Environmental
Impacts

CFCs damaged the ozone layer, DDT a persistent pesticide now even found in polar bears. Thalydomide caused birth defects. Asbestosis was a hidden killer. The jury is still out on genetically modified organisms!

Process imapcts can cause a wide range of diverse affects to land, air, water and biodiversity.

Check out range of environmental impacts [Unit 1]

Impacts upon the environment include:
Total loss of finite resources such as coal and other minerals.
Land degredation caused by mining.
Deforestation leading to desertification.
Loss of biodiversity

Burning fossil fuels leads to climate change and locally poor air quality.
In depth information on impacts of energy

Wasted resources.

Water pollution:

• kills fish and other aquatic life
• involves costly clean-up
• reduces availability of fresheater
• requires expensive treatment
• leaks reduce available quantity

More about water quality

Failure to manage environmental aspects of your work results in continuous pollution of land, air and water from process activities. Reduction of emissions and discharges cannot be achieved without control.

Recycling nutrients, moderating the water cycle and climate, building soil, pollinating plants, maintaining habitats or homes for other species, are all at risk from reduced biodiversity. The United Nations reports that 80% of species decline is a result of habitat destruction.

Failure to take environmental considerations into account leads to:

• inefficient products & processes
• inefficient use of resources
• increased waste

Environmental
Principles

Precautionary Principle

If there is a serious risk to the environment, organisations should not be put off from doing something about it, just because the certainty of scientific evidence has not yet arrived.
Or "Be safe rather than sorry"

Cleaner Production

Cleaner Production is about producing goods whilst using cleaner processes. CP looks to reduce or remove contaminants from processes or products at source - rather than trying to clean up using expensive "end of pipe" technologies. In common use, the term extends to cover resource use...

Resource Use

Resource Use is driven by concerns about finite resources, as well as usual cost concerns. The market says that as a finite resource runs out, the costs of it will rise. Good resource use makes the same quantity of goods whilst using fewer resources. Good resource use equals doing more with less and is reflected in each of the 3 following principles..

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency is being driven by controls on climate change as well as sensible economic sense. Much energy use is inefficient as it concentrates on speed rather than efficiency.

Waste Hierarchy

Waste minimisation is the prevention or reduction of waste - anything that you dont need, at source.
The waste hierachy sets out the best ways to get rid of waste - and the best way is not to create it.

Water Control

Water control is a major issue. The quality of fresh water is increasingly compromised by chemical pollutants making sourcing and treating water a complex and expensive process. In many parts of the world there are severe water shortages. So much effort is being put into making sure water gets where it is needed in decent condition. Water control improves with better understanding of the "water cycle" and the recognition that there is no 'new' water.

Environmental Management

An environmental management system aims primarily at measuring and setting auditable targets to reduce the overall environmntal impacts and improve the environmental performance of a company or of an organisation.

Environmental Conservation

Conservation is more than preserving and valuing wild spaces such as Nature Reserves. It is the support of biodiversity by maintaining all habitats and demonstrating stewardship and not exploitation. This means valuing wild places and maintaining wildlife, including the wildlife refuge at the corner of your car park!

Eco Design

Eco Design takes notice of the possible environmental impacts in the design of a product. This means applying all the environmental principles and taking lessons from nature when designing new products.The best way to do this is make use of all sorts of natural patterns, materials and processes.

Environmental Practices

Ban Asbestos

Stop Smoking.

Spot Significant Risk

Provide GM-Free food

Good Housekeeping

Suppress evaporation

Reduce emmissions

Modify Process

Clean up process

Go Organic

Identify material use

Map resource flow

Calculate ratios

Measure energy

Monitor energy use

Switch Off

Use renewable sources

Reduce waste

Reuse materials

Recycle product

Refurbish machines

Mend and Repair

Compost

Turn taps off

Use grey water

Control Leakages

Prevent Flash-flooding

Follow environmental Policy

Help set targets

Suggest improvements

Train employees

Carry out audit

Make Garden. Put up a bird box

Establish wildlife. Build a pond

Provide bird & Butterfly food sources

Planting trees provides food & shelter and improves air quality

Draw with natural structures & designs

Design for natural efficiency

Innovate using models from nature

Copy natural design.

Adapt natural patterns