Climate & Environment
Pollution Prevention (P2)
Definition
Pollution prevention is any practice that reduces, eliminates or prevents pollution at its source before recycling, treatment or disposal — through changes in raw materials, processes, equipment, products or operations. In US law (Pollution Prevention Act 1990) it sits at the top of an explicit hierarchy: prevention first, then recycling, treatment, and disposal last.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Pollution Prevention (P2)” is defined and used.
Source imported for editorial provenance.
Overview
How it is used
P2 is promoted through EPA programmes and cleaner production centres worldwide; it underlies concepts such as green chemistry, eco-design and the waste hierarchy.
Why it matters
Pollution prevention is the conceptual root of circular economy thinking: the cheapest and cleanest waste is the waste never created.