1. THE ENVIRONMENT• In previous centuries environmental issues typically affected local areas and went untreated until they reached crisis proportions. • The industrial revolution has provided us the new ability to overload the environment at a much faster rate and with greater damage. And, the results of the pollution are no longer contained in a local area. • Most of the environmental problems arise because the products that are delivered back into nature are not in the forms they were in when originally extracted. • The main sources of problems are, 1. extracting raw materials often results in damage to the environment. 2. purifying raw materials produces by-products, requires energy and other materials. 3. shaping materials into useful form also produces by-products, requires energy and other materials. 4. during the life of a product there is upkeep, maintenance and consumption. 5. at the end of a products life it must be discarded. • There are three good strategies when dealing with the environment, - use less (eliminates 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) - reuse when possible (eliminates 1, 2, 5) • The most common sources of problems are emissions. Common types are, • many countries and are starting or have already enacted laws aimed at reducing environmental problems. Germany - requires manufacturers to accept back used products such as automobiles California - a zero emissions law requires no emissions on new vehicle in future • These issues are already being addressed as voluntary standards such as ISO 14000. • There are a wide variety of agencies and organizations that influence environmental policies and practices. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) EPA (Environment Protection Agency) NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) CSA (Canadian Safety Association) 1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)1.2 LEGISLATION1.3 OCCUPATION SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)1.4 PRACTICE PROBLEMS |