Cleaner production is a means of applying in a continuous manner a preventive and integrated environmental strategy aimed at processes and product

Baldasano i Recio, José María

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

Ecoprocesses. A need
and a requirement
The 1950s and 1960s were characterised by an increasing
population and an expanding industry with considerable increase
of production scales. In the 1970s the need came up to think of
energy as a new factor to consider, of which a more efficient use
needed to be conceived. In the 1980s, environmental and security
aspects were introduced, but also market needs and their
opportunities. In the 1990s, sustainable development came up
as one of the emerging needs of the system within a rapid
globalisation process. During its first decade, the 21st century
has continued globalisation with exponential financial and urban
expansion, leading to one of the biggest crises in the system, while
the environmental issue of present climate change becomes
apparent and generates a clear opportunity to think over the social,
economic and energy system.
JOSÉ M. BALDASANO
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Introduction
From the beginning of the environmentalist
movement in the 1960s and 1970s, both gov-
ernments and the industry focused their efforts
on an end-of-pipe approach. In the 1980s, as
places where to locate waste treatment plants
and landfills were challenged and reduced, the
cost of the different waste treatment systems
increased and public opinion increasingly
opposed to such facilities, the focus originally
adopted needed to be changed and evolve, fos-
tering pollution prevention as a new focus to
protect the environment as opposed to the ini-
tial strategy of pollution control. Authorities
from different countries discussed and took
measures to reduce the environmental impact
of both processes and products. In recent years,
basic and applied research projects related with
this aim have come up massively at universities
and innovation centres.
The strategy of reducing the generation of efflu-
ents and raw material and energy consumption
as well as to foster to the maximum their reuse
and recycling, that is, to adopt a working phi-
losophy allowing to tackle the causes of pollu-
tion at their origin, set a context in which
minimisation of the environmental impact came
up as a key option. All this led to think of the
present concept of sustainable development,
which involves a new massive change in plac-
ing pollution-related priorities on resources. All
this is a quantum leap that has not been con-
cluded yet.
In 1979, the European Economic Community
defined the concept of clean technology, using
three different yet complementary aspects
(Murillo, 1989):
Less pollutants poured into nature (air, water
and soil).
Less waste generation.
Less consumption of natural resources (raw
materials, water and energy).
A more recent definition provided substantial
change (UNEP, 1992):
«Cleaner production is a means of applying in a
continuous manner a preventive and integrated
environmental strategy aimed at both processes
and products, to reduce the threats for people
and the environment. As to processes, it means
to use less raw materials and energy, eliminate
the use of materials with toxic properties and
reduce the amount and toxicity of all emissions
and waste before leaving the process. As to
products, it means to reduce the impact in all
stages of their life cycle, from obtaining raw
materials to final disposal. Cleaner production
is achieved by means of applying knowledge,
improving technology and a change of attitude.»
Cleaner production is a means of
applying in a continuous manner a
preventive and integrated
environmental strategy aimed at
both processes and products.
There are two new and basic aspects arising
from this definition:
An environmental strategy of integrated control
and prevention without making any distinction
between the different receiving media, avoiding
pollution transfer from one medium to another
(from the atmosphere to the hydrosphere or the
lithosphere), that is, a multi-medium preventive
strategy.
It not only means to focus on the process
phase but also to extend it both up and down
to all phases a product life cycle is made of, that
is, adopting a strategy based not only on the
process but especially also on the product.
In the industrial context, there has been pro-
gressive, non-lineal awareness-raising in envi-
ronmental and energy matters. In the beginning,
this was limited to the factory management
framework, to the production unit, i.e. the
process based on effluent management forced
111paradigmes /  Issue no. 3 / December 2009
110-116_13_ANG.qxp:núm.2  1/12/09  11:38  Página 111
by strong pressure of specific environmental
legislation within a pattern of assuming it pro-
gressively. Attention turned later to the product
and associated consumption.
Industrial design considers the use
and user experience as to a product,
while ecoconception identifies
variations to measure the
environmental impact based on new
products or to suggest improvements
for existing ones.
Adoption of environmental factors in the devel-
opment of products at companies currently con-
sists of measuring the environmental impact of
the process, either partially or globally, from a
perspective based on compliance with legislation.
This adaptive process is first based on the
analysis of processes in order to be later applied
to products. It is aimed at improving the envi-
ronmental footprint by reducing or replacing
components and materials or researching more
efficient processes. However, technological
innovation not always brings about a product
that is necessarily more respectful with the
environment.
Definition
A very important aspect is to clearly differenti-
ate between industrial ecodesign, or just ecode-
sign, and ecodesign in engineering, also known
as ecoconception. It is very important to be
clear about the differences.
Future opportunities for the Catalan economy112
Chart 1. Classification of strategies defining and guiding ecoconception
Source: VAN HEMEL, C.G. (1998). EcoDesign empirically explored Thesis. Delft: Delft University of Technology.
Strategies
Choice of materials with less impact Choice of cleaner materials
Choice of renewable materials
Choice of materials with less energy demand
Choice of recyclable materials
Reduction in use of materials Weight reduction
Volume reduction
Optimisation of production techniques Use of alternative production techniques
Reduction of stages in the manufacturing process
Renewable energy consumption
Waste reduction
Use of less consumables
Use of consumables with less impact
Optimisation of distribution systems Packaging with less weight
Reusable packaging
Review of transport systems
Improvement of logistic systems
Optimisation of the product life cycle Higher reliability and durability
Improved maintenance and easier repair
Modular product structure
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113paradigmes /  Issue no. 3 / December 2009
Industrial design considers the use and user expe-
rience as to a product (functions, shape, aesthet-
ics, use, etc.), while ecoconception identifies
variations to measure the environmental impact
based on new products or to suggest im-prove-
ments for existing ones. Its ongoing improvement
processes verify own factors at companies (image,
cost, production, distribution, etc.).
Ecoconception can be defined as «a process of
integrating environmental aspects into the con-
ception, development or reconception of a
product or service, with the aim of reducing
quantitatively and/or qualitatively the negative
environmental impact of products or services
over their life cycle, while keeping the quality of
use and their performance or improving it».
Chart 1 features the strategies defining and
guiding this process.
Cooperation between designers, engineers and
architects, besides cooperation with experts from
the industry and public authorities, is basic to
implement and adapt an ecoprocess strategy.
Prediction of demand
In global terms, population growth, the emer-
gence of China, India and other regions in the
world like South America –especially Brazil–
and the ongoing increase in energy demand is
leading to an increasingly urgent and accelerated
demand of products labelled «eco». The car
Producing and using processes and products requiring less greenhouse gas emissions is necessary, 
with an improved decarbonisation ratio.
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industry is paradigmatic in this respect. It is one
of the key sectors in shifting patterns, as
regards both its conception and the conse-
quences of its function for users –the electrical
car is an emerging reality. Other emerging
industries, which however have to fight against
strong forces, are energy systems according to a
distributed generation and usage pattern.
From a general perspective, the question is to
try and produce and use processes and products
with less pollutant emissions, less water demand
and less waste generation, but especially requir-
ing less greenhouse gas emissions, more specifi-
cally CO2, with an improved decarbonisation
ratio, in a more accelerated way and by increas-
ingly demanding standards. In other words,
they shall have the least possible CO2 emis-
sions. The EU policy to this respect is straight-
forward and decisive. The next meeting in
Copenhagen to renew the Kyoto protocol
should be a decisive turning point.
We would be terribly wrong if we only thought
of industrial processes and products for their
application and adaptation. All processes need
to be analysed and improved, in all sectors,
from agriculture to services. This is not restricted
to the industry. In a clear urbanisation process
–76% of the European population is urban– all
architectural and urban elements are and will
be crucial, and big opportunities can be taken
or lost there.
Another element to the system that clearly has
to determine future progress is how to react to
the ongoing increase of energy demand as
to power (lighting, household devices, electronic
equipment, etc.) and mobility (cars, trains,
ships, airplanes, etc.). One significant figure is
that computers make for 2% of global primary
energy consumption.
Future expectations focus on a process of continu-
ing change at small scale, which has eventually
changed the picture completely, rather than
quick and miraculous change. The electronic
industry is significant in this respect: it is expe-
riencing a process of continuing improvement
and change by which no spectacular fast
change is expected.
The question is to produce and use
processes and products with less
pollutant emissions, less water
demand, less waste generation and
requiring less greenhouse gas
emissions.
Adopting a new technology takes 20 to 25
years on average. This is the case of the gas
turbine in power generation through com-
bined cycle power plants, which has increased
the thermoelectrical performance by twenty
points, from 35% to 55%. This is also the case
of self-powered wind generators, which
started at 0.5 MW power and reach up to 4.5
MW now, and are still increasing. This means
that there is a margin for innovation and use
of opportunities as long as there are structures
able to decide and educated and well-prepared
human resources.
Future expectations focus on a process of continu-
ing change at small scale, which has eventually
changed the picture completely, rather than
quick and miraculous change.
Identification of strategies
The situation in Catalonia is contradictory.
A considerable part of the civil society and pub-
lic authorities is in a clear process of absorbing
ecoprocesses, but there is another part with
strong acquired habits leading to clear resist-
ance to change.
Catalonia was once a leader in wind turbines
but lost an opportunity. Mini wind generators
could be a new one. Also hydrogen could
become a future opportunity.
The 1992 Olympic event in Barcelona was
used to develop a conceptual pattern of how
Future opportunities for the Catalan economy114
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to do things and implement a project in an
international multi-parameter setting. If we
assume the pattern of ecoprocesses as a new
paradigm to be applied in all activities done in
our society, we can say that we are in front of
a new opportunity.
Yet we must not be confused. When talking
of ecoprocesses, we are not referring only to
the environmental industry (water, air, waste,
odours, soil, noise, etc.), i.e. the whole of
companies and businesses dealing with pre-
vention or mitigation and correction of prob-
lems created in the environment due to
human activity, which is by the way increas-
ingly relevant in the Catalan economy (FFA,
2008). Instead, we are referring to all sectors
making up our society. We all are stakehold-
ers in this process, although it is obvious that
there are some playing a more relevant and
specific role.
If we assume the pattern of
ecoprocesses as a new paradigm
to be applied in all activities done
in our society, we can say that we
are in front of a new opportunity.
All in all, this is a process that needs to be
driven by the whole society and not only
adopted by a part of it. It is not specifically
up to the industry but also to public authori-
ties, the service sector, logistic processes, etc.
This process is based on attitudes and know-
ledge within the relevant values of a society.
We need to deepen in a society of values, not
just environmental but also ethical ones. We
need a society of prepared citizens trained to
think for themselves, not just a society exclu-
sively oriented towards consumption.
All this shall be developed in a straightforward
internationalisation setting based on a key
technological specialisation and differentiation
in adopting a solid position vis-à-vis the rest
of the world. The global level is where the
game is played.
To achieve this, there are two key points: a
highly educated and professionally highly pre-
pared society. This obliges us to strengthen the
secondary education and university systems as
well as specific and technology centres.
There needs to be a decided and widely
accepted momentum, but there are serious
points that do not allow to be optimistic
despite clear improvement having taken place.
Many infrastructure projects are still made fol-
lowing completely traditional design patterns,
without considering associated environmental
costs nor our responsibility, both regarding
Catalonia and the global level.
The increase of R&D&I investment at compa-
nies and research and technology centres is not
enough to assume ecoprocesses as a driver of
change and environmentalisation of the system.
A drive by the public sector in cooperation
with the rest of sectors is needed in visualising
a clear and decided effort for new ecoprocesses.
Investment in design and processes should be
strengthened and given priority with the dou-
ble goal of improving competitiveness and
productivity.
One of the great opportunities and one of the
main contributions to the society is strength-
ening environmental issues in all actions as a
further element in development, like in France
and Germany, through a decided strategy
along these lines to overcome the current eco-
nomic crisis and be better positioned for the
future.
Many infrastructure projects are still
made following completely
traditional design patterns, without
considering associated
environmental costs nor our
responsibility, both regarding
Catalonia and the global level.
There needs to be awareness that this continu-
ing progress is slow and complex, it requires a
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cooperative framework and synergies as well as
decision-taking capacity and leadership. Cities
and countries that are a role model have been
able to unite their efforts to go into one same
direction, setting aside tribal behaviour.
It is a process the evolution of which will be an out-
right earthquake that will test the degree of progress
of the Catalan society and economy and may gen-
erate a better life quality, new jobs and new techno-
logical innovation processes. All in all, it will take us
to become an increasingly sustainable society.
One of the great opportunities
and one of the main contributions
to the society is strengthening
environmental issues in all
actions as a further element in
development, like in France and
Germany, through a decided
strategy along these lines to
overcome the current economic
crisis.
Future opportunities for the Catalan economy116
Reference
BRENNAN, D.J. (1992). «Some Challenges of Cleaner Production for Process Design». Environmental Protection Bulletin, 24, p. 3-7.
MURILLO, E. (1989). «Clean Technologies Policy of the European Economic Community». UNEP Industry and Environment, 12, 1, 
p. 11-12.
FFA (2008). Estudi econòmic del sector del medi ambient a Catalunya 2008. Barcelona: Fundació Fòrum Ambiental.
UNEP (1992). Proceedings of Asia Pacific Cleaner Production Conference. Melbourne.
JOSÉ M. BALDASANO
PhD in Chemical Science from the University of Barcelona, chemical engineer from
the Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (France) and master in Chemical
Engineering from the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada).
Full professor of Environmental Engineering at the Polytechnic University of
Catalonia.
An expert at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and director of the
Earth Science Area at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center-Centro Nacional de
Supercomputación.
Head of the PhD programme in environmental Engineering at the Polytechnic
University of Catalonia until 2006.
He has been given the Rei Jaume I award for environmental protection (1997).
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Ecoprocesses. A need and a requirement

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