Minimising releases at source
Emissions to atmosphere are, by definition, waste materials (if we wanted to keep them, we would find a way of capturing them).
As with any other waste, the waste hierarchy should be applied, i.e. the best thing to do with material which might be emitted into the atmosphere is not to create it in the first place (see waste minimisation).
If you have a process which releases material to the atmosphere, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the process necessary?
- Can the process be changed to prevent creation of the material?
- Can the material be captured efficiently?
- How should the captured material be handled?
So, if it is established that the process in question is necessary, then changes must be evaluated, e.g. in the case of a process using organic solvents which evaporate to atmosphere, ask whether they can they be substituted with water-based solvents.
Preventing releases
To continue with the above example, if a substitution cannot be made, can a filter be used to capture the emission before it escapes?
However, before this option is adopted, the disposal of the captured material must be considered. Is the material captured in a form which can be reclaimed? This option may use energy but release solvent which can be used again. If the material is captured in a filter, can the solvent be effectively separated from the filtration medium?
If disposal is the only practical option, the waste may well be classified as hazardous. This will increase the cost and administrative burden.