Pollution prevention is reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of nontoxic or less toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste stream. The best way to reduce waste and other pollution is to avoid producing it in the first place.
Businesses
People who own and operate businesses have a large role to play in reducing waste, pollution and impacts on global climate change. The benefits of employing pollution reduction techniques are:
- Reduced operating costs;
- Reduced compliance costs;
- Reduced liability;
- Workers' safety;
- Increased productivity;
- Increased marketability as a "green" business; and
- Even possibly increased profits.
Oregonians
Individuals can also make choices to prevent pollution. We can take measures like only buying what we will use, use transportation alternatives to cars (walking, biking, public transit), reducing food waste, using Safer Choice products, and buying reusable products.