Environmental impact evaluation model for industrial processes

This paper proposes a model to evaluate the environmental impact of manufac turing processes. This model uses the potency factor approach to classify e nvironmental impacts into five ecological health impact groups and uses the ir toxicological, cancer, and physical effects as the bases to rate the sev en groups of human health impacts. The environmental impacts in each impact group are reported, and their hazard scores on ecological and human health are determined. The model also generates a single score for the overall en vironmental impacts of a process. This single score system helps to identif y, among all the viable processes, which is the most environmentally friend ly process. This model can serve as a tool to highlight the potential envir onmental hazards of process operations and to provide information about env ironmental performance for decision making. The model has been developed in to a computer software program, Environmental Impact Evaluation System, and is demonstrated by using the processes employed for the manufacture of pap er bags.