Vadim Kotelnikov    

Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs)

Eco-Effectiveness  ●  Cleaner Production  ●  Technological Innovation

    

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Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs) Design for Waste Minimization Cleaner Production Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs)

Economic Advantages of ESTs

  • Cost reduction and higher profits through more effective use of resources (raw materials, energy), lower end-of-pipe treatment expenses, and higher market value of green products.

  • Opening of new environment-conscious markets and retaining of old environmentally-responsible customers.

  • Savings on charges imposed on polluters, avoidance of risks to come under criticism of media or consumer groups or to be shut down due to violation of increasingly restrictive local environmental regulations.

  • Increased staff → motivation and productivity due to improved working conditions.

  • Opening of → new opportunities (contracts, markets) due to improved corporate image.

Characteristics of ESTs in Relation to Sustainability

  1. Environmental Sustainability

    • Protection of ecosystems

    • Protection of natural resources

  2. Economic Sustainability

    • Reduced production and pollution control costs

    • Improved market acceptance

  3. Social and → Cultural Sustainability

    • Preservation and enhancement of social and cultural values

    • Better health and working conditions

 

 

10 Cleaner Production Strategies

  • Eliminate residue streams that contain substances under phase-out regulatory restrictions... More

Sustainable Development Challenges

According to the definition by the World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development “should include management of the use of a resource so it can meet human demands of the present generation without decreasing opportunities for future generations”.

ESTs – a Way to Sustainable Development

Application of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) is a way to sustainable development. “Environmentally sound” is a relative term however. Furthermore, environmental soundness is not an attribute of technology by itself but of technology in the particular socio-ecological context in which it is intended to be applied.

Broadly speaking, ESTs can be defined as technologies which protect the environment, are less polluting, use resources in a sustainable manner, recycle more of their wastes and products, and handle all residual wastes in a more environmentally acceptable way than the technologies for which they are substitutes. Chapter 34 of the Agenda 21 emphasises that ESTs are not just “individual technologies, but total systems which include know-how, procedures, goods and services, and equipment as well as organisational and managerial procedures”.

 

 

The Two Principle Groups of ESTs

ESTs could be divided into two large groups:

1. cleaner technologies and

2. cleaning technologies.

Cleaner technologies are production processes, including monitoring and control techniques, which are less polluting, use resources (raw materials, natural resources, energy, etc.) in a more efficient way, produce cleaner products and less harmful residual wastes, if any.

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Cleaning technologies are processes and products developed to neutralise the environmentally harmful effects of a given process or activity. This group includes pollution monitoring, assessment and control technologies (e.g. air pollution control, waste water treatment, treatment), waste treatment (e.g. solid/hazardous waste treatment, garbage disposal/recycling), and remediation technologies (e.g. soil/water remediation, air cleaning)

Design for Environment (DfE)

Design for Environment (DfE), also known as eco-design and green design, recognizes that environmental impacts must be considered during the new product design process, along with all of the usual design criteria. The purpose of green design is to evaluate and identify ways to minimize the environmental burden resulting from products... More

Design for Waste Minimization

Waste minimization is a series of cyclical systems where materials are re-used or re-cycled as part of a closed loop.... More

Design Strategies for Product and Materials Recycling

New product design strategies for waste recycling include use of simple materials, effective disassembly and recycling... More

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)

LCA is a process for analyzing the environmental impacts generated over the entire life cycle of a product from provision of raw materials to final disposal of the product... More