Green Engineering and Environmental Laws

A collection of flashcards covering key concepts in Green Engineering, Environmental Laws, Product Life Cycle, and Quality Management Systems.

Principle 1: Prevention

Designing processes/products to avoid waste generation.

Keywords for Principle 1: Prevention

Waste Prevention, Source Reduction, Pollution Prevention.

Principle 2: Atom Economy

The incorporation of all starting materials into the final product.

Calculating Atom Economy

(Molecular weight of desired product / Sum of molecular weights of all reactants) × 100%.

Principle 3: Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses

Use and generation of substances with minimal toxicity.

Principle 4: Designing Safer Chemicals

Creating effective products with low toxicity.

Principle 5: Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries

Using safer, greener, and recyclable solvents.

Principle 6: Design for Energy Efficiency

Encourages designing processes that optimize energy efficiency by using ambient conditions.

Principle 7: Use of Renewable Feedstocks

Promotes using raw materials from renewable sources.

Principle 8: Reduce Derivatives

Encourages avoiding unnecessary steps like temporary modifications.

Principle 9: Catalysis

It increases reaction rates and selectivity under milder conditions.

Principle 10: Design for Degradation

To create products that biodegrade into innocuous substances.

Principle 11: Real-time Analysis for Pollution Prevention

To monitor processes and prevent hazardous substance formation.

Principle 12: Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention

Designing processes to minimize the risk of accidents.

Takakura Method

Uses fermentation starters with indigenous microorganisms to compost waste.

Common carbon source in Takakura composting

Sawdust or shredded paper.

Nitrogen-rich material in Takakura composting

Food scraps.

Common bulking agent in Takakura composting

Coconut coir.

First step in Takakura composting

Starter Preparation.

Ensuring even decomposition in Takakura composting

Regular Mixing.

Advantage of Takakura composting regarding odor

Produces little to no odor.

Suitability of Takakura method for urban environments

Fast, odorless, easy, and low-cost.

Application of the Takakura method

Community gardens.

Problem caused by excessive moisture in Takakura composting

Poor aeration and foul odors.

Managing pests in Takakura composting

Ensure proper moisture and cover compost properly.

RA 9003

Focuses on Ecological Solid Waste Management.

RA 9275

Regulates Clean Water standards and wastewater discharge.

Main concern of RA 8749

Air Quality and Emission Control.

PD 1586

Establishes Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System.

'3Rs' emphasized by RA 9003

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Segregation under RA 9003

Should happen at the source (household, business, etc.).

Key tools for controlling water pollution under RA 9275

Wastewater discharge permits.

Pollutant sources regulated under RA 8749

Industrial emissions and vehicle emissions.

Project proponent requirement under PD 1586

Must secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Agency enforcing environmental laws in the Philippines

DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources).

EMB's role in environmental law enforcement

Monitoring and compliance with environmental standards.

Penalties for violating environmental laws

Fines, imprisonment, and other legal liabilities.

First stage of a product's life cycle

Raw Material Acquisition.

Environmental impact of manufacturing

High energy consumption and emissions.

Distribution stage of a product life cycle

Products are transported, consuming fuel and causing emissions.

Impacts during a product’s use phase

Energy consumption and maintenance waste.

Environmental burden of product disposal

Waste generation and landfill use.

Goal of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

To evaluate environmental impacts across the product’s life.

ISO series covering Life Cycle Assessment

ISO 14040 series.

Use of LCA in decision making

Identifying environmental 'hotspots' in a product's lifecycle.

'Cradle-to-Grave'

The full life cycle of a product from creation to disposal.

'Cradle-to-Cradle'

Focuses on reuse and closed-loop systems, not disposal.

Goal of Industrial Ecology

Creating closed-loop material flows like in natural ecosystems.

ISO 9001 focus

Quality Management and continuous improvement.

Quality Management Principles of ISO 9001

Customer Focus, Leadership.

Process Approach in ISO 9001

Managing interconnected processes as a system.

Purpose of Process Mapping

To visualize inputs, processes, and outputs.

Documentation required by ISO 9001

Policies, Procedures, Records.

Internal Audit check in ISO 9001

The effectiveness of the Quality Management System.

Role of Audit Criteria in internal audits

Sets the standards or requirements to audit against.

Actions taken for Nonconformities

Corrective actions must be implemented.

Corrective Action definition

Action to eliminate the root cause of a nonconformity.

Conducts the Management Review

Top management.

Evaluated during Management Review

QMS performance and improvement opportunities.

Goal of Improvement under ISO 9001

To enhance customer satisfaction.

Green Solvent Selection

Based on toxicity, renewability, and environmental impact.

Avoiding unnecessary derivatization in chemistry

To reduce waste and save energy.

Biobased materials derived from

Renewable biological resources.

Environmental Footprint

The total impact a product has on the environment.

Waste Minimization

Reducing waste generation at the source.

Pollutant Monitoring

Regular measuring of pollutants in air, water, or soil.

Process Optimization in Green Chemistry

Making chemical processes more efficient and less polluting.

Sustainable Feedstocks

Raw materials that are renewable and environmentally friendly.

Real-Time Process Monitoring usage

Preventing hazardous substance formation.

Industrial Symbiosis

Companies sharing resources to reduce waste.

Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC)

A requirement for projects affecting the environment.

Safer Process Design

Designing operations to minimize accident risks.

Circular Economy

An economy aimed at eliminating waste and reuse of resources.

Linear Economy

A take-make-dispose economic model.

Goal of ISO 9001 certification

To ensure consistent quality and customer satisfaction.