• 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)
• This agency was created when Nixon combined various health and regulatory agencies into the EPA.
• The EPA primarily verifies environmental practices and takes corrective actions.
• Corrective actions might include,
• The EPA also sets some policies that are intended to be guides for industry.
• Recently the role of the EPA has been changing to be less adversarial and more supportive for industry.
• Some of the chemicals that the EPA targets in toxic releases are,
Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride)
• Legislation has been the most effective tool in causing environmental change.
• Much of the environmental legislation is criminal law.
• Keep in mind that while some legislation can be deal with in civil court, it does not prevent individuals from pursuing lawsuits that fall outside legislation.
• Well know legislation includes,
CAA (Clean Air Act) 1970: Allows EPA to police airborne pollution sources, lists pollution types. Amended over the years.
CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) 1980: amended RCRA, set up fund for site remediation and establishes liability responsibilities.
CWA (Clean Water Act) 1972: Empowered EPA to police discharges of wastes into waterways.
EPCRA (Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act) 1986: makes toxic releases public record with fines.
HSWA (Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments) 1984: national hazardous waste management.
PPA (Pollution Prevention Act) 1990: deals with sources of pollution and requires reporting of improvements.
RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) 1976: deals with waste disposal issues and hazardous waste controls.
TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) 1976: deals with toxic chemicals entering the marketplace.
• One significant impact is that when purchasing property the new owner assumes all liability for environmental problems. This means than now an environmental survey will be conducted before purchasing a property.
• Some chemicals on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) chemical list are given below. These are found in section 109 under section 40 of the CAA.
• Some chemicals on the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) chemical list are given below. These are found in section 112 under section 40 of the CAA.
• Workers are often exposed to environments that are hazardous.
• To deal with this it was created by congress in 1970.
guards and safety equipment on machines
worker training and instruction
• The agency helps set policy and police problems.
• One example is the MSDS sheets that must be posted on all chemicals and be on file in public places. This was created under the Worker Right to Know Act.
Problem 11.1 Suggest 10 ways to redesign a car to lessen the life cycle impact it has on the environment.
use more of the same materials to ease sorting
use materials that are easy to recycle
use materials that have been recycled
make the engine more fuel efficient
Problem 11.2 Which environmental factors will affect workers.
Problem 11.3 What factors would need to be considered when measuring noise in a manufacturing plant?
Problem 11.4 Discuss the two main organizations that deal with environmental issues. Who do they serve? What are their main environmental concerns?