Environmental regulations and the steel industry

The volume and complexity of environmental regulations is continually increasing. Each year, regulations have a greater impact on the way the steel industry operates. It is now essential for all managers to have a general understanding of environmental regulation to plot the course for the future. The next decade promises many changes. Currently, EPA regulates industry by individual media--the Clean Water Act governs the quality of discharged water. The Clean Air Act determines acceptable air emissions. The Resource conservation and Recovery Act mandates the safe handling and disposal of hazardous wastes. Now the EPA is beginning to publish regulations which are both multi-media and industry specific. Pollution prevention continues to be a major focus, with industry being asked to consider ways of avoiding generating waste and methods of recycling. In addition, the coming years will see a push to completely integrate environmental concerns into company decision making and planning. Environmental programs within companies will be spearheaded by operations management rather than technical staff.