Eastman Kodak Co. and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released results of a project showing that it is possible to predict a chemical's health and environmental effects early enough in development to avoid unwanted hazards and wastes, while saving money. The EPA's test method, called the Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework, uses computer software, mathematical formulas and look-up tables to predict a chemical's risk-related properties and exposure, based on its molecular structure.
Kodak saved tens of thousands of dollars in development costs by using this method, according to John L. O'Donoghue, director of Kodak's Health and Environment Laboratories. Kodak indicates in the report that most of the technology can be used widely by industry, although some companies might lack sufficiently trained staff in toxicology and environmental science.
