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
1

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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Main Menu Teachers' notes

- 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
reached only by strict logical thinking is today seen as obsolete (Einsteins
theory of relativity would never have been accomplished in this way!)
Creativity and
brain research
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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Main Menu Teachers notesTeachers' notes

5.2.1 Phases of creative problem solution
aggregation
abstraction
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
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
What influences
our creativity
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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. direct analogy
Re-formulation of the problem
Personal analogy
Sym
bolic analogy
2. direct analogy
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
problem
determines the
creativity method
you chose
As a summary it can be said that it depends a lot on the type of problem
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:
unep.tie@unep.fr). 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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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
Evaluation and feasibility
study
Problem Solution Evaluation
XXX XXX Economical Environmental Technical
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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?
21

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?
22

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?
23

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