What are the characteristics of implementing cleaner production?

The implementation of cleaner production is characterized by continuous measures such as improving design, using clean energy and raw materials, adopting advanced technology and equipment, improving management and comprehensive utilization, so as to reduce pollution from the source, improve the efficiency of resource utilization, reduce or avoid the generation and discharge of pollutants in the process of production, service and product use, so as to reduce or eliminate the harm to human health and the environment. Some countries have adopted different formulations when proposing to change the traditional production development mode and pollution control strategy, such as waste minimization, waste-free and less-waste technology, clean technology and pollution prevention. However, these concepts can not contain the above multiple meanings, especially can not accurately express the new strategy of combining environmental pollution prevention with sustainable development of production. To this end, the United Nations Environment Programme and UNEPIE/PAC have integrated various statements, adopted the word "cleaner production" to represent the generalized pollution prevention method from raw materials, production technology to product use, and given the following definition: cleaner production refers to the continuous application of comprehensive environmental protection strategies in production processes and products in order to reduce the risks to human beings and the environment.

For the production process, cleaner production includes saving raw materials and energy, eliminating toxic and harmful raw materials, and minimizing the emissions and toxicity of all emissions and wastes before they leave the production process. For products, cleaner production aims to reduce the impact on human beings and the environment from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal of products in the whole life cycle of products.

The thinking method of cleaner production is different from before: in the past, when considering the impact on the environment, we focused on how to deal with pollutants after they were produced, so as to reduce the harm to the environment, while cleaner production required eliminating pollutants before they were produced.

According to the requirements of sustainable economic development for resources and environment, cleaner production seeks to achieve two goals: (1) through comprehensive utilization of resources, substitution of scarce resources, utilization of secondary energy, energy saving, consumption reduction and water saving, rational utilization of natural resources and slowing down resource depletion. (2) Reduce the discharge of wastes and pollutants, promote the integration of production and consumption of industrial products with the environment, and reduce the risks of industrial activities to human beings and the environment.