the long run, cleaner production is the most effective way to design and operate industrial processes and to develop and produce products and services. The costs of wastes and emissions, including negative environmental and health impacts, can be avoided or minimised by applying the cleaner production concept continuously and throughout the entire life cycle; it is a preventive approach rather than reactive.

Implementing cleaner production may not solve all environmental problems at a facility, but it will decrease the need for end-of-pipe equipment and create less toxic waste to treat and dispose. It often reduces workers' exposure to hazardous chemicals, and usually reduces the number of accidents that can harm surrounding areas. Products that are designed and produced with cleaner production in mind are often less harmful for consumers to use, and their residuals are normally less of a burden to waste streams.

Key elements

• Cleaner production covers processes, products and services and their impacts, including their design, utilisation and usage of raw materials and energy.
• It covers all wastes - hazardous/toxic or not - whether emitted into the air, water or onto the land.
• It requires not only improving efficiency and material substitution (using tools such as technology and know-how) but new managerial skills and policies as well; it also acknowledges the importance of design and use of products as well as services.

Further Information

UNEP DTIE Cleaner Production [http://www.unepie.org/Cp2/home.html] This site provides a brief outline of the activities performed by this programme including its documents, guides, the programme's international cleaner production information clearinghouse (ICPIC), activity centres and working groups. The site also has an electronic version of the publication ‘Cleaner Production - A Guide to Sources of Information’ that provides information on international and national organisations with expertise in cleaner production activities.

UNIDO Industrial and Technological Information Bank (INTIB) [http://www.unido.org/] INTIB is the United Nations Industry and Development Organisation's (UNIDO) clearinghouse. This site has a complete list of hyperlinks to websites providing cleaner production case studies as well as information on cleaner production, clean technology and industrial energy saving efforts.

Cleaner Production in Central and Eastern Europe - EAP Task Force [http://www.oecd.org/env/eap] This site is dedicated to cleaner production activities in Central and Eastern Europe (EAP). It provides information on its member services, resources, published reports, meeting documentation, available resources and relevant links.

PREPARE (PReventive Environmental Protection AppRaoches in Europe) [http://www.prepare-net.org/index.html] PREPARE offers information on new international, industry-oriented research and development projects in the field of cleaner process technologies and cleaner product development. It also provides information on experts and research institutions as well as up-coming PREPARE workshops.

Environet Australia [http://www.environment.gov.au/epg/environet/environet.html] This is a network of databases available in Australia. It contains a listing of Australian environmental organisations, pollution prevention research and development activities, education opportunities and technology case studies. The Cleaner Production Case Studies Directory provides case studies from various Australian industry sectors.

Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2) [http://www.c2p2online.com/] Formerly the Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Centre, this site offers pollution prevention information in the North American region. P2 Dialogue participants are connected electronically to share successes, available resources, key contacts and opportunities for co-operation.

Enviro$en$e International Cooperative for Cleaner Production [http://es.epa.gov/cooperative/international/] This page is part of the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency sponsored Enviro$en$e website. It is a collection of information on international cleaner production activities. It includes activity descriptions, links to other relevant pages and listings of experts.

 

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Last Update: 10 August, 2001