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EPA

United States , '
Environmental Protection

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, Office of Pollution, .
Prevention, and Toxics
- ' - Washington, DC 20460 •
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•" October-19.96 PREVENHON
	 EPA/7.42/F-93/005 	
 Pollution  Prevention  Fact  Sheet:


 Pollution  Prevention  Act  of  1990
    •  •           ' r  •  .    -  •    •         '  -  •.     .       .       ,':•'.-•

 Purpose
 The-Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, signed into law in November 1990,   -
 establishes pollution prevention-as a "national objective." The Act .notes
 that:  '          • '   .   '     ;.   -.     .".'_...  . '    '  .-•      .

  .          "There are significant opportunities for industry to reduce or
  '".>.•   ' .prevent pollution at'  the .source through cost-effective .changes in
            production,' operation, and raw materials, use..-The -opportunities
            for source reduction  are often not realized because existing
        '  .  regulations, and the  industrial resources they require for
      .-.-.. compliance,  focus upon treatment and disposal, rather than source '
            reduction...Source  reduction is fundamentally'different and more
           • desirable than waste  management and pollution.control."


 Environmental Protection Hierarchy
 The Act  establishes a hierarchy of environmental protection measures,    .
 declaring that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source wherever
 feasible,  while pollution that  cannot be prevented shpuld.be recycled in an
 environmentally safe manner.  In  the absence ;of feasible prevention or
 recycling opportunities, -pollution should be treated: disposal or other
 release  into•the, environment should be used as a last resort.  .    '        .

 Definition  of Pollution Prevention
 Pollution prevention is"defined'in the law to mean "source reduction"  (as-  '  .
r further  defined below), arid other practices that reduce or eliminate the
 creation of pollutants-through:        .  _ .  .                    ''.-'.

             --Increased'efficiency in-the use of raw materials,  energy,  water,
           - or  other resources, or;                               ....

             --Protect ion-.of'natural  resources by conservation.

 Definition of Source  Reduction
 Source reduction .is; defined in the law to.mean .any practice which reduces the
 amount-of any hazardous  substance,  pollutant,  or contaminant entering  any  ..
 'waste stream or otherwise released into the.environment (including fugitive
 'emissions'),, prior >to  recycling,  treatment,  or disposal; , and which reduces'the
 hazards to public health and the environment associated with the release of , •
 such substances," pollutants,•or'contaminants.'   ,           -
                       PPIC is staffed by Garcia Consulting Incorporated
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                             formalizes" ......... tEe" ...... eslTa^TsKment ......... of" an  office  at EPA

        "of11 ...... pollution1 ........ "5revenEioir"anc[ ............ Toxics! ..... .......... lidependent of the s ingle    .
                                ........... -_--IS_ ........... _-_ifi(j by the-.Act and to develop

                                            3r eduction . "  Among other provisions ,
           a  s  raegyo pe
                                                          procuremen
                                                                access to data

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                                          source reduction techniques by

                             ""oth'e'r"""	fe'Seral	"agencies";"	

                                                                    11!1	ippi:!	;:•	*$	ei	m	f:	iff'il	?	"	t	I
                                                               	source	reduction;

                                                                       iT-WiSi''.!'^?.'-*"^.1 ":"!'••. „!•! '" !,",:-ti!'!; i'Vi'."'t 'S!1;;;'  'ASSjI
                                                         EEtion	opportunities',

                                                          ,  a "source reduction
                         ,  and an  ann'ual  award program
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                                                    ram  to promote source
Act" authorizes an $8 million  scace grant pro
         -                         state
                                                  Ieaset"tb EPA 'for  the Toxic
                                                  HTormaEion'on pollution

                                              and" ..... for  each toxic chemical.   The
                          qSanEities" of  each  toxic chemical  entering the  waste

                                                                  "
          -^

             g EangeTTn  production ........... from ......... the  previous -year.   •


             " .......  """ " ......... " ..... "  .........           K^^^^^
prt  to  Congress
            '
                                                         months (and  biennially

                                                                       source
                                                     and "the" grant  program
                 ormation
     401  M Street, SW,  Washington,
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                                                                                       /'.sftfJHI.,'' StaV'M^	Is!
                                     arcia Consulting Incorpora
                                                                            	 . 	!,»	»4	 :   •	ijlii	-	      .


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