MEMORANDUM
To: Robert Lord, Director of Plant Operations, China
FROM: , Riordan employee stationed in China
DATE: Monday, August 31
SUBJECT: GOING GREEN INITIATIVE CONCERNS
There are many ways a nation can protect its environment. Some of these methods include tort law, subsidies, discharge permits, emission charges, and direct regulation. Beginning in 1970, with the passage of the NEPA, our nation began a course of environmental protection based primarily on specific direct regulations.
The FWPCA established a discharge permit system designed to make the waterways fishable and swimmable. The SDWA sets standards to make our drinking water safe. The Clean Air Act, as amended several times, establishes the NAAQS, standards designed to ensure that conventional air pollutants do not pose a risk to human health or the environment. This act also establishes standards for toxic air pollutants.
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances are primarily regulated by four pieces of legislation. The RCRA sets standards for waste disposal sites and establishes the manifest system for the tracking of hazardous wastes from creation to disposal. CERCLA, as amended by SARA, provided funding and a mechanism for cleaning up hazardous waste sites. The TSCA provided a mechanism for testing new chemicals to ensure that they do not pose unreasonable risks before being used in commerce. Finally, FIFRA established a procedure for the regulation of pesticides through a registration system.
Until the mid-1970s, most people were content to take advantage of newly available products without giving much thought to the by-products resulting from their manufacture. Most businesspersons were primarily concerned about creating new products and using new technology to increase production and profits. Then came a growing awareness of the potential health and environmental risks posed by the waste created in the production process. In addition to the problems created by the waste, some of the new products themselves, and their newly created chemical components, were proving to be harmful.
The potential health risks from these chemicals and wastes include a plethora of cancers, respiratory ailments, skin diseases, and birth defects. Environmental risks include not only pollution of the air and water but also unexpected explosions and soil contamination. Species of plants and animals may be threatened with extinction.

The newest trend in the environmental area is toward pollution prevention. This trend is encouraged by the Pollution Prevention Control Act of 1990.
Solving environmental problems requires cooperation among all nations. Four ways the United States tries to work to solve these problems on a global scale are through shared research, conferences, treaties, and aid.
The U.S. federal regulations that affect U.S. operations were briefly discussed above those regulations to regulations affecting Chinese manufacturing operations are completely different and may cause issues. Robert, I urge you to please consider the benefits of self-regulation to meet ethical obligations where regulation is lacking. My recommendations are based on the perspectives of various stakeholders. * Explicit senior management support for environmental auditing and the willingness to follow up on the findings * An environmental auditing function independent of audited activities * Adequate auditor training and staffing * An explicit audit program, objectives, scope, resources, and frequency * A process that collects, analyzes, interprets, and documents information sufficient to achieve audit objectives * A process that includes specific procedures to promptly prepare candid, clear, and appropriate written reports on audit findings, corrective actions, and schedules for implementation * A process that includes quality assurance procedures to verify the accuracy and thoroughness of such audits

Hope you find this helpful,
Sincerely,