July 27, 2005—Local economies benefit when manufacturers efficiently manage their energy use and their industrial waste, according to a new report by the Environment and Business Roundtable, a group of South Carolina government, business, and academic leaders organized by the Alliance to Save Energy and Clemson University.
Environmental Strategies for Industrial Development asserts that industrial competitiveness can be improved by boosting waste management capabilities that also make it easier for companies to comply with environmental regulations. When applied at the state level, as the report recommends, this strategy becomes a foundation for economic development.
The Roundtable’s report is in direct response to a 2004 U.S Department of Commerce document entitled
Manufacturing in America, which summarized business leaders’ concerns about the lackluster performance of the U.S. manufacturing sector. According to that report, “Fostering a competitive manufacturing sector… requires a different way of looking at government policy,” including easing the financial burden on industry of environmental monitoring and reporting.
To download the report, visit the ASE Web site.
