Green is “In”.
Consumers, retail stores, and corporate policies are all going green.
But just because you have a green technology does not mean you have ZERO risks. Let me give you a couple of examples.
Biofuel Industry
As I have pointed out in an earlier post (Fires and Explosions in Biofuel Industry) biofuel industry is exhibiting a disturbing trend of accidents. The biodiesel industry is experiencing one fire/explosion incident every 10-weeks.
Replacing Ozone Depleting Refrigerants
In an effort to curb global warming, there is an increased push to replace halogenated refrigerants that can damage ozone layer. Facilities that required industrial scale refrigeration systems are turning to ammonia as an alternative to synthetic refrigerants. Ammonia is a known toxicant – irritating at low exposures and fatal at high concentrations. The facilities that will start using ammonia are present in your neighborhood – warehouses of grocery stores, ice cream factories, indoor hockey arenas. Imagine an ammonia release at locations close to public.
Even Green Technologies Need a Risk Management Plan
Green technologies are environmentally friendlier and often portrayed as the preferred alternative…true as it may be it does not imply green technologies do not pose risks.
One cannot neglect hazard identification and risk mitigation strategies even for green technologies.
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