Principles of Pollutant Control
Principles of Pollutant Control
Waste Minimisation
- Waste Hierarchy: This prioritises strategies to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.
- Environmental Design: A strategy to minimise waste through sustainable and environmentally conscious design.
- Resource Management: A balance of economic and environmental factors to minimise waste production.
Pollution Preventive Techniques
- Cleaner Production: This involves using energy and resources more efficiently to prevent pollution at the source.
- Process Modification: Adjustments to industrial processes can reduce their environmental impacts.
- Substitution: Replacing harmful substances with less harmful alternatives can reduce pollution.
- Product Modification: Altering products to ensure they are less polluting and easier to recycle.
Pollution Control Technologies
- Physical Techniques: These use physical processes (e.g., filters) to remove pollutants from emissions.
- Chemical Techniques: These involve chemical reactions (e.g., neutralisation) to convert pollutants into harmless substances.
- Biological Techniques: These use living organisms (usually bacteria) to break down pollution.
Environmental Management Systems
- Best Practice Management: Implementing industry best practices for pollution control.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure pollution control measures are effective.
- Public Participation and Awareness: Engaging the public in pollution control measures, promoting awareness and encouraging behaviour change.
Legal Frameworks
- Regulation and Enforcement: Laws and regulations set standards for pollution control, and enforce penalties for non-compliance.
- International Treaties and Agreements: Global efforts to address transboundary pollution issues.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Businesses have a responsibility to minimise their environmental impact and can face reputational or financial consequences if they fail to do so.
These principles provide a foundation for effective pollution control and can be integrated into broader strategies for environmental management. They underscore the need for a proactive and systemic approach to sustainably managing and reducing pollution.