Living Green

Professor, Chemical Engineering
Co-chair, Environmental Initiatives Task Force
Introduced a theory called "Profitable Pollution Prevention" (P3)

Wayne State University Professor Yinlun Huang is dispelling the myth that environmental solutions require significant investment, provide no return and are only for large electroplating plants. His TSE-funded research has fostered four innovative pollution prevention technologies that reduce chemical solvent use and wastewater by 15 percent with applications for any size plant. One of Dr. Huang’s “Profitable Pollution Prevention” (P3) theories demonstrated that plating line wastewater was reduced by 27 percent and product quality was increased by 3 percent while the ratio of the prospective profit over the total annualized cost was 20:1. Dr. Huang’s success has been honored through mentions in Governor Granholm’s 2002 P2 Annual Report and strong support from the National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army, NASA and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.