Outline the ways in which sustainability can be enhanced in an industry.

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1. Introduction of new rules and environmental constraints:

This produces new opportunities for innovative companies since they hasten the search for alternative solutions. This does not always require the introduction of new technology – more often it requires clever application of existing technology. Companies will use their know how and technology assets to deal with changing rules and constraints to keep or increase their competitive edge since many markets in various industrial sectors are growing towards a global size, it will pay to have uniform rules in different regions of the world.
2. New course to provide new knowledge:
In order to be able to cope with new environmental conditions and rules, technical research and development departments of companies will need a continuous refreshment of their skills pools. This calls for new courses in schools and universities in order to provide the new knowledge for example in areas such as;

i) How to approach issues of waste management
ii) New developments in optimizing low-waste manufacturing processes
iii) How to use biotechnology to avoid poisonous chemicals in agriculture
iv) The role of recycling in existing manufacturing processes.

3. Providing incentives:
The potential for improving industrial processing and manufacturing so as to fulfil stricter environmental requirements are vast. When challenged by the right incentives, the industrial innovation engine, helped by industrial research and development resources will in time produce new processes and manufacturing concepts and reduce waste created by industry itself – more so in the field of designing alternative environment friendly products to fulfil services required by customers. The opinion and choice of the customer will have a great influence on the speed of progress.

4. Waste minimization:
It’s applicable primarily to the intermediate stages of materials processing. It is based on the fact that it is necessary to look at the causes of waste generation before considering its effects. Apart from being environmental friendly, there is substantial economic incentive in that the reduction of waste generated implies lesser cost of waste treatment and disposal.Waste minimization involves:
i) Source reduction – this in addition to reduction of waste generated also uncovers certain hidden inefficiencies in plant operation.

ii) Recycling – involves process analysis with a view of discovering possibilities of the substitution of fresh reagents and solvents by the waste generated.

iii) Recovery – requires an investigation into possibilities of transforming the waste from one industrial process into useful raw materials for other industrial processes

iv) Waste treatment and incineration

v) Storage and disposal of waste

Waste minimization may be enhanced by a strategy of long life goods and product life extension.

marto answered the question on March 21, 2019 at 06:23

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Outline the ways in which sustainability can be enhanced in an industry.

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