5. THE ENVIRONMENT

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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)

- recycle (eliminates 1, 5)

The most common sources of problems are emissions. Common types are,

- Air based exhaust

- Runoff to waterways

- Stored toxic dump

- Stored solids

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)

UL (Underwriters Laboratory)

CSA (Canadian Safety Association)