“Cleaner Production is an integrated preventive environmental strategy that is applied to processes, products and services in order to increase efficiency and reduce risks for human beings and the environment”
Cleaner Production can be applied to any process, product or service, and ranges from simple changes in the operational procedures of easy and immediate execution, to major changes, which imply the substitution of raw materials, inputs or production lines for more efficient ones.
In terms of processes, Cleaner Production includes the conservation of raw materials, water and energy, the reduction of toxic raw materials (toxicity and quantity), emissions and waste, which go to water, into the atmosphere and the environment.
In terms of products, the strategy aims to reduce all impacts during the life cycle of the product from the extraction of raw materials to the final waste; promoting friendly designs according to the needs of future markets.
Cleaner Production requires changing attitudes, developing responsible environmental management, creating appropriate national policies and evaluating technological options.
Some techniques of Cleaner Production are:
- Process improvements
- Good Operating Practices
- Equipment maintenance
- Reuse and recycling
- Changes in raw material
- Technology changes.
Some benefits of Cleaner Production are:
- Position competitively in the national and international market in the face of free trade agreements.
- Respond to emerging international trends regarding environmental norms and standards.
- Influence the environmental performance of national companies.
- Contribute to compliance with current environmental legislation.
- Generate consumption and demand for products made with a Cleaner Production approach.
