Unido tool kit 5-textbook

U N I D O C L E A N E R P R O D U C T I O N T O O L K I T

UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION

5

Creativity and option finding, feasibility analysis,information sources

Main directorym

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Textbook 5 – Innovation and creativity, option finding

5 - Background Material

5 - Textbook: Innovation and Creativity

Both in technical-economical practice and in individual questions problems may arise which have solutions that are beyond common experience. Such problems need innovative solutions which can be found only through creative ways. This creativity, however, has to be on purpose and goal-oriented, because against the opinion of many people creativity is a property every person has and which can be very well learned and trained. There exists a number of trainings and exercises which help find and increase the creativity potential of your employees and your company as a whole! This helps of course also in finding new and effective CP options.

Creativity is not an isolated part of our thinking. It is not a luxury which only artists can afford. Creativity is such a central part of our thinking that it exists in all different areas. All definitions of creativity stress the novelty of ideas – the qualitative aspect – and the abundance of ideas – the quantitative aspect. Thus creative thinking can also be defined as capability to bring something new into being, something that did not exist before. In this sense creativity has to go beyond previous experience and has to revolutionise in a way.

The aim of this volume is to foster the individual creativity and the creative thinking which exists in everyone of us by stimulating a creative, open minded mentality. To reach this the readers get acquainted with different creativity techniques as well as methods of idea and option finding. Of course there is also given an overview of the most common thinking barriers and how to overcome them. Apart from this we shortly describe the process of creative thinking in general and in the case of innovation finding in enterprises.

5.1 The precondition of creativity

The targeted search for new products is a challenge for every enterprise which has to be faced apart from sucessfully coping with everyday
business. Classical product innovation in the last years was increasingly accompanied by service innovation. Product innovation and service innovation both are born from ideas which are developed in a systematically designed idea finding process.
While years ago innovation often was a product of coincidental findings (best example are the “post-its” by 3 M which were invented because the newly developed glue was not strong enough) nowadays especially big companies have installed innovation teams which are responsible for the targeted development of new ideas, products and services.

Special innovation teams

Ideas are born when people who are looking for a new way of problem solution mentally enter “new land”. To reach this a high extent of creativity is necessary. Please find a summary of the most accepted definitions of creativity which also sum up the above-mentioned.

Authors:

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- Creativity can be defined as the capability to generate new ideas for a most practicable solution of problems.

Definitions of creativity

- Creativity is not limited to few persons. Every person has a more or less big creative potential. To date the problem was that creativity was not trained and fostered.

- Every innovation requires a creative strategy. Every creative strategy uses creative thinking as evolutionary variable and successfully introduces innovations as impulse for a social change.

- Creative problem solutions are not principally new products but often the new combination of already known, but not yet linked thinking elements. So creativity is the summarising and re-structurising of knowledge into new relations and connections.

5.2 Creativity and thinking processes

Usually we differ between convergent and divergent thinking. While convergent thinking is a fixed, narrow but also very structured and logical way of thinking, which is divided in systematical steps, divergent thinking is a free, disordered and imaginative way of thinking which cannot be followed logically

Productive creativity could be called “controlled divergency”. Creative thinking is a type of divergent thinking which is adapted to reality. Creativity is a synthesis of divergent and convergent thinking.

The creative process starts with a logical sequence, in which the problem is faced in a mostly rational way (convergent). This guarantees on the one hand that the problem and the solution are looked at from all possible viewpoints, on the other hand people get rid off their usual forms of behaviour. The second phase could be described as the creative process itself. In this phase the transfer from rational to the intuitive-creative level occurs (convergent).

So what results from this is the following: convergent and divergent thinking operations are not opposite to each other but represent a necessary completion for a creative person. A creative way of problem solution is summarising and re-structurising partial systems which are per se not fitting together. Thus also the idea that e.g. progress in science is

Creativity and brain research

reached only by strict logical thinking is today seen as obsolete (Einsteins theory of relativity would never have been accomplished in this way!)

At this place a small link to the brain research can be done: meanwhile it is

well accepted that researchers differ between the right and the left hemisphere of the brain as they have different functions. While the left one is responsible for the logical, goal oriented, sequential thinking as well as for language and words, i.e. the analytical part of our thinking, the right hemisphere is responsible for simultaneous, visual, rhythmical, holistic and networked way of thinking, i.e. the creative thinking.

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5.2.1 Phases of creative problem solution

aggregationabstraction

review

problem-analysis

idea generation

evaluation/assessment realisation

problem identification

This graphic shows the schematic process of a creative thinking process starting from the problem identification. For the problem analysis first there has to be an aggregation of the thoughts on the concrete problem. For this phase we normally use logical and systematical (convergent) thinking. After having recognised and analysed the problems we enter the phase of the actual creative idea finding process which leaves the level of the problem by abstracting the problem (divergent thinking). After having opened the mind and left the actual problem level in order to find solutions another phase of strict convergent thinking follows: all ideas then underlie a strict and critical review (strict convergent thinking).

This whole thinking process is also called divergency with controlled convergency and ensures the connection between open fantasy with the strictness of locigal conclusions. If the last step is missing, the process is not properly finished and the necessary conclusion cannot be done!

Please note: you have to differ betweeen the different phases and you have to know in which one you are in at the moment, as a person cannot think in a divergent and in a convergent way at the same time!!

The above shown and described scheme for the thinking process applies to nearly every creative thinking process, independent from the fact whether it is passed through alone or in a group.

For more complex problems or for bigger enterprises it might make sense to have for each phase an own group whose members are carefully chosen: So you might have an analysis group, an idea-finding group, an assessment group as well as a realisation group.

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5.2.2. Where are creative ideas generated?

About ¾ of all new ideas are not generated in the enterprise

Where ideas are generated (source: Manager Magazin 4/1993)

Have a look at the translation of the above graphics:

Working place 4%

Break 3%

In exhausting meetings 6%

In boring meetings 10%

Using creativity techniques 1%

Business trips 11%

Holidays 13%

Hobby and games 4%

Meals 4%

Watching TV 5%

bath

Sport 5%

Club 4%

In nature 28%

At other places 1%

Inside the company

Outside the company

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5.2.3 Influence factors on creativity

The basic question is whether creativity is a native or an acquired human characteristic. For sure there are individual limits for learning capacities which also apply to creativity; not every person can become an exceptionally gifted inventor.

But certain creativity techniques surely may help develop and train creativity potential. There exists, however, a lot of influence fators which have a positive or negative effect on the development of creative thinking like the working conditions, culture of the enterprise but also individual factors like motivation, risk readiness and qualification.

A list of such influence factors follows hereinafter, divided into personal and organisational influence factors:

Individual factors Organisational factors

Personality characteristics Hierarchy Age Autonomy Knowledge, intelligence Style of leadership

Motivation, stress Information, communication Safety, openness Standardisation

5.3 Innovation

While previously traditional innovation occasions were found rather in coincidental chances, nowadays more and more companies switch to

What influences our creativity

systematically fostering their innovation potential by using creativity techniques. This development demands a stronger orientation to the creative phases of the innovation process.

- Only the economic implementation of an idea can be called innovation. The innovation therefore comprises the idea generation, its acceptance (decision) and realistaion (implementation). Within this the idea generation represents the creative focus of the innovation process.

- Innovation includes every way of change processes and at the beginning it is irrelevant whether this change is new per se or just new from the point of view of the concerned enterprise. Following this also the successful introduction of already known solutions in a new application has to be called innovation.

- The implementation of a new idea not stringently presupposes that the idea has been found in a creative way (modification, imitation). On the other hand not every creative process is followed by the implementation of an idea!

Definition of innovation

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5.4 Creativity methods and techniques

Creativity methods and techniques add to the development capability of human creativity. There exists a broad variety of them, on a rough

estimate more than 100 techniques are known and they aim at fostering the intuition or they increase creativity by adapting a sytematic-analytical approach.

All creativity methods have some typical procedure patterns for the development of creativity in common like:

variation of already existing elements

transfer of the problem from one area to another or to many others (the creation of so called analogies)

split up of the whole structure of the problem

alienation of the problem by combining it to elements having nothing to do with the problem

a completely changed way of looking at the problem

5.4.1 The methods of splitting up

Here we usually have a very complex problem that needs to be solved. Therefore a convergent way of thinking is used as well as a systematic specification of the problem.

5.4.1.1. Morphological analysis

In this method the problem is split up into subproblems (parts). By first solving all the subproblems a solution for the whole problem can be found.

Parameter Possible solution

Selected solution

Example of a morphological analysis (see graph above): every parameter offers a range of different alternatives. By finding the best option for each alternative the solution as a whole is found.

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5.4.1.2 Progressive abstraction

The central question in this method is to find out what the actual problem is. The crucial question and thus the nucleus of the problem is discovered by using a systematically and hierarchically structurised procedure.

5.4.2. The methods of linking up

These methods can be used if a problem is very clearly defined, easy to describe and not too complex. The linking up methods are characterized by a strongly divergent thinking with free and spontaneous linkage.

5.4.2.1 Brainstorming

The best known creativity technique is part of the linking up methods: the classical brainstorming which means free discussion in which no critical observation must be made!

There are four rules that have to be strictly obeyed when you work with brainstorming:

4 principles

"Any kind of criticism is strictly forbidden!!

"No limits to fantasy.

"Quantity comes before quality.

"Take up the ideas of the others and develop them further.

Apart from the classical brainstorming exist more forms having, however the classical one as basis. There is the anonymous brainstorming: ideas are anonymously written down.

The destructive-constructive brainstorming: all weaknesses of a solution

you can think of are worked out in the first step and then continually and systematically corrected.

The stop and go brainstorming - creative phases (go) alternate with phases of critical evaluation (stop)

Discussion 66 – a big group is divided into groups of 6 persons who have 6 minutes time to find a solution independently one from each other. After this the big group is brought together again and discusses together the solutions.

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5.4.2.2 Brainwriting

This method is very similar to brainstorming and follows the same principles. It is a spontaneous writing down of ideas on sheets or forms

which are then given to the next person of the group. The advatage might be that people do not at all have to be afraid of being critised or of disgracing themselves.

5.4.2.3 Method 635

6 persons have 5 minutes time to write down 3 ideas in a given table. This table is then given to the next member of the group. This member then completes the table by considering the ideas of his predecessor. This method again has the advantage of not exposing oneself too much.

Problem: Which additional service can we as a furniture forwarding agent offer to our clients?

Participants: Smith, Lewis, Hetfield, Armstrong, Bailes

Suggestions

Cleaning of furnitures (Smith)

Transport service for pets (Smith)

Security service for valuable objects (Smith)

Offer/broker new furniture, if needed (Lewis)

Open overnight hotel for pets (Lewis)

Offer 24 h –service (Lewis)

Furniture rental agency (Hetfield)

Offer specific relocations, e.g. for managers, families, etc (Hetfield)

Offer direct service (Hetfield)

… (Armstrong) … (Armstrong) … (Armstrong)

… … …

5.4.3 The methods of analogy

5.4.3.1 Synectics

This is a very sophisticated creativity technique which can be carried out only by a very experienced moderator.

The success of this method results mainly from the systematical search for analogies. Two thinking mechanisms form the basis of the method of synectics:

to make the strange thing familiar

to make the familiar thing strange

The solution finding is stimulated by considering meanings which seem to have nothing to do with the problem – are alienated from the problem.

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Problem

Analysis and information

Spontaneous reaction

1. dir

ect a

nalog

y

Re-formulation of the problem

Perso

nal a

nalog

y

Symbo

lic an

alogy

2. dir

ect an

alogy

projection

Solution approaches


Fig.: Synectic funnel

5.4.3.2 Bionics

This word is a combination of biology and technique/technology. The word already shows the principle of this creativity method.

For finding a solution certain well studied principles from nature are copied and used for the completely new solution (e.g. the lotus surface for the development of new laquers for the car industry, the swimmer suit which is a copy of the skin of the shark etc.).

Have a look at the type of the problem The type of the roblem etermines the

As a summary it can be said that it depends a lot on the type of problem

pd

creativity method you chose

which creativity method you chose.

As a common rule may apply: for simple problems with a clear definition of the problem you normally use one of the “linking up methods” like brainstorming, brainwriting, method 635 etc.

For complex problems which cannot clearly be defined take one of the splitting up methods like morphological analysis or progressive abstraction.

For both methods you need a good moderator. Especially if you want to try out one of the analogical methods the moderator has to be very experienced.

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5.5. Some genaral rules for creativity techniques

Independently from the sort of creativity methods you use there are some general rules which should be obeyed:

" Look permanently for new information

" Think in alternatives

" Change your view

" Try to get away from the problem

" Be risk-ready

" Work interdisciplinarily

" Try to create a good creativity environment

" Set deadlines and stick to them

" Postpone your judgement

5.5.1 Preparation of a creativity meeting

Be sure to prepare a good meeting by obeying the following:

Which participants do you invite?

Infrastructure of the meeting: good surrounding for stimulating ideas

Definition of the roles: moderator, rapporteur etc.

Definition of the duration of the meeting

At the meeting you have to

Introduction, definition of the problem

Definition of the working results: what is our goal for today?

Clearing the working method: which creativity method do we use?

At the end: thanks for the common work

Extremely important is the full documentation of the meeting:

Take the complete minutes

Sum up all the possible solutions

Take note of everything

Point out the most interesting possible solutions!

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5.6 Thinking barriers

Of course you will meet a lot of diferrent bariers which may hinder the development of new ideas. Hereinafter the so called thinking barriers are
divided according to their categories:
"Usual "Sets" It simply is like that; it is right ; ...

"Wrong categories

Generalisations, wrong pre-conditions"Premature evaluation

Too early critics, typical idea killers

"Emotional insecurity

Fear of making a fool of ourselves

"Pressure of conformity

"Culturally determined barriers

Culture of logics and conclusions, no intuition"Environmentally determined barriers

"Barriers of intellect

Usual sets: If we are used to a certain habit we tend to switch of the thinking and mechanically alsways repeat to do the same Wrong categories: Generalisations, wrong preconditions or earlier experiences make it difficult to look at the problem from different viewpoints

Premature evaluation Should be avoided in any case. Too early critics might eliminate stimulations and ideas instead of further developing them.

Emotional insecurity: Being afraid of making a fool of oneself people do not accept any risks. Thus creative thinking is suppressed.

Pressure of conformity Each group develops own norms and influences the thinking categories of its members. Single person usually joins the opinion of the others when it comes to decisions in situations that are not clear.

Cultural barriers Creative thinking is blocked by the high importance our culture attributes to logic and conclusional thinking models.

Environmental barriers

The nearest environment can easily block creativity through external and internal factors like the form and equipment of the room or personal feelings like tension with the colleagues : Intellectual barriers:

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Sometimes too much experience or too “high intelligence” might represent a barrier to a spontaneous “new land” thinking because such persons are used too much to believe in only what they can intellectually conclude.

5.7 CP- option finding

Also for CP option finding all the things said above on creativity, innovation and creativity techniques apply. Apart from that there are some “golden rules” you should follow when an environmental project is carried out.

Let us differ between some so called standard options and the creative options.

5.7.1 Standard options in information sources

The good news is that to date already in many parts of the world Cleaner Production projects have been carried out. The bad news is there is not yet a central databank where you can find all the options that have been found. But of course there are very useful tips some of them documented in different media some of them in the experience of the consulters.Let us give a short summary where you possibly find help in standard options:

" General checklists from manuals

The following checklists are available at UNEP/UNIDO (Email: [email protected]). They are summarised in the leaflet “Profiting from Cleaner production” - Resource Kit for training, trainer’s guide

Checklists for action:

A - Barriers to CP checklist

B - CP Implementation checklists

B1 - Scope for CP

B2 - CP enterprise strategy options

B3 - Government intervention to promote CP investment

C - CP investment proposal checklist

C1 – CP investment data sources

C2 - CP investement decisions: Detailed cost checklist

D – CP funding chekclists

D1 – Funding options

D2 – Funding application format

D3 – Checklist for bankers on CP issues

D4 – Information needs of banks and credit institutions when evaluating applications for finance

D5 – Checklist for credit officers on CP issues

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mailto:[email protected]


D6 – Risks in lending to smaller businesses

E – Complementary tools for further improvement of environmental performance

" Branch specific manuals and studies

e.g Cleaner production in Breweries, A Workbook for Trainers, issued by UNEP or Cleaner Production Assessment in Fish Processing, issued by UNEP in first edition in 2000.

" Information from suppliers

The suppliers usually are very much up-dated in their knowledge on new technologies, products and auxiliary materials. Often, however, they have to be asked to deliver new, more ecological alternatives or to review their maintenance plan in order to help you save enregy, water, chemicals etc. Involve the suppliers in your option generation.

UNIDO/UNEP/other NCPCs

Take active use of the UNEP/UNIDO network and share your experience and expertise with the other NCPCs built up all over the world.

" Universities, Research Centres

For special questions/ problems do co-operate with universities and research centres of the respective field you need expertise. A diploma work on a special technologigal/organisational issue is a good support in option finding and implementation.

" Data banks

Of course there exist data banks which include CP options, please have a look also at the internet addresses in the slides part of Volume 5. But be aware that this is often a very specialised know how you have to adapt to your needs.

" Seminars, Roundtables, Congresses

Use these occasions for an exchange of current and most up-dated know how in the field of Cleaner Porudtions. Use the personal contacts you can establish at such events. There are regular CP roundtables organised in certain parts of the world like the Asia Pacific one which is held yearly as well as the European Roundtable on Sustainable and Cleaner Prodution. UNIDO also organises regular meetings and seminars.

" Own experience

To make your own experience in finding CP options is, maybe, the most important source for you. Be sure to have agood documentation of options in the sense of a good knowledge and information management.

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" Counterparts

They usually have already gathered much experience in their CP work with most different branches and industries. They are also integrated in a CP network which they should make accessible for you, too. Take use of their contacts, their knowledge, their experience and their availability for you.

" Chamber of Industry and Commerce

The roles of Chambers of Comerce differ from country to country very much. You have to find out at the beginning of your CP work whether they can be a strong partner in your CP network. Usually their strenghth has to bes seen in the good contacts to industry and commerce. Most of them also have a good infrastructure like modern seminar rooms, modern communication channels, good databanks containing information about their members as well as financial possibilities to sponsor CP-projects.

" Government, ministries

Again it is country-specific which role the government or the ministries play. In principle with a CP project you fall under the umbrella of the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Housing and Planning, Ministry of education or Ministry of Economics. With these ministries you should try to enter in contact in order to have support both in terms of politics and money for CP projects (please see also Volume 10 of the UNIDO Toolkit).

" Other companies

A very necessary partner in getting information. First companies ususally trust each other (more than they trust consultants!). Second there is a very direct and rapid learning effect from one company to the other. You can find CP options and information best at other companies because they are convincing.

" Employees in the company

They are the best capital you can have! They have a very deep and detailed knowledge about the company, about the processes as well as about weaknesses in the enterprise in terms of technology and organisation. So it is absolutely necessary to get all the information from them to find optimisation potential." Internet/homepages

Of course there is a lot of information in the internet on CP, but please be critical in chosing the internet pages. Have a first look at the UNIDO and UNEP pages which offer a lot of information. Also the national environmental agencies like the American EPA as an example are good contacts.

A list of internet addresses where one can find a lot of measures for different branches, sizes and cases is given among others in the slides part of Volume 5 or in the addendum of this UNIDO toolkit which gives a good overview of information sources in the net.

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5.7.2 Creative option finding especially adapted for Cleaner Production options

There is of course a long list of things you can do in order to find creative options in your CP project. But it has to be clear that you cannot transfer 100% of methods or solutions that worked in one project or company to another project or company. You have to find your own, your specific way which fits to the culture of the enterprise and to the overall situation in your country.

There are some rules that can be generalised and really help find out the CP potential of the company or institution you work with. So what you can do in any case is:

• Apply consequently the CP methodology

• Get commitment and form a team

• Ask as many questions as possible (why, when,what exactly, who, where, why again)

• Get the input/output-data as complete as possible

• Do a material flow analysis for interesting material streams

• Do a brainstorming with employees in a team (classical option finding for simple problems!)

• Take use of /find cross-sectoral experience

• Use information from process units and transform it to the company (e.g. cooling, compressed air, motivation and involvement of employees,etc.)

• Implement options: Differ between measure oriented with a quick implementation and problem oriented by taking a problem at its root

• Do the technical, ecological and economical evaluation and define an environmental programme

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5.7.3 Special CP tricks for option finding

Apart from the above mentioned general consulting tipps which are used as well in CP projects there exist a number of non conventional methods – let us call them tricks – that might help you identify CP options in the field of saving raw materials, avoiding waste, consuming less water and energy by taking use of typical CP approaches:

1. The waste box Collect the production waste from a single product in a box and analyse it.

2. Close the shop Close the workshop

3. ”Why, why, why?“ Don’t stop to ask questions: What are the reasons for the waste? What are really the reasons? What can we do to minimise it?

4. Learn from contradiction Input = output ?What do different data acquisition methods tell you? What do different people tell you about the same process or consumption? What happens, if you run the same process several times? 5. Indicators and benchmarking Compete with the best, use indicators from the sector

6. Super-super-ideal How much input do you ideally need to manufacture your product? How much do you need on average? How far is this distance?

7. Method – 10% Reduce e.g. your chemicals by 10%

8. Leave it out What happens if you don’t use one particular material at all??

9. Keep it separate Separate waste collection is a precondition for recycling

10. Reuse it elsewhere Or internally e. g. the cooling water for cleaning and processes, e. g. packaging material or externally (please see also volume 8 recycling technologies).

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5.7.4 Record and sort options

(taken from CP Assessement in Fish Processing, Chapter 5, issued by UNEP in 2000)

Once a number of CP options have been identified and recorded they should be sorted into those that can be implemented directly and those that require further investigation.

It is helpful to follow these steps:

- Organise the options according to unit operations or process areas, or according to inputs/outputs categories (e.g. problems that cause high water consumption)

- Identify any mutually interfering options, since implementation of one option may affect the other

- Opportunities that are cost free or low cost, that do not require an extensive feasibilty study should be implemented immediately

5.7.5 Evaluation and feasibilty study

The objective of this phase is to select options which are suitable for implementation.

The opporrtunities selected during the assessment phase should all be evaluated according to their technical, economical and environmental merit. The depth of the study, however, depends on the type of project. Complex problems naturally require more attention than simple projects. For some options it may be necessary to collect considerably more information An important source of this information may be employees affected by the implementation.

Evaluation

Problem Solution Evaluation

XXX XXX Economical Environmental Technical

Evaluation and feasibility study

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Evaluation Criteria (this list is taken from CP in breweries, A workbook for Trainers, issued by UNEP in first edition 1996)

Is the Cleaner Production option available?

Can you find someone to supply you with the necessary equipment or input material?

Do you know an advisor who can help you to develop an alternative?

Has the Cleaner Production option already been applied elsewhere?

Availability

If so, what are the results and experiences?

Does the option fit in with the way the company is run?

Is the option in line with the company´s product?

What are the consequences of the options for internal logistics, throughput time and production planning?

Does the option require adjustments in other parts of the company?

If so, what adjustments?

Suitability

Does the change require additional training of staff and employees?

What is the anticipated environmental effect of the option?

How big is the estimated reduction in waste streams or emissions?

Will the option affect public or worker health?

Environmental effects

If so, what is the magnitude of these effects in terms of toxicity and quantity (positive/negative)?

What are the anticipated costs and benefits form implementing the option?

Can you estimate the required investment?

Economic feasibility

Can you make an estimate of the benefits, such as reduction of environmental costs, reduction in wastage, and/or improving the quality of the product?

Some environmental performance indicators for breweries

Solid waste Environment

Hazardous Occupational health and safety

Wastewater Payback period

Air emissions Cost

Noise Production quality

Odour Production quantity

Water consumption Legal regulations

Energy Consumption

Raw material consumption Stakeholders´demands

5.7.6 Technical, ecological and economical evaluation

There are different aspects that have to be considered in the evaluation steps of economical, ecological and technical evaluation. Please find hereinafter a list of possible aspects:

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Technical Evaluation

Influence on product quality

Influence on productivity

Material consumption

Energy consumption

Influence on maintenance

Safety

Flexibility

...

For technical evaluation you can also take use of checklists included and taken from the UNEP Worknook for Trainers “Cleaner Production in Breweries”.

Technical evaluation

Cleaner Production option:

yes no not sure

Have you determined whether other companies already have experience with this?

Will this option maintain product quality?

Will this option adversely affect production?

Will this option require additional staff?

Will workers be able to run the process with the implemented option?

Is extra training of workers required?

Are you certain that this option will create less waste?

Are you certain that this option will not simply move waste problems from one medium into another (e.g. form solid waste to air emissions)?

Is your plant layout and design capable of incorporating this option?

Will the vendor guarantee this option?

Have you determined that this option will improve or maintain worker safety and health?

Does this option reduce wastes at their source?

Are materials and parts readily available?

Can this option be easily serviced?

Does this option promote recycling?

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Ecological Evaluation

Material Consumption

Energy Consumption

Emissions to air, water, soil

Cross-media effects?

Replacement of substances

Health and safety

... For ecological evaluation you can also take use of checklists included and taken from the UNEP Worknook for Trainers “Cleaner Production in Breweries”.

Ecological evaluation


yes no not sure

Does this option reduce the toxicity and volume of solid waste and sludge?

Does this option reduce the toxicity and volume of wastewater?

Does this option reduce the toxicity and volume of gaseous emissions?

Does this option improve the health and safety conditions on the workfloor?

Does this option reduce the use of raw materials (per product)?

Does this option reduce the use of auxiliaries (per product)?

Does this option reduce the energy consumption (per product)?

Does this option create new environmental impacts?

Does the option increase the possibility of recycling the waste streams?

Does this option increase the possibility of recycling the product?

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Economical Evaluation

Pay back time

Other financial rentability calculations

Determine all affected cost factors

obvious environmental costs

costs for lost raw material

investment and depreciation costs for equipment

personal costs

outside services

“hidden“ costs

For economical evaluation you can also make use of checklists included and taken from the UNEP Workbook for Trainers “Cleaner Production in Breweries”.

Economic evaluation


yes no not sure

Does this option reduce the cost of raw materials?

Does this option reduce the cost of utilities?

Does this option reduce material and waste storage costs?

Does this option reduce compliance costs?

Will this option reduce the costs associated with worker injury of illness?

Will this option reduce your insurance premiums?

Will this option reduce your waste disposal costs?

Does this option have an acceptable payback period?

Is this option within your price range (consider both capital and ongoing operations?

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To check the possibilities for a feasibility study the same UNEP workbook offers the following checklist:

Checklist for the feasibility study

This checklist can be used to help organize the Feasibility Study Phase.

yes no not relevant

Have you conducted a technical evaluation for the prioritized options?

Have you conducted an economic evaluation for the prioritized options?

Have you conducted an environmental evaluation for the prioritized options?

Have you determined the training that employees will need for successful implementation of the selected options?

Do you understand the barriers to the implementation of the cleaner production options which can be encountered on the workfloor?

Have you taken measures to facilitate the implementation of these options, such as workshops, meetings, briefings, and so on?

Have you documented the feasible options which are selected for implementation?

Have you documented the non-feasible options?

Have you adjusted the planning and time schedule for the Cleaner Production Assessment or audit?

Have you informed management and employees about the progress of the Cleaner Production Assessment?

Have you prepared before-and-after sheets for the implementation phase?

Based on the expected “before-and-after” situation, have you calculated the expected payback period?

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