It is currently believed that remediation technologies can provide effective solutions to the countless pollution problems facing western industrial societies. The validity of this optimistic assumption is highly questionable for at least three reasons: First, current mechanistic, reductionist science is inherently incapable of providing the complete and accurate information which is required to successfully address environmental problems. Second, physical treatment technologies are unable to provide effective solutions to environmental pollution since they transfer risks either from one place to another of from the present to the future. Third, the second law of thermodynamics dicates that most remediation technologies - while successful in solving specific pollution problems - cause unavoidable negative environmental impacts elsewhere or in the future. It can therefore be concluded that most remediation technologies have only very limited potential in solving current and future pollution problems.
展开▼
