Pollution Prevention and Worker Toxic Exposures: A Method

摘要

Environmental health policy in the United Sates is shifting from the paradigm of control to that of prevention. Under the control paradigm, harmful substances are dealt with only after their production or acquisition. In contrast, the prevention paradigm seeks to change the processes by which goods or services are produced in order to achieve the same product, while reducing the generation and use of environmentally harmful substances. Intuitively, it would seem that programs that are designed to reduce occupational exposure to toxic chemicals as well. However, pollution prevention (P2) is not always beneficial to workers. Worker exposure to trichloroethylene, a probable human carcinogen, has resulted from the elimination of trichloroethane, due to its ozone depleting properties. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of scientific knowledge as to the conditions under which pollution prevention increases or reduces the severity of occupational exposures. The research presented here is an attempt to contribute to scientific knowledge in this area. This study examined the impact on occupational exposures of a P2 program at an air conditioner and dehumidifier manufacturing facility (the study facility). The overall goal is: To demonstrate the value of considering occupational exposures in the design, implementation, and evaluation of pollution prevention programs.