C G industry voluntary initiative designed to improve the performance of the chemical industry in the fields of health safety and environment (Chemical Industries Association 1992). Future predictions of world scenarios invariably foretell increased population increased economic development and extrapolated associated pollution loads upon the planet. It will fall largely to the engineering profession to come up with the means of continuing to produce the goods and services society requires whilst reducing the net output of pollutant per unit of product. The greening of engineering F E AT U R E Sue Haile1 the Environmental Co-ordinator Why the environment? The advantages to industry of implementing environmental improvements are often quoted although there is still much reluctance particularly on the part of smaller companies to tackle the issue.Many companies world-wide are going further than this and are seeking formal recognition of their achievements by applying for accreditation to one of the environmental management standards such as the International Standard BS EN ISO14001 or EMAS the Eco Management and Audit Scheme (93/1836/EEC) the European Environmental Standard. Those companies that are taking a positive attitude towards the environment are also demanding the same high standards from their suppliers and thus the pressure is pushed on down the supply chain. For example Volvo in Sweden recently asked 850 of their suppliers for a copy of their environmental policy.Reasons given by industry for initiating environmental management schemes include the need to ensure current and future compliance with legislation—there are currently 400 EC draft or established regulations dealing with environmental topics! By being proactive and taking an anticipatory approach companies may give themselves market edge and find new market opportunities. The value of the market for new environmental services and technologies has been estimated as in excess of $3.5 billion dollars world-wide and is predicted to grow to $640 billion by 2010 (Environment Council 1998). Financial savings are also an invariable result of improved environmental management either through reduced costs for raw materials utilities waste disposal or being cynical in reduced fines for at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne UK ing world awareness and concern for environmental issues.In fact the chemical industry is deeply concerned with reducing its environmental impact and has been at the forefront of initiative development. For example the Responsible Care programme originally set up in 1989 is an international chemical discusses the green engineer Ask any school child which colour they associate with engineering and they will inevitably say grey or brown certainly not green. The concept of the chemical engineer as a net polluter is often still an integral part of public perception and one which needs to be addressed particularly with the grow- 1 Dr Haile is Course Director of the MSc course in Clean Technology at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne G34 Green Chemistry April 1999 housekeeping’ or improved monitoring and targeting.Cleaner production techniques are concerned with the concept of getting more value and use from a product or service with less resulting environmental impact. Some so-called ‘green’ products have been traditionally criticised as giving less from less (e.g. a ‘green’ washing product which doesn't wash as clean). Techniques Four approaches may be mentioned in the identification of a cleaner technology although these are not definitive but are given as examples. ‘Natural Step’ Devised by Dr.Karl-Henrik Robèrt in 1988 this approach is based upon society striving to operate according to four basic rules which should not be broken (Robèrt et al. 1997). Implemented throughout Sweden with every household being given a copy! The principles are used by IKEA a major international company in the day-to-day planning and running of their operations. ENVOP Developed in 1993 by BP/Costain using a similar methodology to Hazop (Potter and Isalski 1993). Env(ironmental) Op(timisation) involves a systematic review of a process driven by key words wherein a team of specialists familiar with the process plant ask at each step what would be the effect of certain changes to the operation of the plant.Key words used for example include raised or lowered temperature pressure flow rate recycled water etc. At each stage the question is asked as to whether this would improve the environmental performance without compromising production. The desired environmental improvements are categorised with the following six areas Why the environment? Requirements for Environmental Management Certification Compliance with increasing legislation Cost saving on raw material utilities waste disposal and treatment Pressure from the public and stake holders Increased legal liability Environmental impairment insurance requirements Market advantage and opportunities Supply chain pressure non-compliance. Figures of 10% reduction in cost savings for companies during the first year of an environmental action are well documented and often result from simple good housekeeping measures.The UK Environment Council estimates that a £70 saving per employee could be made by adopting simple resource-conserving strategies. Clean technologies Recently much has been made of the move away from traditional ‘end of pipe’ solutions and the drive towards clean technology a rather definitive concept with the target of zero emissions and of cleaner production techniques which are a comparative improvement on current technologies. Implementation of clean technology usually involves product modification such as changes in raw materials or processing improvements by for example process intensification.Lower down in the hierarchy of environmental improvement methodology comes waste minimisation which should not be disregarded as it is frequently achievable at zero cost through ‘good Clean technology opportunities can apply to all stages in the life cycle F E AT U R E C G l Vapour emission reduction l Liquid emissions reduction l Solid disposal reduction l Utility consumption reduction l Noise reduction l Reduction of odiferous discharges The procedure then results in the compilation of list of potential changes to the production process and an assessment of the relative environmental benefits or drawbacks in each of the six areas listed above. This is then followed by a cost benefit analysis of the suggested options.Principles of Natural Step l Substances extracted from the earth’s crust must not systematically increase in nature. We should not extract fossil fuels and metals from the Earth’s crust at a faster rate than they are replenished. We need to decrease the use of fossil fuels and reduce mining recycle oils and metals etc. l Substances produced by society must not systematically increase in nature. Substances should not be produced at a faster rate than they are broken down. We should phase out substances that cannot be biodegraded and are persistent in the environment e.g. PCBs. l The physical basis for the productivity and diversity of nature must not be systematically deteriorated (diminished).Don’t use resources beyond the ability of sustainable development i.e. so they are replenished at the same rate as their use. This for example will effect sustainable fisheries forestry and agriculture. l We must be efficient enough to meet all basic human needs or humans must achieve the just and efficient use of energy and other resources. People must be able to meet their needs (as opposed to their wants) and resources should be equally distributed. Green Chemistry April 1999 G35 F E AT U R E C G Life Cycle Assessment Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) looks at each stage in a service or product life cycle from cradle to grave (manufacture use and disposal) and pinpoints areas of greatest environmental impact which may then be targeted for improvement.The process may also be used to compare the environmental burdens of two competing products. The concept has developed very rapidly in its application over the last decade and is widely used by companies such as Proctor and Gamble (White et al. 1995). It is now covered by an international standard (ISO14040). LCA can be used to establish criteria for Eco-Labelling of products to bolster the market of an existing product to assess whether a proposed new product will produce a real environmental improvement in product defence and to reduce the impact of an existing product. LCA is a relatively new field but with great potential for growth and application although there are still relatively few practitioners.Eco-Efficiency Fitness Compass The Eco-Efficiency Fitness Compass originated from Dow Chemicals in 1993 (ENDS 1996). It consists of a six-point compass that allows comparison of a proposed product with an existing one based on consideration of six criteria. The compass uses six dimensions of eco-efficiency. Any new product is judged against the six criteria based on achieving a maximum rating of 5. Existing products are given a hypothetical rating of two to enable the new product to achieve either a better or worse rating in comparison. Eco-efficiency criteria l Amount of energy used l Amount of materials used l Resource conservation l Ecotoxicity l Waste to landfill l Durability and functionality Conclusions The approaches described vary in the stage in the production process in which they apply.The Natural Step is a philosophical approach relying on the four thermodynamic and ecological based rules. Industry should see adherence to these rules as the guiding light in the development of all of their operations. Green Chemistry April 1999 G36 ENVOP acts very much at processing stage once the product has already been decided upon. LCA may be carried out on all or some stages in the life cycle of a product or service but should be concentrated where the environmental burden is felt to be the greatest. For example in a washing machine this would be in the ‘use’ phase due to the water and energy requirements and resultant emissions.Whilst the concept is based on a ‘cradle to grave’ assessment of environmental impact in practice the scope of the undertaking is often so vast that clearly defined system boundaries must be applied. The Eco-Efficiency Fitness Compass essentially acts as a form of life cycle assessment but with the equivalent of LCA impact criteria being placed into one of six categories. It may be used to compare an existing product with a proposed one at the design stage or to compare two or more existing products. Which tools are used to ensure less environmentally damaging products and services is a decision that should be made at the planning and design stage although as we have seen methodologies exist that are applicable further along the production and processing chain.The challenge to industry to meet the environmental requirements of the future has been issued. The engineering community has the tools and increasingly the expertise to ensure we are able to meet that challenge and will be at the forefront of the drive towards achieving sustainable development. The Eco-Efficiency Fitness Compass References BS EN ISO 14001. Environmental Management Systems Specifications with Guidance for use 1994. BS ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment General Principles and Practices 1994. Chemical Industries Association (1992). Responsible Care Management Systems publication CIA July 1992 ISBN 0 900 623 853. Environment Council Business and Environment Programme Handbook October 1998 Background p20. Environmental Data Services (ENDS) Report 252 January 1996 16-19 European Commission 93/1836/EEC Regulation allowing voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a community eco-management and audit scheme (OJ L168 10 July 1993). Potter N.; Isalski W. H. Environmental Optimisation The ENVOP Technique Environmental Protection Bulletin 1993 26 17. Robert K.-H.; Daly H.; Hawkins P.; Holmberg J. Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 1997 4 79-92. White P.; Franke I.; Hindle I. Integrated Solid Waste Management A Lifecycle Inventory Publication Chapman & Hall 1994.