Month: February 2013

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Michigan DEQ earns international green award

The DEQ recently was recognized by an International environmental group for its pollution prevention efforts.

The department was a 2012 North America Gold winner of the International Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practices by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-profit organization that recognizes, rewards, and promotes environmental best practices around the world.

The DEQ received the award in recognition of the pollution prevention achievements of its Retired Engineer Technical Assistance Program. The RETAP is recognized for its effectiveness in providing voluntary pollution prevention technical assistance to small businesses through on-site assessments with recommendations to eliminate waste, conserve resources, and increase process and energy efficiencies.

The RETAP has identified more than $40,000 in potential cost savings per assessment. On average, companies implement, or make plans to implement more than 70 percent of RETAP recommendations within two years of receiving their assessment report.

The RETAP conducts nearly 100 assessments each year. The assessments are free, confidential, non-regulatory and objective. Any business with 500 or fewer full-time employees in Michigan and institutions of any size may request a RETAP assessment.  

For additional information about the RETAP, including how to receive a P2 and energy conservation assessment, go to www.michigan.gov/retap or contact David Herb at herbd@michigan.gov or 517-241-8176.

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Report demonstrates over $1.1 billion in economic benefits from P2 in Region 5

A Cornerstone of Environmental Sustainability: Pollution Prevention Results from 2007 to 2009 presents available information on the achievements of state and local P2 programs for the calendar years 2007 to 2009. The Report was produced by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) based upon the results shared by 90 pollution prevention (P2) programs in the United States.

The Report shows that nationally there were almost $6.6 billion in economic benefits and more than 7 billion pounds of pollution minimized or eliminated during the three year period.  7 billion pounds of waste is equivalent to the amount of waste generated by 350 thousand households, the approximate size of Columbus, Ohio.

In the Great Lakes states served by U.S. EPA Region 5, companies realized more than $1.1  billion in savings and 1.2 billion pounds of pollution minimized or eliminated.

This study affirms that pollution prevention results in conservation of valuable resources and significant waste reductions, as well cost savings that were four times greater than the funds used to support the various P2 programs.

The Report is a product of the P2 Results Task Force, whose membership includes representatives from State P2 programs, EPA Headquarters and Regions, Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange Centers (P2Rx), as well as NPPR. The Task Force has developed a National Pollution Prevention Results Data System, (the System). The System aggregates data that is collected, managed, and synthesized by state and local P2 programs, non-profits, companies, and other organizations.

The Report documents additional benefits of P2 activities, including: approximately 16 billion gallons of water conserved; almost 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of reduced energy usage; more than 33 billion pounds of greenhouse gases (GHG) no longer being released into the atmosphere.

NPPR will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, February 21 at 2 ET to provide an overview of the report. Register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2030884086456328960.

To view the Report, go to http://www.p2.org/wp-content/uploads/p2-results-2007-9-final.pdf.

To submit your results or view results by region, visit http://www.p2rx.org/measurement/index.cfm.

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GLRPPR, Michigan RETAP, Bloom Centre for Sustainability featured in January 2013 issue of P2 Press

Three pollution programs from the Great Lakes region were featured in the January 2013 issue P2 Press, published by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable.

The GLRPPR update focused on the organization’s leadership change, as well as recent webinars and other services. The Michigan RETAP update detailed three awards won by the program in 2012, as well as improvements made, and other program successes. The article about the Bloom Centre discusses a partnership between the Centre and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters to deliver a Cleaner and Greener Manufacturing Program.