RE: (All) Waste Prevention Technology

[rpojasek@sprynet.com]

A response to Mike Callahan,

I think you have taken a narrow view of just substituting one waste for another 
that is deemed less offensive.

When you make printed wiring boards, you have to etch the copper layers to leave 
he circuits at each level.  This creates etchant wastes.  There are means to 
minimize these wastes.  A company known as Printron came up with a way to use a 
lasar jet printing technique with electroconducting powders to lay down the same 
patterns thus eliminating the waste for the SAME PROCESS.

When you develop x-ray film you have silver in the wastewater.  Polaroid has 
invented the Helios technolody that takes an "x-ray" with a lasar beam and 
prints the image on a lasar printer on the other side.  It is better (more 
resolution) than x-ray.  No film, no solution chemistry, no silver waste.  SAME 
PROCESS.

Think about digital cameras vs. your standard 35 mm cameras.  No film 
developing.  SAME PROCESS.  

These technololgies will displace the conventional technologies in time.  I know 
of other examples.  I am looking for help from this list serve to locate other 
examles that have been written up.  Technologies that break the paradigm and 
PREVENT waste, not just the waste that you are focusing on.  Any more ideas??

Bob Pojasek
rpojasek@sprynet.