It is better to rely on pollution prevention rather than on pollution cleanup because the former choice generally protects the environment more effectively and generally costs less in the long run than pollution cleanup.

Pollution prevention aims to identify and eliminate or reduce pollution at the source, which is a more effective and long-term solution than cleaning up pollution after it has occurred. Pollution cleanup is often expensive, time-consuming, and may not be able to completely restore natural habitats or prevent future pollution incidents. Thus, it is better to rely on pollution prevention measures to protect the environment.