IMPROVEMENT OF RESOURCE EFFICIENCY IN METAL INDUSTRY.

The principle of "polluter pays" implies that industrial companies are legally and financially responsible for the safe treatment of waste and emission control, for creating the preconditions for their minimization at source, and the efficient and rational use of energy and natural resources. Opportunities to improve resource efficiency by applying preventive techniques are studied in three production facilities of metal industries, with different characteristics, the type of production process and capacity, size and mode of production. The fact that there are joint auxiliary processes, asked for careful diagnosis in determining the consumption of resources, particularly water and energy. It showed that if there is no measurement in the process units, it is difficult to determine those data. A special approach to the characterization of waste streams is required, because both sewage and treatment systems are common for all production units, and there are no records of waste streams. The objective of determination of these waste streams and resource consumption by processes is evaluation of resource efficiency and determination of emission sources in the technological processes in order to recognized possible measures of prevention or minimization. The application of preventive techniques in three selected plants clearly demonstrated that pollution prevention can be financially viable. Economic benefit from cleaner production is the main motivation for most companies. The cost of ancillary materials is huge, so any loss of raw materials represents a financial loss for companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]