Ach
ement
A Progress Report
Through 2000
"ifMwV,
*4*
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Policy, Economics
and Innovation
(1808) ; |'
EPA240R-02-001
December 2002
i wv) w.epa.gov/partners
"In keeping with-the President's philosophy \
of government, EPA is prorriot;ing market-
. ! I ' ! . [ I !
based sblutions to environmental challenges,!
focusing on environmental results over j
bureaucratic process, and buOding partnerj- \
ships wjjth the American pebple." |
—EPA Administrator Christine^ Todd
Whitmafi, from the Agency's $ix-Month
\- : i
Progress Report ' I • i
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ince the compilation of the information
in this report in 2000, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has launched several new initiatives and pro-
grams designed to achieve economic and envi-
ronmental improvements through voluntary
partnerships with businesses, governments,
organizations, and individuals. These partner-
ship programs 'reward outstanding environmen-
tal performance, provide targeted technical
assistance, and encourage innovation through
market-based solutions.
The National Environmental Performance Track*, for example, was started in
June, 2000 to reward com'panies that consistently exceed regulatory require-
ments, work closely with tjieir community, and excel in protecting the environ-
ment and public health. Performance Track already has nearly 300 members who
use environmental management systems to reduce their "footprint" on the envi-
ronment. Because of their; sustained record of compliance and commitment to
continuous environmental Improvement, Performance Track facilities are low pri-
orities for EPA inspection. !They also receive national recognition, access to a
peer network of top perforiners, and other incentives now under development.
Climate Leaders is another new EPA/industry partnership that encourages com-
panies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Many cor-
porations are already makjng great strides in reducing their greenhouse gas
emissions through participation in EPA programs such as ENERGY STAR® and
WasteWise, but Climate Leaders gives them an opportunity to take their climate
commitment one step further, by setting a corporate-wide reduction goal and
measuring their progress. [Climate Leaders is working to create a credible sys-
tem for inventorying and reporting greenhouse gas reductions and encouraging
consistency among state registries. In addition to technical assistance, Climate
Leaders partners receive public recognition, participate in a peer exchange, and
sport a program logo. i
* For more information about Performance Track and other EPA partnership programs, see and
page 25 of this document. - •- !
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Other recent EPA partnership programs are prov-
ing that environmental performance and econom-
ic benefits can go hand-in-hand:
• In September 2002, EPA announced the
Resource Conservation Challenge, a nationwide
campaign to conserve valuable natural
resources. EPA is challenging everyone — manu-
facturers, retailers, and consumers — to adopt a
resource conservation ethic. The Challenge
encompasses various creative projects testing
innovative, flexible, partnerships to minimize
waste, recover energy, recycle, and revitalize the
land. Challenge goals are to boost the national
recycling rate from 30 percent to at least 35
percent by 2005, and to reduce by 50 percent
the generation of 30 harmful chemicals normal-
ly found in hazardous waste.
• As one of EPA's newest partnership programs,
the Commuter ChoiceSM Leadership Initiative
publicly recognizes employers whose commuter
benefits reach a national standard of excel-
lence and help reduce air pollution. By joining
the program, employers earn the distinction of
being a Commuter ChoiceSM Employer — a desig-
nation that gives them a competitive advantage
in recruiting and retaining the "best and bright-
est" employees. EPA also provides training,
Web-based tools, pne-on-one assistance, ,and
networking opportunities, helping to elhsjjre that
the ride to work-Hid Tto a clean environment--
will be smoother for generations to c6~me.
?i ,». m m £
•
m
*
s
§
« EPA initiated the Combined Heat and Power
"';' ' " --• - 9 1 t I
Partnership to facilitate the use of Conibined
Heat and Power (CHP) technologies. CHP sys- r
terns generate-elecincity and capture waUte
heat which is then used to heat and codTbuil cl-
ings or provide steam for industrial processes.
The use of waste heat results in total system
efficiencies of 70 to 90 percent—a consider-
able performance gain over the 33 percent
average efficiency of conventional central sta-
tion electricity plants.
• EPA also introduced the Green Power
Partnership to recognize businesses and organ-
izations committed to expanding the market for
renewable energy sources through their pur-
chasing habits. By purchasing 100 percent
renewable energy at its laboratories in
Washington state, California, Ohio, and
Colorado, and Massachusetts, EPA itself quali-
fied as a founding partner in the program.
• Finally, in addition to using green power at its
laboratories, EPA is demonstrating to other fed-
eral and private sector labs how to be more
energy efficient and environmentally sustain-
able through Laboratories for the 21st Century.
Since laboratories have special energy-intensive
requirements, EPA is providing a variety of lab-
specific education, tools, and technical assis-
tance to its pilot partners as well as the broad-
er laboratory community. By partnering with
leaders from different lab-intensive industries,
EPA is showcasing the potential for high per-
formance, low energy laboratories.
EPA is continuing to expand its use of partner-
ship programs across the country. The Agency is
committed to providing hands-on, industry-specific
pchnical assistance, education, information shar-
ng^and/ecognition for these and other success-
r ^programs. This report outlines some of those
Successes from a variety of voluntary efforts.
a i
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CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS REPORT ...... .^ .2
.2
.3
.4
.5
WHAT ARE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS? ,
WHY Do PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS WORK?
PARTNERSHIPS GET RESULTS
RESOURCES AND RECOGNITION
'I
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT .5
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM PROFILES j. .6
WASTEWISE , , . .6
WAVE 7
ENERGY STAR® , . .8
AGSTAR !. .9
NATURAL GAS STAR
.10
COALBED METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM 11
LANDFILL METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM 12
PROJECT XL 13
DESIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 14
VOLUNTARY ALUMINUM INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP 16
METAL FINISHING STRATEGIC GOALS PROGRAM 16
GREEN CHEMISTRY " 17
PESTICIDE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM 19
CONSUMER LABELING INITIATIVE 20
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING 21
ADOPT YOUR WATERSHED 22
REGIONAL EFFORTS . .23
WHERE Do WE Go FROM HERE 25
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ABOUT THIS REPORT
What do a small Vermont inn, a major pharma-
ceutical lab, a Pennsylvania electroplating shop,
the U.S. Navy, and a Minnesota dairy farm have
in common? As partners in the U.S. Environmen-
tal Protection Agency's (EPA) voluntary partner-
ship programs, these entities have all realized
the benefits of a shared vision of environmental
stewardship.
EPA partnerships produce measurable environ-
mental and economic results by applying new
technologies and innovation to conserve
resources and manage waste. Partners are
answering the call to be good stewards in their
community, whether it is in their backyard, across
the country, or around the world.
This report, Achievement Through Partnership: A
Progress Report, lays out the success of EPA's vol-
untary programs. In 2000 alone, the more than
11,000 companies, facilities, governments, and
organizations participating in voluntary EPA pro-
grams saved enough energy to power a major
metropolitan city for 1 year. They reduced carbon
dioxide (C02) emissions from their energy use or
processes that would be the equivalent of taking
more than 25 million cars off the road for 1 year.
They saved the amount of water a small city uses
in 1 year. And, while making all these environmen-
tal contributions, they saved billions of dollars.
This report is organized to give readers a back-
ground of EPA's partnership approach, why this
approach works, and the cumulative results of
EPA's voluntary programs through 2000. The
report provides descriptions of 16 of EPA's more
than 30 voluntary partnership programs, and pro-
vides examples of success stories for each of
these programs.
WHAT ARE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS?
In slightly more than a decade, partnership pro-
grams at EPA have evolved from two experimental
voluntary programs—33/50 and Green Lights
into a richly varied array of more than 30 pro-
grams. Through this array of voluntary partnership
programs, EPA is demonstrating that voluntary
goals and commitments achieve real environmen-
tal protection and build cooperative relationships
with a variety of groups, including small and large
businesses, citizens groups, state and local gov-
ernments, universities, and trade associations.
Partnership programs are collaborative agree-
ments between EPA and all types of organizations
to meet shared environmental goals. The first
EPA voluntary program was the 33/50 Program,
established in 1991, which identified 17 high-pri-
ority toxic chemicals and targeted them for ambi-
tious reductions. The hallmark of the 33/50
Program was flexibility. EPA challenged corporate
America to reduce toxic emissions of the 17 high-
priority pollutants reported to the Toxic Release
Inventory in 1988 by 33 percent in 1992 and 50
percent in 1995. American industry rose to EPA's
challenge and responded resoundingly. Some
1,300 companies voluntarily joined the 33/50
Program. Once the 1995 data revealed the pro-
gram's final accomplishments, the program was
heralded as a success, and EPA continued to
develop new voluntary programs that address
reductions in different environmental media.
Today EPA's more than 30 programs aim to
achieve environmental reductions through volun-
tary efforts of individual facilities, large and small
companies, trade associations, local communi-
ties and high schools, local governments, or
major government agencies. Most of EPA's pro-
grams were developed to gain environmental
improvements in areas that are not typically regu-
lated. All of EPA's voluntary programs further the
business interests of the partners and the envi-
ronmental interests of local communities and our
nation as a whole by encouraging cooperation
and innovation.
Some partnership programs such as ENERGY STAR18
and WasteWise have become household names;
others, less well known, target specific indus-
tries, practices, or environmental issues. Never-
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theless, they all have important features in com
mon. The partners make voluntary commitments
to meet agreed-upon environmental goals. These
goals can be specific quantitative reductions in I
emissions or waste or they can involve improving
business practices with the objective of improving
environmental performance. {
I
Participation in an EPA partnership program signij
fies a high level of environmental commitment arid
cooperation from an organization's senior manage-
ment. Many EPA partnership programs require that
participants sign a partnership agreement to join)a
program. The agreement lays out the goals or j
steps the participating company or facility will take
to pursue environmental improvements. '
EPA, for its part, provides technical assistance,
networking opportunities, and recognition to I
encourage partners in their efforts.-Technical j
assistance can range from helping develop j
preferable alternatives to providing benchmarking
information that allows a company to compare its
performance to its peers. Networking includes |
databases and national forums. Recognition car})
take the form of awards for outstanding performj-
ers, public notices, or the ability of partners to
use labels to inform the public that their produc-ts
meet certain standards. EPA cannot endorse th£
purchase of specific products or services; howev-
er, partners can use EPA partnership programs' |
logos to inform the public that their products orj
processes meet certain environmental standards.
WHY Do PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS
WORK?
The success of partnership programs is undeni-
able. But why do they work? Why do organizations
commit themselves to going beyond what they
are required to do by regulations? And why is it
important for EPA and other regulatory agencies
to encourage voluntary partnerships?
For starters, environmental improvements made
through voluntary partnerships can improve bus
ness performance. There can be a positive corre-
lation between companies' environmental per-
formance and their competitiveness and financial
performance.* Well-managed companies also
manage environmental issues well, and banks
and stock markets reward good management.
Our partners have found that by focusing on envi-
ronmental performance, they save money, attract
and retain workers, work more effectively with
neighboring communities, improve their image
and, in some cases, develop new business oppor-
tunities.
For EPA, partnerships are an effective tool to
improve environmental performance. They are not
a substitute for well-designed regulations and vig-
ilant enforcement, but they are an important com-
plement to regulations that enable EPA to work
with those who wish to improve their performance
beyond what is required by regulations. In some
cases, voluntary programs enable EPA to address
environmental issues—such as the efficient use
of resources—that are not covered by regula-
tions. In other cases, these programs enable EPA
to recognize partners for reducing their impacts
below what is required to meet regulations.
Finally, they help find better, .cheaper, more effec-
tive ways to meet environmental goals.
In a very important sense, partnership programs
are about learning—by EPA, its partners, states,
local communities, and stakeholders—about how
to work together more effectively; how to improve
the way we manage our environment; and how
new methods and technologies can result in dra-
matic and far-reaching environmental improve-
ments. As we learn, we all improve and reap the
benefits of these voluntary efforts.
PARTNERSHIPS GET RESULTS
By 2000, more than 11,000 partners were partic-
ipating in one or more EPA programs. To quantify
the results of these voluntary efforts, EPA sur-
veyed its partnership programs to gather informa-
*For further information, refer to the Web sites for the Dow Jones Sustainability
Index and Innovest .
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tion about cost savings and environmental bene-
fits. Many of these programs do not require
reporting, so although the data are somewhat
limited, the results were impressive: thousands
of commitments to environmental improvements
and billions of dollars saved.
EPA's partners saved more than 769 trillion
British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy in 2000.
The amount of emissions they avoided was more
than 37 million metric tons of carbon equivalent.
Partners achieved this by reducing methane emis-
sions from farms, landfills, and coalbeds, and by
saving energy through technological improve-
ments and power-conserving appliances.
Partnerships helped hotels save millions of gal-
lons of water, assisted communities in cleaning
up streams, and allowed hospitals to eliminate
mercury waste.
By integrating environmental improvements into
business decisions, companies are cutting costs,
adding value, and increasing market share. In
\te||s|i||fgjg|jfi sifpi si
-^wiiMSN^^
fact, EPA's study
found that partners
reported saving
more than $5.9
billion in 2000 as a
result of imple-
menting environ-
mental improve-
ments in their oper-
ations. And that's just the beginning; ENERGY
STAR® estimates that the United States could
slash its cumulative energy bill over the next
decade by more than $200 billion if everyone in
the country bought ENERGY STAR® products and all
commercial and industrial building owners imple-
mented the ENERGY STAR® approach.
RESOURCES AND RECOGNITION
To help partners identify environmental improve-
ment and cost-saving opportunities, EPA offers a
wealth of resources to assist organizations in
Number of partners
Money saved by partners
Greenhouse gas reductions
EPA Partnership Program Results for 20001
11,3002
$6 billion
Municipal solid waste recycled
Water saved
Energy saved
37 million metric tons of carbon equivalents
'.Comparable to removing more than 25"milli6h cars from the
road for one year. " ,'"', .! ' '"/ !'...,'. ,;, ..,..!'.,,'.,'.., .: •
17,800 tons*
603 million gallons
Enough to fill over 12 million bathtubs.
769 trillion BTUs
Enough to supply the annual energy needs of approximately 6.5
million U.S. households.
Nitrogen oxide (NOX) emission reductions
Sulfur dioxide (S02) emission reductions
158,200 tons
289,000 tons
*Oata In this Mble are based on results reported by programs in EPA's survey, including the following: ENERGY Sow", ENERGY STAR* in the Industry Sector, Landfill Methane Outreach
Program, Coatbed Methane Outreach Program, Natural Gas STAR, agriculture-based programs, AgSfAR, Ruminant Livestock Efficiency Program, High Global Warming Potential (GWP)
Stewardship Programs (Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership, HFC-23 Emission Reduction Partnership for me Aluminum Industry, PFC Emission Reduction Partnership for the
Semiconductor Industry, SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems, and SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership for the Magnesium industry), WasteWise, Region 1
Macuty Chafionge, Project XL, Water Alliance for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE), Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP), and EPA Region 3's Waste Minimization Program,
Most of Iheso programs are profiled in the following report.
%MS figure includes WasteWise partners,
%hifi Hgure does not Include WasteWise partners.
^This figure ilaes not include WasteWise results for 200O, thus the value presented here reflects only those efforts realized by partners participating in Project XL.
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auditing, measuring, and benchmarking their J
energy consumption, waste, water use, and indujs-
trial processes. j
I
EPA also encourages its partners to network ancjl
cooperate with companies facing similar chal-
lenges. Program-sponsored events, such as the j
Landfill Methane Outreach Program's annual corj-
ference and project expo, allow partners and EPA
to exchange information on the latest available ]
technologies. Many participants view these meejt-
ings as a great business opportunity to provide j
equipment, services, and know-how to solve proj>
lems. Aside from exchanging ideas and making j
business connections, EPA's partners also gain j
access to unique educational and technical
opportunities. At the regional partner network
meetings that WasteWise hosts, partners have j
exchanged ideas about computer donation and I
reuse, waste tracking systems, and sustaining
management support for waste reduction pro-
grams. Through cooperation with industry trade
associations and hands-on technical assistance,
the Design for the Environment program informs
businesses about the design or redesign of protl-
ucts and processes that/are.cleaner, more costj
effective, and safer for workers and the public. ,
Many partnership programs offer recognition^
such as national awards for exceptjon^i perform-
ance, that can motivate companies aod^nhance.,
their corporate Image with customers, regulators,
neighbors, and the media. Participants who
receive awards or other recognition can highlight
their enyironmental commitment with their J
employees or customers. After 45th Avenue
Cleaners in Portland, Oregon, received EPA t
Region 10's Evergreen Award for Pollution j
Prevention for reducing its solvent use by 80 per-
qent and solvent waste by 60 percent, it saw a j
tremendous increase in the volume of customers.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Partnerships help empower individuals at all lev-
els, by encouraging businesses, governments,
and communities to participate in protecting our
natural resources. For example, a student in
Broward County, Florida, who was concerned
about water pollution in his neighborhood canal
used resources available through EPA's Adopt-
Your-Watershed program to organize a canal
cleanup and educate residents about illegal dump-
ing and pollution prevention.
One EPA program, the National Environmental
Performance Track, requires community involve-
ment as one of its criteria for participation, and
several others help individuals make a difference
in their communities.
EPA partnerships reach beyond our borders. Many
nations share the same environmental chal-
lenges: greenhouse gas emissions, water and
energy demands, and resource management and
waste disposal. International partners share the
desire to reduce their costs and improve the
environment. EPA actively encourages govern-
ments and industry experts from around the
world to share new information on technology
and opportunities.
"• EPA's partnership programs have also encouraged
',,'ertiities in other countries to devejop similar pro-
gram's.' For example, the ENERGY STAR*"program J ,
was used as a model by South Africa to initiate
the Green Buildings in Africa program for commer-
' cial building owners.
The following pages offer arfln-depthjook at spe-^^_^
..cific partnership programs and'^aFticfpants that
have made an impact—on thei/ environment,
communities, and their businesses', Bottom lines.
* $•$ *„ nj,,,^ f ~ ., "3
From programs that work to coWerveT resource's
and avoid pollution to those t^faifectLthg
'- design, processing, and pufcfiasTng of products,
these "efforts'are achieving impressive results.
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j»
i^
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM PROFILES
Partners Don't Let
Savings Go to Waste
www.epa.gov/wastewise
In 1994, EPA founded a groundbreaking program
designed to help large and small businesses, fed-
eral, state, local, and tribal governments, universi-
ties, colleges, and school systems reduce the
amount of solid waste they generate. During the
past 7 years, the WasteWise program has provid-
ed technical assistance and recognition to its
partners, which now number more than 1,150.
WasteWise also has 120 endorsers who help pro-
mote the program.
Through WasteWise, organizations tailor their
solid waste reduction programs to fit their heeds.
Partners target everything from corrugated con-
tainers and office paper to yard waste and wood-
en pallets. Participants set three-year goals in
three areas: waste prevention, recycling, and buy-
ing or manufacturing recycled-content products.
Greenhouse Gas Reductions
(in million metric tons
of carbon equivalent)
In the first 6 years of
the WasteWise pro-
gram, partners
removed more than
35 million tons of
waste from the solid
waste stream through
waste prevention and
recycling. In 1999,
partners reported
that their WasteWise
activities resulted in
a reduction of 9 million tons of waste, surpassing
1998 results by 15 percent.1
WasteWise also provides EPA's WAste Reduction
Model (WARM) to help organizations estimate
greenhouse gas reductions from their waste
reduction activities, which enables partners to
Jl
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
;*£•*-*
CASE STUDY
,„„ nz/ir ~*_ „.»„, „ _
j Seydel Companies in]Pendergrass4
^Georgia, which make textile processing
g^chemjcajs^were recognized twice as a
t WasteWis^e, Small Business, Partner of
&• Year. Seydel's 109 employees conserved an
I* ^estimajed 500, pounds of paper by remov-
p ing the Seydel name from bulk mailings
W lists; donated 1,400 pounds of computer
f^'equiprfient to local schools; and cleaned
li^SwSi^httiSBtetr £ idJ£L»iuu».ufl^£ ™t
p: and jeujgjnor^Jtiari.S,tons of^glass sam; t
| pie jars, saving mo"re than $3,000. SeydeP* *
f-also returned more than 85^tbns of plastic"
1999
ring nearly $70,000.
_ -r •> f^f -~* *|
visualize the broader environmental impacts of
their efforts. Based on this model, EPA estimates
that WasteWise partners have prevented the
emission of 25 million metric tons of carbon
equivalent from 1994 to 1999.
Large and small organizations have improved
their bottom line by reducing waste. Verizon
saved more than $4 million by encouraging its
260,000 employees to use the company Intranet
to obtain training and personnel information.
Guardian Industries, an automotive glass manu-
facturer located in Indiana, saved $26,000 and
2,868 pounds of waste by laundering gloves.
By working with vendors to redesign, reduce
weight, and switch to reusable or recyclable con-
tainers, Evelyn Hill, Inc., which operates the gift
shop and food service at the Statue of Liberty,
saved $112,000. And Washoe County, Nevada's
2,800 employees
recycled more than
100 tons of mixed
paper, glass bot-
tles, aluminum, and
corrugated boxes
and spent $1.5
million on recycled-
content products.
^•WasteWfee Sixth-Year Progress Report
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Hotels Catch the WAVE
of Efficiency
www.epa.gov/owm/
genwave.htm
The average hotel in the United States consumes
209 gallons of water each day for each occupied
room, meaning even moderate-sized hotels can j
use tens of thousands of gallons of water each j
day. EPA estimates that by integrating water effi4
ciency practices into everyday operations and
installing water-efficient equipment, hotels coulcj
achieve a 30 percent reduction in water con- j
sumption without loss of comfort to guests. i
Similar reductions for office buildings and educa-
tional institutions can be achieved in bathroom i
fixtures, landscape'irrigation, heating and cooling,
and food service areas. j
i
EPA's Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency j
(WAVE) program helps businesses reduce water
use and water-related energy use. Initially, WAVE)
focused on improving water efficiency in the lodg-
ing industry. Recently, WAVE'S efforts expanded to
office buildings and educational institutions. j
Partners commit to identifying opportunities to
upgrade water-using devices and improving prac}
tices. To assist partners, EPA established a WAVE
Supporter program to link partners with equip- (
ment manufacturers and distributors, water man-
agement companies, utilities, and state and local
governments. EPA publicly recognizes the enviroh-
mental efforts of participants and provides edu-j
cational materials for customers and employees.
i
EPA also offers WAVE Saver for Office Buildings,! a
Windows-based software program that enables
building engineers and managers to survey and'
track water use and evaluate specific water-sav-
ing opportunities, including laundry operations,
irrigation, and cooling towers.
By installing water-efficient equipment, EPA esti-
mates that the commercial and institutional sec-
ICASE STUPY
^£^*r;-few*^>^
fn one of the largest water-efficienc'
rypgrades ever attempted on a U.S. cam-
is, Columbia University in New York City '•;
Idut its water bill by 25 percent and realized :!
JiS«L«^|-¥-->rra^^ ',"';, Ti'.'-' "r- E'"S
II; payback period 'of'less than 2 years by ' "•
faajg^V^^^^ '*-! • 'nPif, •'! iv-w^iv -:*,--!-|j
s "lacjng toilets,, showerheads, ana faucet
i cros,S:pampus
ter-pumping loop, wic
^
'.'' ' :v '>n*
'>n*m
allows it to con-
i^^,a7a^A^^i"-Vr^^i;\ii'~-^V/a,,-r: ,v,e
StftLwater pressure aricl flow to each cam-
_ f^D^p^^nera^t^afiy Vecfu^ tneT
iUffiHef 6f leatefancTtjie amdunlTof system ;
i|
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8
Money IsrrtAll You're Saving
ENERGY STAR Saves
Billions
www.energystar.gov
Nearly anywhere you look in an office nowadays,
you can see the ENERGY STAR® logo. From comput-
ers to appliances to the buildings themselves,
the ENERGY STAR® program enables businesses,
organizations, and consumers to realize the cost
savings and environmental benefits of energy effi-
ciency investments through a straightforward
market-based approach:
• Use the ENERGY STAR" label to clearly identify
which products, practices, new homes, and
buildings are energy efficient—offering lower
energy bills and environmental benefits.
» Empower decisionmakers by making them
aware of the benefits of labeled products,
homes, and buildings and providing energy per-
formance assessment tools and project guide-
lines for efficiency improvements.
* Work with retail and services companies in the
delivery chain so that they can easily offer effi-
cient products and services.
• Partner with regional, state, and local organiza-
tions that are running energy efficiency pro-
grams so that these programs leverage the
national energy efficiency specifications and
public awareness of ENERGY STAR® and achieve
more with their resources.
For each federal dollar spent,
ENERGY STAR* partners achieve
the following:
* Emissions reductions of more than
i metric ton of carbon equivalent.
• Utility bill savings for partners and
consumers of more than $75.
« $15 in private sector investment.
CASE STUDY
i- Sears, Roebuck & Company effectively pro-
""rnotes a wide raTige of ENERGY STAR"*-labeled
Hat!
Hjproducts from appliances, office eqjjipjnent
*•«
i
V q
Ijgatjng, vervUlation^and air condition-^
Sjfjng equipment. Last year, Sears pledged to
f'lsell more than 1 million ENERGY STAR®-quali-
ejfpppTiances. The company exceeded
Iffthis goal by promoting ENERGY STAR® in more
thanH,500 stores nationally.
' success is the result of a strong
with ENERGY STAR®
— utility and market transformation groups
pacFoss
r gales training programs for its sales staff,
*- and directing its vendors to supply ENERGY
^SjAR*x|uaT[fied products. Sears has also
|- demonstrated an ongoing commitment to
treducate jts^consumers^by ajring the ENERGY^
«-STAR®^ public service announcement on in-
festore displays, reaching more than 26 mil-
Jf4* * T *." , l v ^
^JIojT^ew^er^in thgT iast^lf^of^ppo, a^nd^jiy
fusing the*ENERGY STAR® logo in weekly adver-
p^tising. In recognition of these efforts, Sears
ed ai
w,J!
i
i
a
it
\M_ M^t^iA^^m
Introduced by EPA in 1992 for energy-efficient
computers, the ENERGY STAR® label has been
expanded to more than 30 product categories.
Since the mid-1990s, EPA has collaborated with
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),.which now
has responsibility for certain product categories.
Energy-efficient new homes and commercial build-
ings became eligible for the ENERGY STAR® label in
1995 and 1999, respectively.
Net savings of more than $60.
-------
The economic and environmental benefits
through the year 2000 are substantial. ENERGY .
STAR* has developed strong partnerships with
1,600 manufacturers labeling more than 11,000
products. The ENERGY STAR® label has become a|
national symbol for energy efficiency and is now)
recognized by more than 40 percent of the !
American public, who have purchased more than
600 million labeled products to date. In addition,
1,600 builders have joined as partners, con-
structing 25,000 ENERGY STAR®-labeled homes.
ENERGY STAR® has also partnered with organiza-
tions representing 17 percent of U.S. building \
floor space that are committed to improving their
energy performance. The national building energy
performance rating system, which was first }
offered in 1999 for office buildings, became avail-
able for schools in 2000. More than 4,200 build-
ings were benchmarked in 2000, with 215
schools and 330 office buildings earning ENERGY,
STAR® labels. ''
|
In 2000 alone, the ENERGY STAR® program: |
j
i
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more
than 15 million metric tons carbon equiva-
lent—the same as eliminating emissions frorrj
more than 10 million cars. , j
i
• Prevented emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) I
of about 160,000 tons—equivalent to the
emissions from more than 100 power plants.
i
• Reduced energy consumption by 74 billion kilo-
watt hours. !
Offset more than 10,000 megawatts of peak
electricity demand.
1;&ST
™'«*
AgSTAR Helps Farmers
Make Better Neighbors
www.epa.gov/agstar
Today's farmers face a number of growing envi-
ronmental challenges: new regulations, increasing
urbanization, and local pressure to control odors.
Waste management systems, in particular, affect
the water and air quality surrounding a farm, as
well as the productivity and profitability of the
farm. Farmers are responding to these new chal-
lenges by making changes to their waste man-
agement systems.
EPA's AgSTAR program, jointly sponsored by the
U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy,
encourages methane recovery technologies at
animal feeding operations that manage manure
as either liquids or mud-like slurries. Using
digester systems and other technologies, animal
harness^th§ power of the methane
laTt-TmTttedTrbm his dairy operation, so he 1
"^AgSTAR program to learn
tore. EPA selected Haubenschilcl Farms as
ne pf its charter farms to demonstrate
Hau-ensehll
esfer tliat recovers methane to power a
p
pjprtt generator for the farm. In the
,000 kilowatt hours of power
3t of biogas. i ne
„,_,.„..,. _.... - „„.,. .,..,. „.„. ,^,i»Jtf9f3fpi*rit*«»^*¥',
^rt1^^rjar^cwej^.$ystem has produced
:in _reyeny|s|roj)i l|je^,"s^|e of
y; arjd it has yirtuany eiiminated
jSjsrpparfei purchases.
-------
10
farmers can recover methane to produce energy,
while controlling odor and improving water quality.
Since the program started more than 5 years
ago, 31 digester systems have been put in opera-
tion at commercial livestock farms. Twelve of the
31 digesters are at participating AgSTAR "charter
farms," and many of these were completed in
coordination with emerging state agricultural
energy programs in Iowa, Minnesota, and New
York.
The captured biogas is often used to generate
electrical power and heat; in 1999, these sys-
tems produced approximately 1 million megawatt
hours (MWh) of power. The remaining systems
flare the captured gas to control odor. The 31
operating digesters prevented more than 4,800
metric tons of methane, a potent greenhouse
gas, from entering the atmosphere (equivalent to
approximately 27,500 metric tons of C02).
Best Management
Practices Are a
Natural Success
www.epa.gov/gasstar
NaturalGas
EPA POLLUTION PREVENTER
An estimated 300 billion
standard cubic feet of methane is emitted by the
U.S. natural gas industry each year. The Natural
Gas STAR Program encourages natural gas pro-
duction, pro-
cessing, trans-
mission, and
distribution
companies to
promote cost-
effective tech-
nologies and
practices to
What Partners Say About Natural
Gas STAR
"We're convinced that proactive environ-
mental responsibility is good business.
Efforts to reduce our methane emission
often improve the operating efficiency of
the pipelines, and that leads to finan-
cial reward." —Columbia Gas
"You have the flexibility to implement
best management practices if they
meet your economic criteria. Also, part-
nership is a good way to bring more
awareness and emphasis to methane
emission reductions." —Kerr-McGee
STAR partner Unocal (lulf
i^Hir HrfiAwv 1r?S ™3^ ^SeSpT"' ^iaSwiKii ^-M- 'SSii
, an exploration and production
nocal Corporation, found that using
^igpjK. ^=5»i —.^^ _,-.,** ^-^ ^ -^» fo.
pilot projects to test new methane emission
:dyct|pnj|ctivities is the| bejst way to estab-
practices that will be cost-effective on SL
f-^tg^f^ftf
SSLajger scale. Unocal Gulf Region pilot tested
— ' ~sfr *-fc^ ^Tjj.iir Jtfnj^ 1i i* flr ir% TL-vfmjjnff -m, ^A a **fr lj!^4*«*%fr"
converting its natural gas-powered pneumat-
Pic instrument sYStenvto_a compressed _air-^
loWeTSd systenCvvhich reduced jriethane
ns^By 62.4 million metric cubic Jeet
eTyearaVid saved more"than_$208,000
^"annually. After_that successful^ pi lot, Unocal^
LJDorporation—^the unit's parent company—
«
i
. J
^joined the Natural Gas STAR Program in
&2000.
reduce methane emissions. Natural Gas STAR
works with its partners and industry associations
to identify cost-effective methods for minimizing
equipment leaks, reducing methane releases
from unit operations, and improving equipment
efficiency. Partners agree to assess these meth-
ods—called best management practices—and
implement those that make economic sense for
their operations. Many practices pay for them-
selves in less than ± year.
Natural Gas STAR provides companies with work-
shops, training courses, and analyses of emerg-
ing technologies. In addition, EPA assists part-
ners in working with federal, state, and local gov-
ernment agencies to remove regulatory barriers
that may prevent the implementation of best
management practices. EPA recognizes partners
with public service announcements, marketing
materials, news articles, and press releases.
-------
Methane Emission Reductions by
Natural Gas STAR Partners (1993-2000)
Methane Saved In Bcf
Natural Gas STAR now has more than 90 partner
companies and is endorsed by 11 major industry
trade associations. In 2000, Natural Gas STAR
partners reported 34 billion cubic feet of methane
emission reductions, bringing the total reductions
through the program to more than 151 billion
cubic feet. This is the equivalent of removing
more than 12.3 million cars from the road for 1
year. At a gas value of $3 per million cubic feet,
partners saved nearly $453 million by keeping
more gas in their systems for sale in the market!
CMOP Supports a
Decade of Progress
Coal Mines
www.epa.gov/coalbed
Coal mine methane is not only a potent green-
house gas released from coal seams during min-
ing, it also is a valuable product that can be cap-
tured and used for energy. EPA's Coalbed
Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) promotes I
profitable recovery and use of methane by coop-j
eratively working with coal companies and relate'd
industries. CMOP helps to identify and implement
methods to use coal mine methane productively}
which reduces mine methane ventilation costs,
improves safety conditions for miners, and pro- !
vides benefits from the sale of high-quality
methane gas. CMQP projects that globally more
than 100 million tons of C02 equivalent may
profitably be slashed each year-—a world market
value in excess of $2 billion.
1990 1991 1992 1333 1994 1395 1996 1997 1998 3399
Year
The Amount of Coal Mine Methane Utilized Over the
Past Decade Has Increased 300 Percent
STUDY
iEJJni Wajter Resources (JWR), a leader in
fecdal mine methane production and utiliza-
£,$00, nas worked closely with CMOP to iden-
~* f " ~* ^ e^ *
and implement cost-effective recovery
use options. JWR is now operating an
olegasificationjDrogram at its
£leep, longwall mines irTAIabama, which pro-
Upg gas of varying quality levels from sev:
eral different types of wells.
JWR has installed a cryogenic gas process-
pjf ^t *. ~^ ,-?*«Bp-4,4iS'.-f •£» i.£
jng unit to^ upgrade the quality j)f some of
gas and is equipping its system to boost
|j)rocessing~capacity. The unit currently
| processes 7 million cubic feet per day of
gas with 70 percent metharielnto 4 million
cubic feet per day of pipeline-quality gas.
is also pursuing efforts to find uses for
Ifsoffietrf thelow quality'gas and'ventilation
pair methane it pToduc'esTThese projects will
Jfyrther reduce metharp^ejjiissions frqrrTthe
cdrrfplex '^J^uTd^v^ritual iy"supply*
&pbwerto mining opefatidns.
^^1^1 "ar^^ -fen^'VaJL S^a«
ff^* ^-\^B^KJ^W'
•A
4
11
-------
12
Over the past decade, coal mines in the United
States and globally have made significant strides
in putting their coal mine methane to use as a
fuel for electric power production to meet onsite
electricity requirements, sell excess power to utili-
ties, and supplement other fuels such as coal
and natural gas. In 2000, coal mines captured
and utilized more than 90 percent (46 billion
cubic feet) of the methane produced from their
degasification systems, compared to only 25 per-
cent in 1990. Over a 10-year period, the program
recovered an amount of methane equivalent to
removing 2.5 million cars from the road.
The CMOP Web site identifies technologiesithat
cost effectively combust or beneficially use'venti-
lation methane, which accounts for 94 percent of
underground coal mine methane emissions. The
Web site stimulates dialogue on technology appli-
cation, facilitates information transfer, and !.
assists project developers in planning and exe-
cuting oxidation projects. Using lessons learned
in the United States, partners expect to share
technical information with countries such a^
China, Russia, and the Ukraine, which have!
already embarked on methane recovery ;
programs. :
In other international efforts, CMOP hosted a
workshop on international opportunities and barri-
ers in coal mine methane recovery for 50 people
from developing countries and countries with
economies in transition. Participants exchanged
information on international projects, resource
assessment, reservoir characterization and mod-
eling, and legal and regulatory issues.
CMOP's Steps to Success:
» Identify potentially profitable projects.
* Generate support from stakeholders.
» Conduct project analyses at the site.
* Provide information and technical assistance.
• Help overcome regulatory, institutional, and
technological barriers to increased use of
coalbed methane.
LANDFILL METHANE
OUTREACH PROGRAM
LMOP Gets its Power
From Landfills and
Communities
www.epa.gov/lmop
Methane released from decomposing garbage in
landfills smells bad, contributes to local smog,
and is a potent greenhouse gas. So why are com-
panies across the country getting excited about
landfill gas? It's simple—methane released from
landfills can be captured and sold or utilized as a
cost effective source for electricity, heat, boiler,
and vehicular fuel. Capturing and using the
methane also reduces odors and improves the
management of the landfill, prevents the release
of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and
offsets the need to use other energy sources
that emit C02. Lucent Technologies, for example,
fuels its boiler operations with landfill gas
instead of fossil fuels. By partnering with EPA's
Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), this
£!U X^^T
fogy Club at PattbnvTlle Aigh*
" (Jary1a7id"HeigFi'terM*'issouri7ca^*1'
UH&L Jfr jufei i^ua» is^ t, a6i£ \$iji ^_j^£. ^
I; jjg_with the idea to use gas frqmjhe nearby
1^ landfill to fieat the school. JJsing a
^^TS^^^^arr^om^ieT^i^^^
^ Peparimeht of Natural Resources (MDNR), *
wan LMOP State Ally, Pattpnville High SchooF
"paidto oirTa 3,600-foof pipeline between"
"Jt
ii
j
5. In turn, the landfill owner donated'
•*~ "*-£** V rV-r. „ ^ ^ ^r 4
Sthe methane to the schojol as a way ol "giv-
ing back to the community." The school
„ -anticipates that it will save $40,000 per
_>*•-. t* TM •• * " ' j . v
|rv year and recapture its investment within 5
»:S!years. MjQNP provides low-interest loans to
^-schools, local governments, and small busi-
nesses for energy efficiency and renewable
^erieriy projects.
-------
telecommunications company not only reduces
the amount of greenhouse gas emissions equiya-
lent to taking more than 23,000 cars off the road
each year, but also saves $100,000 per year on
fuel bills. ;
I
EPA estimates there are approximately 337 land-
fill methane recovery projects in the United
States and about 500 other landfills that could!
install economically viable landfill energy projects.
To realize this potential, LMOP assists utilities,)
municipal and private landfill owners and operaf
tors, tribes, and state agencies in developing j
profitable landfill gas recovery projects. j
i
LMOP currently has more than 266 allies and j
partners that have signed voluntary agreements
to develop projects. LMOP provides partners with
information, software, marketing assistance, and
access to technical experts to facilitate project)
development, then promotes successful projects
and partnerships. LMOP keeps a continuously j
updated database of information on projects that
are currently operational, under construction, and
in the planning stages. There are more than 33j7
operating projects in the country, nearly 60 under
construction, and at least another 163 exploring
opportunities. Since 1995, LMOP's activities have
resulted in greenhouse gas emission reductions
of more than 7 million metric tons of carbon i
equivalent. This reduction is equal to removing J5
million cars from the road. . 1
Benefits of Rejdiicing Landfill Gas
Emissions: | i
\ .'-;/ .-/ - : •--; -- •- -.,-':
' Reduces uhplqasant bdors. • v \i
' Reduces explo'sioji threatsjat ajandfill.
* Offsets the need for non-renewable
energy source^-.: { ". '•". -" .-•;.-•-:- '-l^.
• " I J •' ' - • - '•-'•-•:'
• Cuts emissions of air pollutants such a
sulfur dioxide. 'A -. /--. ' • -.,"-.; -": _.•--.-.
• Helps fight glopal climate change. ~
Partners Excel at
Innovation
www.epa.gov/projectxl
What do you get when you combine "excellence"
and "Leadership"? In the case of Project XL, the
result has been cost-effective solutions that ben-
efit partners and the environment. EPA launched
Project XL in 1995 to test innovative ideas that
demonstrate environmental excellence and lead-
JASE STUDY
the"adverit of e-commerce and an
^increasingly global economy, businesses
S,need to have the flexibility to change prod-
uct lines and processes quickly—some-
times within days.
Through Project XL, EPA and the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality
,agproved a facility-wide emissions cap for
n Intel semiconductor manufacturing plant
in Chap^ler^nzona-^Th^nevy limits^allow
IJto make equipment and process
JJehanges_and to expand production capacity
regulatory revfews, as long as the
tojaI emission^sta^beIpw^tJie^specified
. The Intel project provides a test case
'c^tw^pjnnovations fqMmjDroying^air permit-
Ing: the_el[minatfqn of case-by<;ase review
STspecific"manufacturing"process changes
~ " " •^es*~v™laif?^ax*^£K^xi?s**^ef?szszx°ssFz*s£^ ~~*.efCf
emissions remain under a capped
ibunt), and preapproval of a major plant
expansion (if emissions remain below a
rapped amount for the entire site).
f Since the project began, the company has
ttemamed welf ujnder its'limits for all appli-
pollutants and avoided millions of
in production delays by~eliminating
30 to 50 new source permit reviews per
year. The company has found the emission
'caps to be so successful that it is building
new facility. So long as it remains under
ie cap, Intel can proceed with expansion
without regulatory review.
f
1
1
-1
$
I
a
13
-------
ership by those who must
comply with Agency regula-
tions and policies.
The goal of Project XL is to
find solutions that can be
integrated into our environ-
mental protection system for everyone's benefit
by creating more options for, and taking a rriore
comprehensive approach to, environmental man-
agement. Project XL provides companies and
other project sponsors with a forum to demon-
strate their abilities to find innovative approaches
to environmental protection.
Project XL solicits ideas from private and public
sector facilities, states, trade associations, and
communities that propose solutions to difficult
regulatory or technological problems and explore
new approaches to protecting human health and
the environment, usually at a lower cost or less-
ened regulatory burden for the sponsor.
Project XL has experimented with a variety of
partners, from Fortune 500 companies and small
businesses to state and local government agen-
cies, and communities. Companies are cutting
costs, communities are addressing priority con-
cerns, and regulatory agencies are targeting their
resources more effectively. Each of these bene-
fits must meet the standard of superior environ-
mental performance and enhanced environmental
protection.
The experiments being conducted under Project
XL are in various stages: some are just getting
started, while others have been underway for sev-
eral years. The important thing is that EPA is
learning from these experiments; over the past
two years, EPA has identified more than 100
innovations within projects.
U.S.EPA
Design for the
Environment Affects
Business Decisions
www.epa.gov/dfe
From fewer paint fumes in the air and respirators
that really protect, to better ventilation in paint
booths and a reduced risk of asthma, EPA's
Design for the Environment. (DfE) program has
made going to work each day a lot safer for many
autobody shop workers in Philadelphia. Through
DfE, small autobody shops in a pilot program are
learning cost-effective ways to reduce the release
of potentially harmful chemicals and keep their
workers healthy.
DfE provides decision-makers with information,
tools, and incentives to make informed decisions
that integrate risk, performance, and cost con-
cerns. DfE works directly with industry to inte-
grate health and environmental C9fnsiderations
into business decisions, by: identifying the tech-
nologies, products, and processes that can be
used to perform a particular function within an
industry; noting the pollution prevention opportu-
nities; evaluating the risk, performance, and cost
tradeoffs of the alternatives; disseminating this
information to the entire industry; and providing
incentives to institutionalize continuous environ-
mental improvement.
Benefits of Designing for the Environment:
: = - ! i
• Reduced health, safety, and ecological risks.
• Increased efficiency 3nd customer acceptance.
-'' '':"]" !
f Increased worker moifale and productivitjy. (
' • i '"
-_ - - - i i
• Reduced regulatory bjjrden. |
• Better channels of cojmmunication, cooperation,
and collaboration ambng stakeholder; organiza-
tions, i i - • • 1
Expanded business a|nd market.
-------
CASE STUDY
fgThe DfE program is working with the auto-
plnotive repair industry and individual shops
to increase awareness of the health and
^environmental concerns from highly reactive
^chemicals used in automotive paints and
other products. Through site visits at part-
ner shops, the program observed opera-
pjions, gathered information, identified best..
^practices, and recommended areas for
fmprovement. For example, some shops
fc have switched from conventional paint
^" spray guns to high-volume, low-pressure
guns that increase paint transfer efficiency
I by 25 percent, reduce overspraying, save
^material costs, and reduce worker exposure
air emissions to the surrounding com-
•I/I
,1-4
munity.
DfE focuses on cooperative projects with trade
associations and businesses in specific indus-
tries. For example, to respond to the needs of
smaller printers in the screen-printing industry,
DfE brought printers, system manufacturers, anc
the Screenprinting & Graphic Imaging
Association together to evaluate the environmen-
tal impacts of a variety of screenprinting reclama-
tion systems and technologies. The project has
developed information on the risk, performance,
and cost of'16 substitute screen reclamation sys-
tems and technologies. Half of the screenprinters
interviewed following this effort switched to a
cleaner reclamation product.
Each year, laundry detergent formulators use bi -
lions of pounds of chemicals, many of which are
released into the environment in wastewater. DfE
offers formulator companies the opportunity to
partner with EPA to design or reformulate prod-
ucts with a more positive environmental and
human health profile. DfE partners enjoy recogni-
tion for upgraded laundry formulations, including
the use of the DfE logo on partnership products.
DfE works with cutting-edge industries to under-
stand the environmental impact of new technolo-
gies. DfE formed a voluntary partnership with the
computer display industry to evaluate the life-
cycle environmental impacts, performance, and
costs of cathode ray tube and flat-panel display
technologies used for desktop computers. DfE
will provide the results of the study to original
equipment, display, and component manufactur-
ers to encourage them to make environmentally
informed decisions.
In addition to its national efforts, DfE is coordi-
nating its efforts with regional offices and state
programs. For example, DfE is coordinating with
the Iowa Waste Reduction Center's STAR
Program to train painters in more efficient spray-
ing techniques that increase the amount of paint
applied to the product and reduce the amount
wasted by overspraying. Working with EPA's
Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair,
a small business compliance assistance center,
DfE developed a virtual auto body Web site to
disseminate health, safety, and environmental
information materials.
-------
Aluminum Industry Efforts
Result in Savings
www.epa.gov/highgwpl/vaip
When Alcoa, a world leader in aluminum produc-
tion, wanted to cut its emissions of perfluorocar-
bons (PFCs), a potent greenhouse gas, and
improve production efficiency in its smelting oper-
ations, it joined EPA's Voluntary Aluminum '•
Industrial Partnership (VAIP). In conjunction, with
the primary aluminum industry, EPA developed
VAIP to reduce greenhouse gases by improving
the available information about PFC generation,
encouraging other aluminum-producing countries
to include PFC emissions in their climate change
action plans, and providing public recognition for
partners' efforts. Each partner in the VAIP pro-
gram signs a Memorandum of Understanding with
EPA in which the company agrees to undertake
technically feasible and cost-effective actions to
reduce PFC emissions. The partners also submit
periodic reports to track emissions reductions.
!: CASE STUDY
i
ft
VAIP partner Alumax, Inc., initiated a series
of programs to reduce PFC emissions,
including employee awareness and training,
a team-based management approach,
improved feed control, improved computer
-: 1 -- " ; "f" •
control, and modified operating procedures.
-In addition to reducing PFC emissions,
Alumax anticipates realizing benefits from
these activities of improved current efficien-
cy, reduced aluminum fluoride consumption,
and better electric power utilization.
Since VAIP was launched in 1995, the program's
membership has grown to include nine of the
nation's 10 primary aluminum producers, repre-
senting 22 smelters and 94 percent of U.S. pro-
duction capacity. Many partners have already
been successful BB»a«giig»iB^^
in reducing their
emissions, and
the program
recently met its
2000 program
goal, with emis-
sions reduced by
50 percent—relative to 1990 levels—on an emis-
sions per unit of production basis. In addition to
contributing to more efficient aluminum produc-
tion process and cost savings, this effort reduces
the equivalent of roughly 2.2 million metric tons
of carbon emissions.
Metal Refinishers
Reach Strategic Goals
www.strategicgoals.org
STRATESIC
GOALS PROGRAM
When California Technical Plating partnered with
EPA's Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program
(SGP), it found a win-win situation. The shop used
common sense ideas, with an emphasis on recy-
cling or reusing, to meet its environmental goals.
The result? Besides cutting water usage by 50
percent and its production of metal hydroxide
sludge by 50 percent, the company's profits have
increased by 20 to 30 percent.
The SGP program started in 1998 as a unique
cooperative effort between EPA and the metal fin-
ishing industry, represented by the National
Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF), the
American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers
Society (AESF), the Metal Finishing Suppliers
-------
—
S CASE STUDY
t j-
' " '
K&L, a small electroplating shop in
I:; Lancaster, Pennsylvania, cut its wastewater
^"> - "" ' ' • • • ' - - , ' , "'• , - • .... '-'• ' F '-.'-', -I ', ' , •-- " V- '
^discharges by more than 44 percent, while
IP increasing production 180 percent. By
t^S-'^-'l'.,,' .- : . , - ' ,' ' ' ,' ' . 'I . ,.'-.,,', : • , , -. j
p; incorporating flow restrictqrs, spray header
f rinsing, and improved operator practices,
tithe company saved more than $6,000 per
;;year. And its closed-loop hexavalent chromi-
tim process results in zero chemicals or ;
water to waste treatment, ;"The SGP great- ;
jred a first-time opportunity for plating com-
anies to openly communicate with industry
_a5nd regulators as a whole," said James
JEStruck, K&L's owner.
Association (MFSA), and the Surface Finishing j
Industry Council (SFIC). Now, EPA, 22 states, and
more than 80 local governments are working with
industry partners to help more than 400 compa-
nies meet high environmental standards. These
environmental goals, established by a multi-stake-
holder group, including experts in metal finishing!,
environmental protection, and regulatory pro-
grams, ask participating companies to go beyond
current standards required by law. The seven vol
untary targets are designed to measure an indi-
vidual facility's progress toward conserving
resources and reducing human exposures.
Why would a company voluntarily join SGP? While
the partnership encourages companies to go
beyond environmental compliance, it also offers
them incentives, resources, and a means for
removing regulatory and policy barriers as they !
work to achieve the goals. From technical assis-'
tance to environmental management systems
training, informational workshops, and public
recognition, SGP offers a wide variety of state
and local resources to help metal finishing com-
panies achieve environmental improvements.
Actively participating companies have already
reduced water use by 880 million gallons,
reduced metals released to water by 99,000
pounds, reduced sludge sent to landfills by 1.6
million pounds, and reduced organic chemical
releases by more than 1 million pounds. The
results of SGP stretch far beyond environmental
improvements. Industry participants save money
when reducing water and energy use. Likewise,
reductions in regulatory burden result in cost sav-
ings for both industry and regulators. SGP partici-
pants also note improved communications
between industry and regulators.
This industry-specific, performance-based
model—the first of its kind—is already serving as
a blueprint for the future. EPA's Office of Policy,
Economics, and Innovation is working with other
industries, such as metal casting, meat process-
ing, shipbuilding, and specialty-batch chemical
manufacturing, to create partnerships with the
potential to yield impressive environmental
results.
Green Chemistry
Encourages
Innovation
www.epa.gov/greenchemistry
GREEN
CHEMISTRY
Imagine a world where our productslShd process-
es never jeopardize human health orjhe environ-
ment. Than||Fto an EPA partnership^
some of thefpountry's most talented
tists
lity.
™~ (Ht^^ J -
An innovajvejapproach to pollution" prevention,
•J«^*^> -3roa» ^ ^gjr *jmMip
-------
CASE STUDY
18
1- In today's competitive agricultural envirorv
fi : ment, growers must maximize crop productiv-
Kii,. , = ., , •nr.njw , - , _ , ,.-:;!,,, -;., . -
|p:ity,,by enhancing yield and minimizing crop
jilosses. Hairpin technology, developed by
|. EDEN Bipsjience Corporation, provides
.growers with a highly effective alternative
~ approach to crop production that improves
f crops without traditional chemical pesticides.
proteins trigger a plant's natural
; defense systems to protect against disease
panel pests and simultaneously activate cer-
. tain plant growth systems without altering
the plant's DNA. Unlike most agricultural
| chemicals, Harpin-based products are pro-
1-duced in a water-based fermentation system
"',=that'uses ho harsh solvents or reagents,"
I;: requires only modest energy inputs, and gen-
erates no, hazardous chemical wastes. '"
Using environmentally benign Harpin protein
! technology,*growers will be able to harness
; the jnnate^defense and growth systems of
crops to substantially enhance yields,
' improve quality, and reduce reliance on con-
|* yentiqnal^chemicals. EDEN Bioscience
j received the Presidentiai Green Chemistry
| Challenge Award for its outstanding green
• i
•i
i
i
1
"-«
-.1
• :• Ij
;«
.4
ucts and processes that reduce or eliminate the
use or generation of hazardous substances.
EPA's Green Chemistry Program fosters the
research, development, and implementation of
innovative chemical technologies that accomplish
pollution prevention in both a scientifically sound
and cost-effective manner. In addition to recogniz-
ing chemical technologies, products, and process-
es, the program supports a variety of educational
projects, tools, conferences, awards, research,
and international activities. :
In partnership with EPA's Office of Research and
Development and the National Science
Foundation (NSF), the Green Chemistry Program
awards $5 million to $7 million in grants annually
through the Technology for a Sustainable
Environment solicitation for the development of
benign feedstocks and reagents, greener solvents
and reaction conditions, safer chemical products,
and pollution preventing analytical methods.
Academic research grants for studying or applying
green chemistry are available through EPA and
NSF's Partnership for Environmental Research.
In addition to assisting researchers that are
developing greener chemical products and
processes, the Green Chemistry program recog-
nizes its partners through the annual Presidential
Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program. The
awards program helps raise awareness for this
important initiative among scientists and their
peers. "Society wants chemical companies and
other industries to develop environmentally friend-
ly materials," said Larry P Koskan, President of
the Donlar Corporation, the 1996 Small Business
Award Winner. "When we answer that call and
when there is an economic incentive to clo so,
everybody wins."
Select Green Chemistry -Award
Winners j >
• Biofine, Injb. designed a way to qonvert
paper rjiilljsludge, municipal solid
waste, |wa£te paper, wood, and Agricul-
tural residues into commercially;
valuable cjiemrcals. :
- i i . "-1
" | . i • f
• Lilly Research Laboratories designed
a manufacturing process fora eenttal
nervou^ system drug that eliminates
chromium land reduces cherr ical
solvent^. |, ' - : .
* i1" >
jr.
• Dow AgroSciences developed an .
insecticjide! from naturally loccurrijlg
microorganisms to address pests.in
cotton, |tre^es, fruits, and vegetables
without! harming most beneficial: |
insectsi, atiimals, and birds". I : j
-------
Pesticide ,
Environmental j
Stewardship Program
www.epa.gov/oppbppdl/
PESP
Hawaiian pineapple growers and the U.S.
Department of Defense may have little in com-
mon, but both are working to reduce pesticide
risk through the Pesticide Environmental
Stewardship Program (PESP), a partnership pro-
gram focused on the use of pesticides in agricul-
STUDY
.As one of the nation's leading baby food
pTianufacfurejs, Gerber Products Company,
charter PESP* member, helped launch the
^ iSg % 4 "% ''In* ^"*H ujj®^ ""*" *S<11 ""^ *
Southern Appalachian Apple Integrated Pest
"Management Program at North Carolina
State University's Mountain Horticultural
)fops Research and Extension Center.
;Gerber has asked all of its North Carolina
fgrowers to dramatically reduce their use of
"pesticides targeted for regulatory action
•under the Food Quality Protection Act.
JJnstead of organophosphate insecticides,
-growers used mating disruption and
Eteduced-risk materials to control pests
Ep^ v >• * \*HI f * 4_°* *• f •*
such as qodling moth, oriental fruit moth,
|!ahd tufte,d,apple budmbth.
j_i
.1
i i.
growers in North Carolina have been
^remarkably successful this first year," said
I tk'v *• " -V"-
jp,hn /\selage, Gerber agricultural resource
^specialist. ""Not only did they completely
iffmihate their use jaf.organophosphate
lsecticides,lbut they were* able to begin *
Deducing their use of fungicides. This is no
^easy task given the region's hot and humid
growing conditions."
tl
N
tural and non-agricultural settings. While govern-
ment regulation can lower pesticide risk, PESP is
guided by the principle that even in the absence
of additional regulatory mandates, the informed
actions of pesticide users reduce risk even fur-
ther. This voluntary program began in 1994 with
14 charter partners and now includes more than
120 organizations.
Participating members agree that environmental
stewardship is an integral part of pest control
and work toward pesticide practices that ease
risk to humans and the environment. They devel-
op strategic approaches and implement specific,
measurable risk reduction activities. EPA sup-
ports research and education to promote the
adoption of alternative techniques and practices
that enhance pest management and reduce
pesticide risk.
In one PESP research effort, the Pineapple
Growers Association of Hawaii's Herbicide
Management Program is researching and imple-
menting ways to minimize the use of herbicides.
New sprayers are being used that allow tractor
operators to release herbicides only where they
are needed instead of spraying an entire field. At
Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, deer carry
Lyme disease-infected ticks into residential and
mission areas. Instead of spraying the whole
area with pesticides, the U.S. Department of
Defense has an innovative
bait station that attracts
the deer to feed on corn.
To get to the corn, they
must rub against
acaracide-soaked rollers,
which deliver the pesticide
directly to the deer's hides
and control the ticks.
19
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20
Consumers Learn to
Read the Label First
www.epa.gov/opptintr/
labeling
Changing consumer behavior is no easy task, but
partners of EPA's Consumer Labeling Initiative
(CLI) are making progress—and helping people
take the time to protect their health and the envi-
ronment. Every day, thousands of consumers
across the country use indoor pesticides and
cleaning products. Misuse, accidents, and
improper storage and disposal of these products
can pose serious threats to humans and the envi-
ronment. Recognizing the need to reach this audi-
ence, EPA launched CLI to make the labels of
indoor pesticides, hard surface cleaners, apd out-
door pesticides and herbicides easier to read.
i
In its first phase, CLI implemented a detailed
telephone and mail survey to assess consumers'
understanding of and satisfaction with labeling on
pesticides and cleaning products and to evaluate
alternatives. CLI partners—businesses holding
market shares of these product categories and
trade associations related to the manufacture
and distribution of these products—funded and
directed the quantitative research. The survey
results revealed information about consumer pref-
erences regarding label location, effectiveness,
and content.
Based on the findings, EPA and CLI partners
developed an easier-to-read label that clearly out-
lines the environmental and safety aspect^ of
these products. For example, EPA revised first aid
instructions for all combinations of the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act regula-
tion. The Office of Pesticide Programs proposed
an initial set of first aid statements, with input
from industry, the American Poison Control,
Center, and other CLI partners and stakeholders.
Partners now voluntarily use these improved
labels on their products. :
To promote the new labels, EPA's CLI program
launched a national education campaign encour-
aging consumers to "Read the Label First!" to
help protect their children, pets, and the environ-
ment. The consumer education strategy is a
broad and long-ranging plan featuring a memo-
rable logo designed to remind people to read,
understand, and use label information. The cam-
paign also is designed to educate consumers
about ingredient information on labels and pro-
vide information on where to get additional health
and safety product data.
CLI Partners at Wprk
•" . • ' i': - - |
Following are some of tjhe efforts CLI's partners
and EPA regions haVe Undertaken'to encojurage
consumers to "Read thte Label First!": . | 1
- " |. . - - - [
• New Mexico State! University incorporated pes-
ticide safety and "Rejad.the Label First!! mes-
. sages Into .its fam;ily pnd consumer sciejnces
"; curricula for middle'a'hd high school levels.
• Boulder County, Cplofado's Public Healtfi
Department used jthej CLI logo to createj a
series of "shelf tap kefs" and other materials
to educate consumer^ in local stores about
, pesticides and cldanjng products.
•" The--Bayer Company ijailor-made and printed
50,000 CLI "Protect ffour Garden" brochures,
which they distributed to clients and con-
- -sumers in several Hdme Depot stores. j<
• Pesticide manufacturer Bonide includes the
CLI logo on its Wejb sjite with,a link t6 remind
consumers to "Rejadjthe Label First!" |
• EPA Region 4 arrajnged to have CLI posters
placed in loeal stores' and information on pes-
. ticide use distributed' to local churches jand
"schools. I : : i
Aside from using and supporting improved label-
ing, CLI partners donate their experience and
expertise to the design, testing, and execution of
the program's research, and provide funding and
information resources. They also act as liaisons
between EPA and the industry, helping to spread
information to their members and colleagues,
and reporting feedback and ideas to EPA.
-------
: ^C-jto'sES™
The Power of
I
Environmentally j
Preferable Purchasing |
www.epa.gov/oppt/epp "\
i
The federal government is the largest consumer!
of goods and services in the United States, j
spending more than $250 billion annually.
Recognizing the government's tremendous pur-
chasing power, EPA's Environmentally Preferable I
Purchasing (EPP) Program works to leverage this
influence to minimize the environmental impacts
of government procurement.
Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government
Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Fee/era,
Acquisition, mandates that all federal procure-
ment officials give preference to "products and
services that have a lesser or reduced effect on
human health
and the environ-
ment." In
response, EPA's
EPP Program has
developed numer-
ous tools and
resources to help
federal agencies
identify and pur-'
chase environ-
mentally preferable products and services. These
tools include a set of guiding principles, a search-
able database of product environmental stan-
dards and contract language, a series of product-
specific purchasing guides, and a thorough docu-
mentation of successful EPP efforts across the
country.
21
STUDY
Each day, federal government agencies and
flheir employees have opportunities to make^
y?ol;h big and small EPP decisions. As an exarn-
of the pioneering projects occurring
^throughout the federal government, EPA's new
^headquarters"facility in Washington, D&, and
it Its new 1-million-square-foot, $250 million
^research facility in Research Triangle Park,
jjjlprth Caro]ina, both include features designed
To protect indoor air quality, maximize energy
*; efficiency, reduce water consumption, and pro-4
mote pollution prevention throughout the coH-
i, ^ a-*, a, » w g^ JB »^, V ™ "^ f'»j41t-i"n-
^ sfruction process. Design"teams for both jfacili-
'""' examined the environmental irnpacts of __
materials and furnishings from a life-
^f * ^ f^ i
tcycle perspective to select those with minimal
adverse effects to human health and^the
environment.
Ab'erdeen Proving Ground, a U.S^ Department
of Defense installation in Maryland, sought to
>* --;-"i "_" ' "'Muf'ix"^."-", +*. ^».
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22
Partnership
Encourages
Communities to
"Adopt Your
Watershed"
www.epa.gov/adopt
Can a "Toxic Tour" bike ride help prevent Water
pollution? High school students in Miami, ••
Oklahoma, think so. The 10K race and 19-mile
bike ride through environmentally challenged
sites is just one of the awareness activities stu-
dents staged through EPA's "Adopt Your
Watershed" program. The students, members of
the Cherokee Volunteer Society, "adopted" Tar
Creek, a local waterway threatened by industrial
pollution. !!
Adopt Your Watershed is a campaign to encour-
age stewardship of the nation's water resources.
The program is celebrating more than 25 years of
progress under the Clean Water Act. Through this
effort, EPA encourages citizens and organizations
at the community level to "adopt" valuable rivers,
streams, wetlands, lakes, ground water, and estu-
aries. Adoption activities include organizing
stream cleanups, volunteering to plant trees
along eroding stream banks, and educating chil-
dren about how pollution affects water. ;
In Texas, for example, volunteers from the
Colorado River Watch Network (CRWN) monitor
more than 90 sites in the lower Colorado River
watershed, including the Llano, Pedernales, and
San Saba Rivers. The organization was the first
major volunteer water monitoring program in
Texas, and local news organizations use CRWN's
monitoring data in monthly water quality indexes.
In Duluth, Minnesota, the Environmental j
Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE),
whose mission is to develop community a\Vare-
ness and involvement for protecting and restoring
the Great Lakes ecosystem, adopted a designat-
ed urban trout stream. Members surveyed proper-
ty owners and held a workshop to educate them
CASE STUDY
thajo.6,000 Girl Scouts nationally
^have earned Water Drop^Patches through ji^
-— unique partnership between the Girl Scouts
thjJj|3[and*EPJVs office of WeianTsTJI.
the
sWate^Patej^Program, Girl Scouts learn how
rto preserve and protecTiocal* watersheds.
ttr •spsss* « tws* «» •% %nfeiBi
^jsoucce pollution, wetlands, and grounia
p-water/drinking water, as well as a list of
jjjLhelpful Web sites and other resources."At"
^^Camp^t^rTituck m^ntucl^rGirl Icouts^^ "^
P. conducted stream assessments, chernjcaf
_ -IL v^tev:'^ -^=wrs -B**niS|
•two
creeRs". Jfiey^lso focused*o*n learning
"where the pollutants enter their creeks and
% - ^» --- ^ A^it^ ^ ¥- ^^"^ TS- f^T ^ ^ -^W^v ^r^-
can helg kee£_them cl
tai
=_as pVovioTng buffers and educating the com-
ffd report their findings to the Kentucky
Division of Water.
and the general public about how to locate
sources of pollution. The workshop identified
roles the community can play in preserving and
protecting the creek.
EPA is building a voluntary, national catalog of
organizations such as CRWN and EAGLE, includ-
ing formal watershed alliances, local groups, and
schools involved in monitoring, cleanups, and
restoration projects. Using the Adopt Your
Watershed Web site, citizens can locate their own
watershed and search a catalog to identify pro-
grams in their community that protect and restore
watersheds. To date, more than 3,000 organiza-
tions have been registered with the Adopt Your
Watershed program. Organizations that demon-
strate a long-term commitment to their watershed
are eligible to receive a Certificate of
Appreciation from EPA.
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i In EPA Region 1, the Mercury Challenge helped
hospitals across the region reduce their use of
mercury in fluorescent bulbs, thermometers, blood
pressure units, and other equipment by encourag-
ing partners to adopt goals to eliminate mercury
from the waste stream and to adopt purchasing
policies that allowed no mercury in medical supply
purchases. Hartford (Connecticut) Hospital alone
converted 965 mercury blood pressure units and
recycled 276 pounds of bulk mercury. For more
information, visit . '
In EPA Region 3, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvar ia,
and Washington, DC, have joined to promote
Businesses for the Bay, a voluntary partnershi )
whose mission is to build support for pollution [pre-
vention among all businesses in the Chesapeake
Bay watershed. Members develop their own po lu-
tion prevention goals, ranging from recycling wastes
to reducing chemical use, and voluntarily repor:
their activities. The program offers a mentor pro-
gram for businesses looking for pollution preven-
tion opportunities and provides technical assis-
tance, public recognition, and a partner logo. For
more information, visit .
EPA Region 10 signed an agreement with the
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) on a Green Permitting Program that encour-
ages and rewards facilities that go the extra mile to
reduce environmental impacts. A Green Permit
modifies how a facility needs to comply with envi-
ronmental regulations if it can meet certain qualifi-
cations. Based on a model memorandum of agree-
ment from the Environmental Council of the States
(ECOS), this program is similar to efforts undertak-
en between state agencies and EPA regional offices
in Wisconsin and Virginia.
-------
In Oregon, businesses that apply for a Green
Permit must have an environmental management
system that assures performance. The program
provides regulatory relief and incentives forj inno-
vative approaches that are significantly better
than the existing state and federal laws. A
"tiered" approach offers different types of Green
Permits, in which increasing performance increas-
es benefits. Thus far, six businesses have
applied for Green Permits, and two have already
been issued—to a semiconductor laboratory and
a paper company renovating an old mill. For more
information, visit .
24
h
l REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS.,
TMaaagg pf/amf* "faa
*«?% 4$> wM
For more information about EPA's regional partnership programs, visit the following
, Web sites:
p Region 1:
www.epa.gov/regionl
i j *
Region 2:
"www.epa.gov/region2
Region 3:
www.epa.gov/region3
Region 4:
vyww.ejSa .gov/region4/topics/
envmanigement/partners.html
Region'5:
|, ( wwvv.ejpa.gqy/regions
|" ' "' "' I? " !;:'v
Region 6:
www.epa.gov/region6
Region Hi
www.epa.gov/region7
^f
: J
i
r.
Region 8:
www.epa^gov/' regions
toV^^tV^feis i ^i ^ HI
» ^ f ^ " >- 1' lf"r i
, wwyv.epa.gov/regionlO
-------
i> *
For more detailed information about the partnership programs, individual success stories, or general partner-
ship information included in this report, visit or any of the following:*
Adopt Your Watershed
www:epa.gov/adopt
AgSTAR
www.epa.gov/agstar
Coalbed Methane Outreach
www.epa.gov/coalbed
Consumer Labeling Initiative
www.epa.gov/opptintr/labeling
Design for the Environment
www.epa.gov/dfe
Energy Star
www.energystar.gov :
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program
www.epa.gov/oppt/epp
Green Chemistry
www.epa.gov/greenchemistry
Current as of December 2002
Landfill Methane Outreach Program
www.epa.gov/lmop
Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program
www.strategicgoals.org
National Environmental Performance Track
www.epa.gov/performancetrack
Natural Gas STAR
www.epa.gov/gasstar
Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program
www.epa.gov/oppbppdl/PESP
Project XL
www.epa.gov/projectxl
Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership
www.epa.gov/highgwpl/vaip
WasteWise
www.epa.gov/wastewise
WAVE (Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency)
www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/faq.pdf
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