Effect of Industry

Heavy industries have a major impact on the
environment. Environmentally sound technologies
are the key to improving their performance, and
mitigating the pollution they cause.

Cleaner production and eco-efficiency

7

Cleaner production is referenced throughout Agenda 21 as an important strategy for
supporting sustainable development. It focuses on preventing pollution rather than merely
controlling it or cleaning it up after the event. In short, the goal of cleaner production is to
avoid generating pollution in the first place. This in turn can cut costs, reduce risks and
help identify new opportunities. The concept was introduced by UNEP’s Industry and
Environment Centre (UNEP IE) in 1989, and since then it has gained considerable ground
worldwide, as companies increasingly recognize the performance and financial benefits of
switching from end-of-pipe solutions. There is a growing understanding that cleaner
production – like eco-efficiency – is a win-win approach, and that it does not always require
major changes to processes and products. Often quite minor changes result in increased
financial and environmental returns.

A

ccording to UNEP, cleaner production

production process. Upstream, it covers product

is “the continuous application of an

design and the impacts of providing materials

integrated preventative environmental

and energy inputs; downstream, it looks into the

strategy to processes, products and services to

impacts of using products and their disposal

increase eco-efficiency, and reduce risks for

as waste.

humans and the environment”. This means:

However, while cleaner production is not a

s for production processes – conserving raw

technological ‘fix’, environmentally sound

materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw

technologies (ESTs) are clearly an integral part

materials, and reducing the quantity and

of the strategy, and vital if industries and

toxicity of all emissions and wastes;

companies are to introduce cleaner...