Materials matter : toward a sustainable materials policy / Kenneth Geiser.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Geiser, Ken.

Series:

Urban and industrial environments.

Urban and industrial environments

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Materials--Government policy.

Materials.

Materials--Environmental aspects.

Materials--Health aspects.

Physical Description:

1 PDF (xvi, 479 pages) : illustrations.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"The products we purchase and use are assembled from a wide range of naturally occurring and manufactured materials. But too often we create hazards for the ecosystem and human health as we mine, process, distribute, use, and dispose of these materials. Until recently, most research has focused on the waste end of material cycles. This book argues that the safest and least costly point at which to avoid environmental damage is when materials are first designed and selected for use in industrial production.Materials Matter presents convincing evidence that we can use fewer materials and eliminate the use of many toxic chemicals by focusing directly on material (chemical) use when products are designed. It also shows how manufacturers can save money by increasing the effectiveness of material use and reducing the use of toxic chemicals. It advocates new directions for the material sciences and government policies on materials. And it argues that manufacturers, suppliers, and customers need to set more socially responsible policies for products and services to achieve higher environmental and health goals."

Contents:

Material incompatibilities

Developing industrial materials

The economy of industrial materials

Industrial materials and the environment

Industrial materials and public health

The Federal policy response

The performance of industrial materials policies

Reconsidering materials policies

Recycling and reuse of materials

Advanced and engineered materials

Renewable materials

Biobased materials.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (pages [439]-471) and index.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

ISBN:

9780262262811

0262262819

9780262273633

0262273632

9781423728757

1423728750

OCLC:

61850656