Quality tools applied to Cleaner Production programs: a first approach toward a new methodology

The concept of Cleaner Production (CP) has been hailed for the several economic, environmental and social benefits it can provide. However, the implementation of CP programs continues facing problems and barriers, such as the lack of detailed information, tools and techniques that can be employed systematically to achieve the desired results. For instance, one notices a lack of investigations on the possibilities of using well-known tools such as Quality Tools (QTs) in order to successfully implement and maintain a CP program. This paper proposes a new CP methodology enhanced by a systematic integration of QTs that helps to overcome the aforementioned problems. An initial review on CP methodologies was complemented by a systematic review on the subject. The nine academic and industry practitioner methodologies obtained were later synthesized into a new CP methodology, which proposes a standard for the phases needed on a CP program and the terminology used for them. Then, some well-known quality tools and other measures based on the quality approach were evaluated and had their utilization proposed on each phase of this standard methodology. The results show 21 improvement opportunities on 9 of the 12 phases from the standard CP methodology established, including a set of 10 quality tools. The use of these tools can enhance nearly all steps of a CP methodology, namely the planning stage, crucial for the success a CP program. The authors conclude that the fact the standard methodology was developed based on the complementarity of nine other methodologies, while addressing some of their scope issues pointed out earlier makes up for a greater comprehensiveness and ease of implementation. Finally, the paper presents subjects for future research.