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Clean Products and Processes

About... Clean Product and Processes (Phase I)

Objective of the pilot study

The concept of sustainable development universally accepted as the means of protecting the environment for all mankind, demands that future manufacturing technologies must be cleaner, yet economically sound. The goal of sustainable development will, in the manufacturing sectors, be achieved by a combination of several methods.

One method is improved housekeeping in process plants leading to large reductions of emissions and discharges of pollutants. Another method is significant modifications of existing process technologies through the application of sound science and advanced technologies.

Yet another method is totally new process designs that are environmentally preferable, made possible by using tools for life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental impacts. An effective pilot study will have far-reaching influence on future developments in NATO and the partnership countries, in fact throughout the world..

Such a pilot study needs to put together, for the benefit of all nations, exemplary developments in three important areas. First, we must address the issue of measuring cleanliness through devising environmental or sustainability indicators (called analytical tools or computer software). Second, we must examine cleaner techniques for achieving specific goals in selected industry sectors, such as power generation, textile, pulp and paper, leather tanning, metal finishing, and mining. Third, we must examine advanced techniques for cleaner product designs. Additionally an effective web-based dissemination method needs to be established to share the knowledge among academia, Government agencies, and industries of all nations.

Clean Products and Processes-Phase I set the foundation for an effective
pilot study. Our initial goal of creating an effective forum for exchanging
new ideas, knowledge, and methods for achieving cleaner products and
processes has been achieved. Phase I was launched in 1998. The US
Environmental Protection Agency in Cincinnati, Ohio hosted its inaugural
meeting with 14 countries participating. 27 nations were represented at its
last meeting, held in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Phase I was the first step towards a scientific and technological approach
to sustainable development from the perspective of manufacturing sectors for
the explicit purpose of exploring the product and process options that offer
minimizing environmental impacts at the lowest possible cost.
Phase I was launched at a time when the environmental impacts of industry
and its products, and the depletion of natural resources were just beginning
to be appreciated. Additionally, in the span of the first five years of this
study, only a few technology sectors could be examined. Because of the need
to keep this forum alive, Phase II has been initiated to conduct the
business of dealing with the exploding developments in cleaner technologies
and methods and to address some of the more important industry sectors.

Now that the infrastructure for the Pilot study network has been established, we can use it to build a truly effective means of fostering collaboration among countries and facilitate dissemination of results pertaining to cleaner production. Phase II is continuing on the course charted by Phase I with the special emphasis on the following items:

We will focus on exchanging and developing the best science to support the ideas of eco-efficiency and sustainability indicators. These yardsticks will be used in the near future throughout the world to identify technologies and products that are environmentally friendly. We want to use this Pilot to promote harmonization of the indicators for universal use.

We will focus on the state-of-the-art developments in several industrial sectors. These will be chosen from the sectors already identified by the members as most urgent. We will construct a dissemination mechanism for the results of the pilot activities and related developments achieved elsewhere. Such comprehensive database would be very useful for those around the world in cleaner production standards. US EPA has already pledged to develop a web-based portal and link it to the NATO CCMS home page. We will stimulate collaboration among the countries in solving common problems. To a great extent care will be taken to see that in each collaboration at least one partnership country is involved.

Clean Products and Processes-Phase II:The initial goal of creating an effective forum for exchanging new ideas, knowledge, and methods for achieving cleaner products and processes has been reached during the Phase I of this pilot study. Phase II was needed to conduct the unfinished business of dealing with the exploding developments in cleaner technologies and methods and to address some of the more important industry sectors. Phase II continues on the course charted by Phase I with the special emphasis on the following items:

• Exchanging and developing the best science to support the ideas of eco-efficiency and sustainability indicators;
• Focus on the state-of-the-art developments in several industrial sectors;
• Dissemination mechanism for the results of the pilot study activities and related developments achieved elsewhere; such comprehensive database would be very useful for those around the world in cleaner production standards;
• Stimulated collaboration among the countries in solving common problems. To a great extent care is taken to see that in each collaboration at least one Partner country is involved.

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