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A clean act shows up on the bottom lineIN terms of new legislation, authorities and the public will have the right to inspect companies' environmental performance. Safety, health and environmental (SHE) issues are no longer private - they are very much part of the public domain. Nalco-Chemserve is a signatory to Responsible Care, an international chemical industries initiative which is locally administered by the Chemical & Allied Industries Association. This is aimed at raising responsibility among chemical companies, particularly with regard to the use, handling and disposal of chemicals during their life cycles. The costs of compliance could be substantial for some companies, but they needn't be. In fact, a total water management approach can result in serious cost savings. Water is often the most essential input in a production process. It is used for heating, cooling, transporting waste or as an input in the finished product. Paolo Balestra, market development manager at Nalco-Chemserve, says SHE compliance increases the value of a company and is often a prerequisite in mergers or acquisitions. ISO 14000 environmental standards are now internationally recognised and compliance will become increasingly important in global business and trade linkages. "When companies are involved in merger or acquisition discussions, SHE compliance can materially alter the offer price. A company taking over a SHE compliant company knows it does not have to spend vast amounts of money upgrading equipment and plant. "The response from customers to total water management has so far been positive," adds Balestra. "Many of them see light at the end of the tunnel to what would otherwise be a technical, environmental and legislative nightmare."
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