Cleaner Production

Why is Cleaner Production Important for Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises?

What are the Benefits of Cleaner Production?

What Does a Cleaner Production Review Typically Cover?

Where Can I Find Out More Information and Read Case Studies?

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) definition of "Cleaner Production", and the one in most common use is, "cleaner production means the continuous application of an integrated, preventative environmental strategy to processes, products and services to increase eco-efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment".

Cleaner Production focuses on minimising resource use and avoiding the creation of pollutants, rather than trying to manage pollutants after they have been created. It involves rethinking products, processes and services to move towards sustainable development.

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Why is Cleaner Production Important for Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)?

While Cleaner Production offers clear and quantifiable benefits to businesses economically and environmentally, it is still a relatively new concept to many SMEs. Cleaner Production can clearly illustrate that industry development, growth and prosperity can be consistent with preservation of the quality of life and the environment.

Small-to-medium enterprises are engines of economic growth and job creation in New South Wales. They are the largest source of new jobs, accounting for around 60% of all new jobs, and are at the forefront of innovation, product development, service delivery and exports.

Consumers, suppliers, governments and the market at large are increasingly demanding environmental responsibility by the business community. Businesses ignoring this trend and rejecting the opportunity to improve their environmental performance may find themselves left behind in the highly competitive global marketplace.

Cleaner Production is set to become an integral part of the business strategies of enlightened companies that want to embrace the ongoing challenges of industry leadership and continuous improvement.

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What are the Benefits of Cleaner Production?

Cleaner Production can reduce operating costs, improve profitability, worker safety and reduce the environmental impact of your business. Companies are frequently surprised at the cost reductions achievable through the adoption of Cleaner Production techniques. Frequently, minimal or no capital expenditure is required to achieve worthwhile gains, with fast pay-back periods. Waste handling and charges, raw material usage and insurance premiums can often be cut, along with potential risks.

On a broader scale, Cleaner Production can help alleviate the serious and increasing problems of air and water pollution, ozone depletion, global warming, landscape degradation, solid and liquid wastes, resource depletion, acidification of the natural and built environment, visual pollution and reduced bio-diversity.

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What does a Cleaner Production Review Typically Cover?

Firstly, the purpose of undertaking such an exercise is to examine a company’s operations, inputs and outputs to identify opportunities for financial and environmental gain through Cleaner Production and assess and prioritise these according to their feasibility. A Cleaner Production review of your operations can expose hidden weaknesses to be dealt with so that your business improves and is better prepared for the future. The period of a review can vary depending upon the size and complexity of the business. Ideally, the action plan arising from the review should be integrated with the company’s strategic and operating plans.

A review covers as many of these issues that are relevant to your business:

Company Background
Company description, its history, size (employees/turnover), ownership, location, products/services, scope of operations and production processes, competition and industry structure, growth and strategic priorities, improvement history.

Inputs: Raw Material and Resource Usage
Types and amount, toxicity and hazardous characteristics of raw materials used in the business (including energy and water).

Technology, Production Processes and Methods
Major items include factory layout and production flows, machinery and equipment, process technologies and process control, materials usage and handling, inward and outward packaging, hygiene (significant out-sourced components and services should be included in the Review).

Housekeeping
Material and waste storage and usage, labelling, inventory, maintenance, scheduling and spill containment.

Outputs
Products, by-products, rejects, packaging, waste streams and emissions – quantity and composition. Identification of production processes and raw material sources of waste.

Waste Management
Waste handling, treatment and disposal costs, drainage, water and sewer costs, levels and costs of reuse and recycling.

Environmental Licences/Permits and Compliance
Compliance issues requiring attention. Review of internal reports. Past problems, if any, in the business, or on the site.

Opportunities for Improvement
Product or service redesign, raw materials choice, process technologies, monitoring and control, manufacturing methods, waste creation, processing, minimisation and elimination, alternative energy sources, operational procedures, staff training and pollution control.

Current Market Demands
Recent or expected changes in domestic and export markets with environmental management implications. New market opportunities with better environmental practice.

Evaluation of Alternatives and Prioritisation for Implementation
Listing of opportunities to improve profitability and eco-efficiency. Conduct a preliminary evaluation of their feasibility – cost-benefit and timing. Prioritise the projects that best meet the strategic needs of the business.

Outcomes of the Review
It is advisable to prepare a written report for management with recommendations and a proposed action plan.

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Where Can I Find Out More Information and Read Case Studies?

Further Reading, Case Studies and Assistance

There are numerous documented case studies demonstrating the benefits of implementing a Cleaner Production program. Case studies and further information can be obtained from a number of national and international government agencies, including:

Victorian Environment Protection Agency	www.epa.vic.gov.au/bus/
UNEP Working Group Centre for Cleaner Production in the Food Industry	www.geosp.uq.edu.au/emc/cp/
EcoRecycle Victoria	www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au
Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry & Regional Development	www.diird.vic.gov.au
Queensland Sustainable Industries	www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/sustainability/industry/
NSW Department of Environment & Conservation	www.environment.nsw.gov.au
NSW Department of Energy, Utilities & Sustainability	www.deus.nsw.gov.au
Australian Environmental Labelling Assoc Inc	www.aela.org.au

Overseas Case Studies

(Note that many publications and information sources in the USA refer to "pollution prevention" rather than "cleaner production".)

USA Clean Washington Centre	www.cwc.org
Environment Canada Pollution Prevention Success Stories	www.ec.gc.ca/p2progress/en/index.cfm
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)	www.unep.org
World Business Council for Sustainable Development	www.wbcsd.org/

Further Reading

Environment Management Handbook for Small Industry, Australian Chamber of Manufactures

Cleaner Production Manual: Environment & Business: Profiting from Cleaner Production, Environment Australia

Environmental Information for Small Business, NSW Environment Protection Authority

Booklets for: Auto dismantlers; Auto servicing and mechanical repairers; Builders; Food Sense (hospitality industry); Marinas, boatsheds and slipways; Photographic film and paper processors; Printers; Retail food businesses; Service stations; Shopping centre management; Smash repairers; and Small Factories

Cleaner Production and Eco-efficiency. Complementary Approaches to Sustainable Development. United Nations Environment Program and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Journal of Cleaner Production, Elsevier Science

Energy Smart Allies Directory 2000, Sustainable Energy Development Authority

Energy Smart Toolbox, Sustainable Energy Development Authority

Australian Standards

Environmental Standards
AS/NZS ISO 14001:1996
Environmental management systems — Specification with guidance for use
AS/NZS ISO 14004:1996
Environmental management systems — General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques
AS/NZS ISO 14010:1996
Guidelines for environmental auditing — General principles
AS/NZS ISO 14011:1996
Guidelines for environmental auditing — Audit procedures, Auditing of environmental management systems
AS/NZS ISO 14031(Int):1998
Environmental management — Environmental performance evaluation — Guidelines
AS/NZS ISO 14040:1998
Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Principles and framework
AS/NZS ISO 14041:1999
Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis
AS/NZS ISO 1450-1999 — Environmental Management — Vocabulary

Energy Audit Standards

AS2725-1984
Guidelines for reporting energy use as part of the energy audit
AS3598-1990
Energy management programs — Guidelines for the preparation of an energy audit brief

SAI Global
286 Sussex Street, Sydney
GPO Box 5420, Sydney 2001
Phone 1300 654 646
Fax 1300 654 949
Email: Sales@standards.com.au
Web page: www.standards.com.au

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Contacts

NSW Department of State and Regional Development
Level 48 MLC Centre
19 Martin Place
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Phone: 9338 6646
Fax: 9338 6705
Web page: www.business.nsw.gov.au

The Department has a number of industry assistance programs to help companies become internationally competitive.

Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly NSW EPA)
Sustainable Programs Division
Level 2, 1 Fitzwilliam Street
Parramatta 2150
PO Box 644
Parramatta 2124
Phone: 9995 5000 (switch)
Fax: 9995 5999
Web page: www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Publications are available from EPA Pollution Line
Phone 131 555 (local call cost when calling from within NSW)
Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au

Department of the Environment & Heritage (Australian)
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 6274 1781
Fax: 6274 1640
Web page: www.deh.gov.au/

AusIndustry Hotline
AusIndustry is the Commonwealth Government’s central point for business information and assistance.
Phone 132 846
Web page: www.ausindustry.gov.au

Beverage Industry Environment Council
9 Glebe Street
Glebe NSW 2037
Phone: 9518 6566
Fax: 9518 6577
Email: biec@biec.com.au
Web page: www.biec.com.au

Australian Industry Group
51 Walker Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
Phone: 9466 5566
Fax: 9466 5599
Web page: www.aigroup.asn.au

NSW Business Chamber
Australian Business Centre
140 Arthur Street
North Sydney NSW 2059
Phone: 13 26 96
Fax: 1300 655 277
Web page: www.australianbusiness.com.au

Plastics & Chemicals Industry Association (PACIA)
Level 2
263 Mary Street
Richmond VIC 3121
PO Box 211
Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: (03) 9429 0670
Fax: (03) 9429 0690
Web page: www.pacia.org.au

Printing Industries Association of Australia
Level 10, 99 York St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 9248 7300
Fax: 9299 0087

Environment Business Australia
National Press Club
8/16 National Ciruit
Barton ACT 2600
Phone: 6270 1333
Fax: 6270 1300
Web page: http://environmentbusiness.com.au/

Department of Energy, Utilities & Sustainability
Sustainable Energy Programs
Level 17, 227 Elizabeth Street
Sydney 2000
GPO Box 3889
Sydney 2001
Phone: 8281 7777
Fax: 8281 7799
Web page: www.deus.nsw.gov.au

Buy Recycled Business Alliance
Phone: 9590 3710
Fax: 9568 6160
Email: brba@brba.com.au
Web page: www.brba.com.au/

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