These publications were recently added to GLRPPR’s Sector Resources. This list is continuously updated on the web, fed to GLRPPR’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, and is available as an RSS feed.
Green Hotel Pilot Project Final Report
In the spring of 2009 and in conjunction with the New York State Governor’s Green Hospitality & Tourism Partnership (the Partnership), NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) initiated a pilot test of a green certification program for the NYS hotel industry, using the Audubon International Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program as the third party certifier. To this end, the “Green Hotel Pilot Project” was created. The project’s goal was to test a program aimed at assisting lodging properties in reducing their environmental footprint and improving their competiveness while saving operating costs and increasing revenue by attracting environmentally conscious tourists. In addition to the participants demonstrating the certification process, they would increase the population of green certified hotels and be featured in green tourism marketing.
New York State Printing Industry Report: Positioning Industry for the Future: Energy, Environment, Sustainability
The Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), RadTech-The UV & EB Technology Association, and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) set out to understand the state of the New York State commercial printing industry and to what extent industry has faced or is currently facing challenges associated with energy, environment and sustainability.
Reducing Operational Costs, Environmental Impact Via Rigorous Plating/Finishing Analysis
This article presents the methodology used by the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology to determine the baseline costs of a typical plating/finishing operation and offers potential improvement methods and technologies.
Conversion of Plating Line Rinses to a Closed-Loop Deionization System
Case study looks at how a New York-based metal finisher adopted new wastewater treatment capabilities, resulting in plating process improvements and electricity reductions.
Today’s Environmental Manager’s Toolbox: Evaluating the EHS Attributes of Products
In response to the public’s interest, companies have expanded their focus on reducing their environmental footprint through designing environmentally preferable products. Corporate environmental managers typically work with product design teams on this effort. This paper explains three tools available to assist in the assessment of EHS attributes of products, namely risk assessment, alternatives assessment, and life cycle assessment. An overview, process appropriate uses, and limitations of each tool are discussed.
Hazardous Waste Reduction from Mixed Acid Titanium Etching
This paper presents the findings of a technical study performed by the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology to evaluate process modifications that would reduce hazardous waste generated from the manufacture of titanium alloy turbine blades. This study focused on the acid etch process step in which titanium alloy turbine blades are immersed in a mixed nitric and hydrofluoric acid solution to chemically mill the blades; which is one of a sequence of finishing steps. The spent acid is a hazardous waste that is sent off-site for disposal. A pollution prevention approach identified several process and operational improvements that would significantly reduce the amount of hazardous acid waste generated. Implementation of process improvements identified in this study resulted in reducing the quantity of hazardous waste generated from 502 tons/year in the Baseline year to less than 210 tons/year in Year 2, thereby resulting in a cost savings of nearly 43% per year. Full implementation of the study recommendations are expected to reduce the hazardous waste quantity to 71 tons/year, thereby achieving a cost savings of nearly 70% due to an 86% reduction in waste generation and a 66% reduction of total acid purchase and disposal costs. [Article available for a fee from the publisher or via your local library’s interlibrary borrowing service]
An Abbreviated Alternatives Assessment Process for Product Designers: A Children’s Furniture Manufacturing Case Study
Alternatives assessment is becoming increasingly popular to evaluate the potential environmental and human health hazards of materials. A three step process was used to identify and evaluate alternative products for a children’s furniture manufacturer. An alternatives assessment framework was developed to analyze alternative mattresses. The framework specifically addresses those environmental and safety attributes applicable to the product and the product components in accordance with the product’s intended use. The result of the assessment allowed the manufacturer to select the most environmentally friendly alternative and eliminate polyvinyl chloride from their product. [Article available for a fee from the publisher or via your local library’s interlibrary borrowing service]
Competitiveness, Innovation, and Sustainability
In 2010 the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) began a collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), RadTech-The UV & EB Technology Association, and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I). Together, they set out to understand the competitive state of the commercial printing industry in New York and to what extent the industry has faced — or is currently facing — challenges and finding opportunities associated with energy usage, environmental impacts, and adopting sustainability as a business strategy. The study found that the future competitiveness of the printing industry in New York State and throughout the U.S. is being influenced by shifting customer preferences and new technology, while the traditional pillars of price, quality, and performance continue to remain fundamental market expectations. Many commercial printers report they are being influenced by, and are taking action toward, differentiating themselves in highly competitive markets through innovation and sustainability. While some printers remain skeptical of this model, others are fully embracing and adopting elements of this strategy. Commercial printers choosing to compete on sustainability as an innovation strategy are finding new revenue, strengthened reputation, and reduced business risk.
Children’s Furniture Manufacturing Assessment
The client is an upstate manufacturer of furniture and spaces designed for children. Their products are found in childcare centers and schools throughout the world. They wanted to find a safer alternative to PVCs in the cribs that they manufacture.
Global Warming’s Six Americas in March 2012 and November 2011
This report extends and updates an ongoing program of research analyzing Americans’ interpretations of and responses to climate change. The research segments the American public into six audiences that range along a spectrum of concern and issue engagement from the Alarmed, who are convinced of the reality and danger of climate change and highly supportive of personal and political actions to mitigate the threat, to the Dismissive, who are equally convinced that climate change is not occurring and that no response should be made.