ABSTRACT
Over the past 20 years, environmental management strategies in the United States, as well as in many other countries, have evolved through the development of laws and regulations that limit pollutant releases to the environment. For example, since its inception in 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made important progress toward improving the environment in every major category of environmental impact caused by pollutant releases. Levels of emissions across the nation have stayed constant or declined, hundreds of primary and secondary wastewater treatment facilities have been built; land disposal of untreated hazardous waste has largely stopped, hundreds of hazardous waste sites have been identified and targeted for cleanup, and the use of many toxic substances has been banned. Together, these actions have had a positive effect on the nation’s environmental quality and have set an example for nations everywhere. However, despite the combined achievements of the federal government, states, and industry in controlling waste emissions which have resulted in a healthier environment, the further improvement of the environment has slowed. This led to the realization that a new paradigm was needed for environmental protection.
