In the United States of America, both large and small businesses are subject to following a number of environmental regulations. These safety regulations have been set by the Environmental Protection Agency with the purpose of protecting the world from the environmental consequences of business activities. With the help of these regulations, it is possible for the EPA to keep a check on the practices and behavior of owners and management of entities, which in turn helps to ensure that the products and services produced by them cause the least amount of harm to the environment as possible.
Any company – big or small – has several aspects which require proper understanding and implementation of the various regulations set by the EPA. These include (but are not limited to) clean water, clean drinking water, pure and fresh air, conservation of resources, emergency planning and prevention and control of toxicity and pollution, among others. When generating new services or creating new products, a business can make use of processes which can potentially cause environmental problems such as air pollution, the release of toxic substances into the water, and contamination of drinking water supply. This usually happens if the company is irresponsible and does not handle their wastes and toxins properly. If the company is environmentally responsible, however, it can help reduce – if not eliminate toxins, waste and pollutants, and keep the environment as eco-friendly as possible.
The regulations set by the EPA are flexible enough to allow a company to produce their products and/or services while staying within the confines of the rules. When making and implementing a plan for creating and manufacturing products in a plant, the company must see to it that the plant’s activities keep the air free from pollution, keep the drinking water supply safe from contaminants, and ensure that the resources being used are no more than what is absolutely necessary. With a definite goal of meeting the EPA-set regulations, companies are often able to perform well without incurring any extra costs and/or encountering any problems. In fact, they may end up using ways and methods that can have a better effect on the environment – solar power and wind turbines are some of the many eco-friendly methods of conducting operations which can help curb pollution and raise community awareness as well.
The EPA, through its various Acts and regulations, helps businesses make sure that they follow the processes which can help keep the environment greener and cleaner – even while they are manufacturing products which release toxic waste. While it is not possible to eliminate pollution entirely, it is possible to keep pollution to a minimum – which is exactly what the demand of the EPA’s regulations and rules are. The EPA monitors the waste emitted by companies through various methods, such as levying a ‘fine’ which is proportional to the percentage of waste it is responsible for expelling into the atmosphere. Having a limit also encourages companies to look for alternative ways of creating products, which keeps toxic fumes from leaving the manufacturing compound without being cleansed in some way or the other. The most beneficial alternative here is going green and employing eco-friendly methods to help in manufacturing.
Yet another thing that is an absolute requisite for a clean environment is clean water. In order to ensure that the EPA requirements and regulations pertaining to this are met, companies reduce the amount of toxic waste and other hazards to as minimum as possible. This does not always have a positive effect, however, as it may cause toxins to get bottled in large containers and then buried at another site. So while the waste is prevented from entering the water supply, it will poison the land eventually. In order to avoid this, companies tend to change the method of manufacturing products in a way that very less (if any) waste and toxin are created in the first place.
Pollution and Toxic Waste
It comes as no surprise that companies generate toxic waste and pollutants when manufacturing in plants or factories. The EPA only steps in when it realizes that the company is more invested in the process of fulfilling its mass production goals than it is to preserve and conserve natural resources. To keep the EPA from getting involved, and to increase community involvement, companies must reduce (if not completely eliminate) air, water, and land pollution to a minimum. Furthermore, implementing practices which promote a cleaner, greener and a healthier environment helps companies progress in the future. Once the company is seen to be in tandem with all relevant community and environmental concerns, it will no longer need to make a conscious effort to try and keep up with the regulations.
Another factor that plays an important role here is the conservation of resources and the cleaning up of toxic waste. While it is true that the level of production can be more when the resources are squandered, it is also true that squandered resources can generate a large amount of toxic waste, either through the use of specialized equipment or as a byproduct of the created items created. By adhering to EPA standards, companies can keep pollutants and toxic waste away. Companies can also help themselves in this regard by Increasing the use and regulation of resources.
Planning and the Community
All businesses, especially small ones, must have a contingency plan for emergency issues – both within the company and with the environment at large. Furthermore, the company must oblige to the community’s right to know about the various practices in place. In case the company has started to produce pollutants which are contaminating (or have already contaminated) the natural resources of the local cities, it will be subject to a full investigation by the relevant authorities.
