What is Cleaner Production?

Clean production is an environmental management strategy that is integrated preventive in nature and is applied continuously in every activity from upstream to downstream related to production processes, products and services to increase the efficiency of using natural resources, prevent environmental pollution and reduce the formation of waste at the source. so as to minimize risks to human health and safety.

For the production process, clean production includes efforts to save on the use of raw materials and energy, avoid the use of hazardous and toxic materials, reduce the amount and toxicity of all waste and emissions released before leaving the process. For production, clean production focuses on efforts to reduce impacts throughout the product life cycle, from raw material extraction to final disposal after the product is no longer used. For services, clean production focuses on efforts to integrate environmental aspects from design to service delivery, for example in terms of designing transportation activities for products.

The main principles in cleaner production are:

1. Reducing or minimizing the use of raw materials, water and energy as well as avoiding the use of toxic and dangerous raw materials and reducing the formation of waste at the source, thereby preventing or reducing the emergence of pollution problems and environmental damage and the risks to humans.
2. Changes in production and consumption patterns apply to both the process and the products produced, so product life cycle analysis must be properly understood.
3. Clean production efforts cannot be successfully implemented without changes in the mindset, attitudes and behavior of all related parties, including the government, society and the world (industrialists). Apart from that, it is necessary to implement management patterns in industry and government that take environmental aspects into account.
4. Apply environmentally friendly technology, management and standard operating procedures in accordance with established requirements. These activities do not always require high investment costs, even if they do, the time required for return of investment capital is often relatively short.
5. The implementation of this clean production program is more directed towards self-regulation and regulations that are in the nature of deliberation and consensus rather than regulation by command control. So, the implementation of this clean production program does not only rely on government regulations, but is based more on awareness to change attitudes and behavior.