Pollution prevention

Pollution prevention reduces or eliminates pollution at its source before waste or emissions are created, rather than treating or disposing of them afterward.

Source reduction: Reducing the amount or toxicity of materials used and waste generated at their source. It is the central strategy: prevent pollutants from entering production or use in the first place.
Cleaner production: A continuous strategy to improve production efficiency while reducing risks to people and the environment. It translates source prevention into operational changes within production facilities.
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990: A United States law that established a national policy favoring pollution prevention over treatment and disposal. It codified source reduction as the preferred approach in U.S. environmental policy.
Environmental justice: The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decisions and protections. Preventing pollution can reduce disproportionate exposure in communities near industrial sources.
End-of-pipe treatment: Treatment applied to emissions or waste after they leave a production process. It treats pollutants already created, whereas prevention changes the process that creates them.
Green chemistry: The design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances. It applies prevention principles directly to chemical synthesis and product design.
Waste minimization: Reducing the amount and hazardousness of waste generated by an activity. It is a measurable operational goal for pollution prevention programs.
Toxic Substances Control Act: A United States law authorizing regulation of chemical substances that may pose risks to health or the environment. Chemical oversight under this law can support preventing hazardous substances from entering commerce.
Circular economy: An economic model that aims to keep products and materials in use and reduce waste. Prevention supports circular systems by avoiding waste and hazardous inputs at the design stage.
Waste management: The collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste. Prevention precedes this broader field's handling of waste after generation.

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