Industry environmental initiative waning?

["Todd MacFadden" <Todd_MacFadden@uml.edu>]

Hey all, 

It's a bit dated now (Nov 23), but I just came across the following NY
Times article in which the late Bill Bilkovich is acknowledged for his
work to advance pollution prevention efforts at Dow. 

Dialogue on Pollution Is Allowed to Trail Off
By BARNABY J. FEDER

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/23/business/23CHEM.html?tntemail1

The article suggests a disturbing trend that industry is
increasingly moving away from voluntary and collaborative approaches to
P2 - and the concomitant gains in environmental protection - abetted by a
more permissive adminstration. (It was, case in point, published the day
after Bush hobbled the New Source Review rules). 

I am curious to know what people think about the fate and future of
voluntary environmental initiatives as a tool to protect the environment.
For years, industry has pressed EPA and states for flexibility in
standards and more non-regulatory approaches to reduce pollutants. And
the approach seems to work - but (it would appear) only to the extent
that more stringent standards are imminent. Does your experience with
voluntary programs support this view? Are they just smoke and
mirrors?

Todd MacFadden

*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:*:-.,_,.-:*'*:-.,_ 
Todd MacFadden 
Training Specialist 
Toxics Use Reduction Institute 
One University Ave 
Lowell, MA 01854

978.934.3391 
978.934.3050 (fax) 

todd_macfadden@uml.edu 
www.turi.org

Because not everyone can live upstream.
,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:*:-.,_,.-:*'*:-.,_,.-:*'