Clean manufacturing technologies

Compliance with environmental regulations now applies to the military industrial base just as it does to the industrial manufacturing base. In response, the Department of Defense has developed the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence (NDCEE) program. This program focuses on a comprehensive approach to pollution prevention and other high-priority environmental issues, such as waste treatment, disposal, and remediation. Its goal is to help both the military and industry comply with regulations by implementing cost-effective, clean manufacturing technologies. Concurrent Technologies Corporation operates the NDCEE program for the DoD, and has established a demonstration factory to demonstrate, evaluate, and validate state-of-the-art and near-commercial technologies with full-scale parts. This article describes some of the developments being evaluated for processes that prevent pollution and/or minimize waste.