Climate change and sustainability have become increasingly hot topics among consumers, in regulatory circles, and within the manufacturing businesses impacted by them. If your business creates products of any kind, it will have to adhere to certain environmental manufacturing regulations. Here’s what you need to know about those rules so you can stay between the lines.
What Are Environmental Manufacturing Regulations?
Environmental regulations include any laws or governmental incentives passed with the aim of protecting the environment. Regulations try to protect the environment through manufacturing by:
- Banning the use of certain substances
- Requiring certain emissions standards
- Restricting the use of some machinery
- Reducing waste
Many environmental regulations are nationwide, meaning they are passed by the federal government. But others are implemented on a state or local level.
How Environmental Regulations Are Enforced
Environmental regulations are enforced on manufacturers through various mechanisms at the state and federal levels. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct inspections, issue permits, and ensure compliance through fines, penalties, and even criminal charges. People who have been harmed through manufacturer negligence can also file a civil suit for damages.
5 Environmental Manufacturing Regulations
1. Clean Air Act
This important legislation is considered a landmark environmental regulation. It addresses air quality and pollution through excessive carbon dioxide emissions. Through this act, lead-based gasoline was phased out.
2. Clean Water Act
The U.S. Clean Water Act has been updated several times to protect this country’s freshwater systems. Any business operating near streams, rivers, lakes, or any type of public water supply must adhere to this legislation.
3. Endangered Species Act
Manufacturing operations can have a direct impact on various species, whether intended or not. Operations taking place near plants, wildlife, or water can affect endangered species. Manufacturers must be aware of how their operations and those of their business partners could run astray of these rules.
4. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
This federal law regulates how hazardous waste is managed, from the time it’s generated until it is disposed of. The RCRA requires manufacturers to correctly identify, store, transport, and dispose of any hazardous waste in compliance with its specific guidelines.
5. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
Even though the name of this action doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the environment, it’s actually considered a climate bill. The law allocates $369 billion toward various climate-change matters. Companies that exceed new federal limits on the use of harmful substances like methane may face fines.
Stay Compliant by Outsourcing Part of Your Business
Another way to ensure you remain compliant with environmental regulations is to outsource all or part of the manufacturing process. One example is CNC machining. Instead of purchasing costly equipment and stockpiling inventory and materials, you can order more frequent, smaller batches of products or parts.
Based in the U.S., Components By Design provides efficient CNC machining services. We have more than a decade of experience in this industry and pride ourselves on producing quality products for our clients. Contact us today for more information about our services.