Environment: EPA details progress on pollution prevention

Journal Article · Wed May 03 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Chemical Week

OSTI ID:457496

Trumpeting the triumph of voluntary agreements over command and control regulation, EPA has issued a report on the pollution prevention accomplishments it says it helped industry achieve in 1994. Some of those moves were greeted with a jaundiced eye by industry when they were announced, however, and a new industry study finds that more environmental progress has been made by industry without the help of EPA. EPA details a long list of pollution prevention achievements, including design and demonstration of innovative pollution prevention techniques for the chemical and other industries, reducing waste at an agchem dealership, and creation of a new Office of Compliance to assist various industry sectors. Many of the initiatives focus on reducing use of such chemicals as pesticides, halogenated solvents, and chlorofluorocarbons. Industry was not so impressed with other actions, such as numerical goals in EPA`s hazardous waste minimization plan, dioxin standards in a major pulp and paper rule, and a {open_quotes}green chemistry challenge{close_quotes} unveiled as a partnership with the chemical industry. In its report on industry`s environmental progress, the National Association of Manufacturers says, {open_quotes}The remarkable environmental achievements of manufacturers stem from innovation and flexibility, not from top-down dictates from regulators.{close_quotes} It says manufacturers have reduced toxic emissions 43% in the past seven years as companies changed production processes to meet environmental goals and to improve productivity and quality.

• OSTI ID: 457496
• Journal Information: Chemical Week, Journal Name: Chemical Week Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 156; ISSN CHWKA9; ISSN 0009-272X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ENVIRONMENT
INDUSTRY
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
US EPA