£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Prevention,
Pesticides and
Toxic Substances (7401)
EPA 745-K-99-003
December 1999
www.epa.gov
Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics
Program Activities for ^^
Fiscal Years W9
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Credits
Cover inset and chapter head photos by Steve Delaney
Design and layout by Dave Cissel
Final production by Dave Cissel and Edie Findeis Cromwell
Notice
This document was prepared by Environmental Management Support. Inc., 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 500, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 under contract 68-W6-0014 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mention of trade names
or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation (or use.
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Contents
To Our Stakeholders
Introduction _
6afer Chemicals
Disk Deduction
Public Understanding of Disks
Pollution Prevention
OPPT Information Resources
Web Addresses
Index
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To Our (Stakeholders
Earth Day is important every year, but I will remember the Earth
Day of 1998 as one of special significance to the Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics f OPPT), for it was on April 21,1998 -
Earth Day eve—that Vice President Gore announced the Chemi-
cal Right-to-Know Initiative. ChemRTK, as we have come to
call it, is a groundbreaking program that strongly links two major
themes driving OPPTs efforts: identification and protection from
chemical hazards and a firm commitment to the public's right-to-
know. It is not often that I use the word "revolutionary," but it
truly seems that ChemRTK is a revolution in the making.
ChemRTK is both a program and a strategy. The program-
matic aspects are described in this report, along with OPPT's
other key program areas - the lead program, pollution prevention,
new chemicals review, and the many other activities under the OPPT
umbrella. As a strategy, though, ChemRTK is likely to impact virtually
all that OPPT does in the coming years as we incorporate its central themes
throughout OPPT: building partnerships; empowering the public with informa-
tion and tools; setting clear priorities; moving quickly, efficiently, and responsively to
environmental concerns; and seeking innovative means to achieve our nation's environmental
goals.
These new directions are just a part of the rapidly expanding scope of OPPT's activities.
The Design for the Environment and Community Based Environmental Protection programs
explored substantial new areas during Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999. The concept of "Green
Chemistry" pioneered by OPPT is taking on new weight in government, industry, academia,
and the international community. Our traditional focus on high-priority chemicals - lead,
asbestos, PCBs - continually generates new strategies for addressing remaining issues. The
Toxics Release Inventory is a more comprehensive, more robust program as it leaves
OPPT to join EPA's new Office of Environmental Information as one of the new office's
flagship programs.
All these efforts are undertaken in an era of diminishing resources, challenging OPPT to
greater efficiencies in spending scarce federal dollars to achieve important environmental
goals. I believe we have been successful in this regard, and are now getting more bang for the
taxpayer buck than ever before.
A good deal of that success is owed to the stakeholders who are playing an increasingly prominent
role in working directly with OPPT to identify and resolve issues pertaining to our programs. Our
communications with industry, public interest groups, academics, other government organizations,
and with the public at large have been invaluable. I look forward to strengthening these partner-
ships in the years ahead as we embark on many exciting new paths to environmental protection.
William H. Sanders III, Dr. PH., P.E.
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
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Introduction
The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (OPPTj is pleased to present this review
of our activities for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999(FY 1998-99).
Through a broad range of programs—from traditional regula-
tory actions to voluntary testing programs and stakeholder part-
nerships—OPPT has demonstrated the creativity and energy
needed to improve our understanding and to further reduce
the risks from toxic chemicals in the environment. The goal of
this report is to share what we have learned with the public
and to invite active participation in our ongoing and planned
programs.
The four components of OPPT's mission statement guide all of
our programs:
OPPT actively promotes the use of safer chemicals and processes
in all the basic operations of the industrial sector through a combination
of regulatory and voluntary efforts.
Large amounts of toxic chemicals such as lead, asbestos, dioxin, and polychlori-
nated biphenyls (PCBs) are already present in the environment from past activities. OPPT
promotes reduction of risk from these chemicals by implementing aggressive programs to
minimize exposure to these highly toxic substances.
OPPT works to provide understandable, accessible, and complete information on
chemical risks to the broadest audience possible. By promotingpuMc understanding,
OPPT supports better public decisions about how to protect human health and the
environment.
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 made pollution prevention a national environmental
policy. OPPT promotes pollution prevention as an alternative to end-of-pipe controls
through programs and activities to reduce or eliminate waste at the source.
Program Highlights for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999
OPPT's program, highlighted here and more fully described in the following report,
includes traditional regulatory approaches and new voluntary and stakeholder-based ap-
proaches for implementing the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and reducing risks from
exposure to toxic chemicals.
High Production Volume Challenge Program
A prime example of a new approach to implementing TSCA is the Chemical Right-to-Know
Initiative (ChemRTK). On the eve of Earth Day 1998, Vice President Gore called upon EPA
and industry to address immediately the massive gap of information on industrial chemicals.
OPPT's "Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study" revealed tinat fewer than 7% of the 2,800
high production volume (HPV) chemicals have a full set of baseline testing data publicly avail-
able, and almost half the chemicals have no data publicly available. The full study can be found
on OPPT's home page at >ru-w.epa.gov/opprintr/chemtest.
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Introduction
The ChemRTK Initiative is being implemented by a combination of voluntary and regulatory
programs. A major component of the initiative, the HPV Challenge Program, encourages industry
to voluntarily sponsor chemicals to provide data. To address chemicals not sponsored by industry,
OPPT expects to propose rules that seek basic screening-level data on specific chemicals. At the
core of ChemRTK is a commitment to making data available to the public in a form that is easy to
access, use, and understand. By November 1999, over 230 companies and 62 consortia had
committed to sponsor over 1,300 chemicals in the HPV Challenge Program. (See pages 9-10 for
more information on this and other components of the ChemRTK Initiative.)
Toxics Release Inventory
EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data report for 1996 demonstrated a continued decline
since 1988 of total releases of some 600 chemicals that industry is required to report under the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA). The 1997 data
report showed an increase of 56.1 million pounds from 1996 because of a number of facilities
shifting from recycling to disposal of metals. With approximately 6,100 facilities in seven addi-
tional industries to begin TRI reporting as a result of EPA's 1997 final rule, OPPT has devel-
oped guidance and conducted 20 training sessions for the new industries on how to comply with
their reporting obligations.
As part of the ChemRTK Initiative, OPPT has developed proposed rules to modify and expand
current TRI reporting requirements for lead and persistent, bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemi-
cals. (See also the PBT Initiative in the Risk Reduction chapter.) These proposed rules are
intended to lower the TRI reporting thresholds for lead and PBT chemicals and to add certain
other PBT chemicals to the Section 313 list of toxic chemicals. (See pages 34-35.)
Endocrine Disrupters Screening Program
As a result of increased public and scientific attention to the potential effects of synthetic chemi-
cals on the endocrine systems of people and wildlife, Congress mandated that EPA establish a
program for screening chemicals for potential endocrine effects. EPA is in the process of
implementing its program for testing pesticides and industrial chemicals for their potential to
mimic or block estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormones in people and wildlife. (See page 10.)
PBT Initiative
Persistent, bioaccumulative toxic pollutants (PBTs) are highly toxic, long-lasting substances that
can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health. OPPT
contributed significantly to the Agency's Draft Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent,
Bioaccumulative and Toxic Pollutants and the Great Lakes Binational Strategy for reducing
or eliminating PBT chemicals from the region of the Great Lakes Basin. (See page 25.)
OPPT assisted with developing and implementing three workshops in FY 1998 under the
Commission for Environmental Cooperation's North American Regional Action Plan for
Mercury (NARAP). The overall objective of the Mercury NARAP is to provide long-term
directions for the United States, Canada, and Mexico to prevent or minimize man-made re-
leases of mercury into the environment. (See page 27.)
OPPT published a Notice in the Federal Register that established a category of PBT chemicals
to facilitate the assessment of new chemical substances under TSCA Section 5(e) prior to their
entry into the marketplace. (See page 13.)
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Introduction
PCB Disposal Amendments
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic organic chemicals manufactured worldwide and
used in thousands of products and processes where non-flammability, stability to heat, or
effectiveness as a plasticizer are required. TSCA bans the manufacture, processing, distribution
in commerce, and use of PCBs but provides for exceptions for some uses.
The PCB Disposal Amendments, promulgated in June 1998, represented the first comprehen-
sive review and overhaul of the PCB regulatory program in 20 years. The rule, estimated to
save the regulated communities approximately $750 million annually, reduces the permitting
burden and provides for flexibility in sampling, cleanup, storage, and disposal of certain PCB
wastes. (See page 28.)
Lead Program
Rules
In support of the national lead-based paint hazard reduction efforts, OPPT proposed standards
for identifying lead-based paint hazards and lead-contaminated dust and soil and developed two
guidance documents for public comment.
The Pre-Renovation Information Rule, which went into effect June 1,1999, requires that
renovators distribute lead hazard information prior to starting renovation on housing built before
1978 that could disturb lead-based painted surfaces.
TSCA standards proposed in December 1998 allow lead-based paint debris to be managed
and disposed of in a more consistent and less costly manner. (See page 21.)
Outreach
OPPT's Lead Program awarded almost $500,000 in community outreach grants to nine grant-
ees across the country. Lead in Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide, released in June
1998, provides comprehensive guidance for parents who want to protect their children from
lead poisoning. OPPT's Runs Better Unleaded Campaign has reached communities across
the country and won an award from a national public relations professional association. EPA's
Region 2 produced a 30 minute video, The Trouble with Lead, and a public service message
on lead hazards was screened in movie theatres in 57 cities during December 1998 and January
1999 for almost 46,000 viewers. (See pages 24 and 59.)
Green Chemistry
OPPT awarded its 1998 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards to six recipients from industry
and academia; including PYROCOOL, a fire extinguishing agent that put out a tanker
fire within minutes rather than days. In FT 1999. OPPT awarded five Challenge
awards including one to Biofine, Inc. for designing a process that converts paper
mill sludge and other waste products to a chemical that can be used in a
number of other processes. Along with EPA's Office of Research and
Development, OPPT awards annually between $5 and $7 million in grants
through the Technology for a Sustainable Environment solicitation for the
development of benign feedstocks, greener solvents and reaction condi-
tions, safer chemical products, and analytical methods for preventing
pollution. (See pages 15-16.)
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Inlroduction
Biotechnology
In FY 1998, OPPT approved the first consolidated TSCA Experimental Release Application
(TERA) submission for three microbial seed inoculants that have been altered to improve
nodulation and nitrogen fixation in the roots of soybean plants.
The second consolidated TERA submission approved is for two microorganisms that emit light
in the presence of trinitrotoluene (TNT). The microorganisms are intended for land applications
that detect the presence of active land mines. (See page 14.)
Pollution Prevention
During FY 1998-99, OPPT promoted pollution prevention through a number of activities,
including the issuance of 44 new Environmental Justice Through Pollution Prevention grants; the
demonstration of the utility of geographic information systems (GIS) by local health departments
for use in zoning decisions, land-use planning, pollution prevention, and environmental compli-
ance activities; and an agreement with the American Hospital Association (AHA) to work
together to eliminate mercury waste generated by hospitals. In addition, the Office continued its
progress on the Environmental Accounting Project (EAP), encouraging businesses to under-
stand the full spectrum of their environmental costs and integrate those costs into the decision-
making and capital-budgeting processes. In FY 1998-99, EAP published several key docu-
ments for industry and established a partnership with an accounting software company. (See the
Pollution Prevention chapter.)
Design for the Environment
In FY 1998-99, projects in OPPT's Design for the Environment (DfE) achieved several mile-
stones: the Fabricare partnership developed the Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment
(CTSA) for Professional Fabricare Processes; the Computer Display Project, a voluntary
partnership with the display industry, was launched; the Printed Wiring Board (PWB) Project
participants completed a final Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment for the "making
holes conductive" step of the PWB manufacturing process; and the Industrial and Institutional
Laundry Initiative signed a partnership agreement—its second in this sector—with Anderson
Chemical Co. of Minnesota to improve the environmental profile of its laundry products and
processes. (See pages 44-47.)
Voluntary Standards
A number of private sector organizations develop voluntary standards for product and services
performance. These standard setting groups can be domestic or international. One such group
is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). OPPT works with ISO to encour-
age and promote environmental concerns in the standard setting process. In FY 1998, OPPT
drafted and coordinated the "EPA Position Statement on Environmental Management Systems
and ISO 14001" and provided grants to the Pacific Institute to provide an analysis of ISO
14000 at the domestic and international levels from a socioeconomic perspective and to Geor-
gia State University to develop a model of companies implementing ISO 14001 in the United
States. (See page 48.)
Pollution Prevention Incentives for States
The Pollution Prevention Incentives for States (PPIS) grant program, which fosters the creation
of new prevention approaches by states and the development of cross-media state and tribal
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Introduction
pollution prevention programs, awarded approximately 59 grants totaling $5.3 million from
EPA's Regional offices. (See pages 51 -52.)
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
In FY 1998, Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government through Waste Prevention,
Recycling and Federal Acquisition, was promulgated, reaffirming and strengthening the
mandate for executive branch agencies to purchase environmentally preferable products and
services and requiring EPA to finalize the 1995 proposed Guidance on environmentally prefer-
able purchasing. Also, in FY 1998, EPA and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
issued a policy letter on how federal agencies can use the technical expertise of non-governmen-
tal entities /"Third Parties" to achieve the Administration's mandate of purchasing environmen-
tally preferable goods and services. Final guidance on the executive order was signed by EPA's
Administrator Browner in August 1999. (See page 52.)
Program Management Accomplishments
Strategic Planning
Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), federal departments and agen-
cies are required to establish long-range strategic plans that include clear goals, objectives,
strategies, and measures of program performance. OPPT is responding to this new focus by
developing a better articulation of its mission and program objectives and explaining how these
tie in to individual projects and activities.
In FY 1998, OPPT completed work on a draft Strategic Agenda for the Office covering the
years 1999-2005. This document will help to address the kinds of issues and concerns re-
flected in GPRA. In addition, it will present the Office's long-range plans in a more detailed and
comprehensive manner than is possible in the agencywide plan. OPPT has shared the draft
Agenda with states and external stakeholders in hopes of encouraging dialogue on key elements
of the plan. The Strategic Agenda is expected to be final by the end of 1999.
In addition to completing the Agenda, OPPT's planning activities in FY 1999 include participa-
tion in an agencywide effort to update the EPA Strategic Plan and working to refine the Office's
mission and internal organization to reflect the shift of the TRI function to EPA's new Office of
Environmental Information. OPPT's parent organization, the Office of Prevention, Pesticides
and Toxic Substances (OPPTS), has entered into a cooperative agreement with Florida State
University to develop a set of environmental indicators that could be helpful in future program
measurement and assessment efforts for the toxics and pesticides programs. This project will
involve considerable consultation with the various stakeholder communities that focus on
OPPTS programs. For more information, contact Mike Burns, (202) 260-6394
Electronic Submission of TSCA Data
Every year, chemical manufacturers are required by TSCA regulation to
submit a tremendous amount of data to EPA. Processing the data submis-
sions manually — retyping the data into tracking systems, for example -
is time consuming. In addition, when data are processed manually, there is
a greater chance of introducing errors while retyping. In an effort to
improve the accuracy of industry submission and save time and money,
OPPT is piloting the use of information technology for submitting data
electronically.
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Introduction
In September 1998, OPPT launched three pilot projects to test electronic submission of three
forms for reporting data required by TSCA regulations: the Pre-manufacture Notice form; the
Health and Safety Data form; and Export Notification (TSCA 12b). The pilots will use the
latest in electronic security technology, called digital signatures, to certify the submissions. Digital
signatures allow submitters to sign an entire document electronically by calculating a code based on
all the bits of information contained in a document and combining it with a sender's unique ID.
OPPT's projects involving the transmission and subsequent dissemination of TSCA data will
continue to rely heavily on the Internet to reach both industry reporters and the public in the
future. However, other forms of electronic transmittal such as diskette or compact disc will also
be available to users. For more information, contact John Nowlin, (202) 260-8918.
Number of
Companies
Submitting
In FY 1998, the vast majority of companies submitted data required by TSCA to EPA less than five
times. Consequently, any electronic submission system needs to be easy to use. OPPT's pilot
projects will offer industry more streamlined and accurate reporting systems.
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6afer Chemicals
Chemical Right-to-Know Initiative
On the eve of Earth Day 1998, Vice President Gore called upon
EPA and industry to address the massive lack of publicly avail-
able information on the health and environmental effects of major
industrial chemicals. OPPT's Chemical Hazard Data Avail-
ability Study had revealed that there are no publicly available
baseline health and environmental effects data on almost half
of the 2,800 U.S. High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals,
and less than 7 percent have a full, public set of basic screen-
ing-level data. (A high production volume chemical is produced
in or imported into the United States at 1 million pounds or more
per year.) In response to the Vice President's request, and in part-
nership with industry and environmental groups, OPPT launched the
Chemical Right-to-Know (ChemRTK) Initiative, which includes both
voluntary and regulatory components. OPPT has created a website for
complete ChemRTK Initiative project information at www.epa.gov/chemrtk.
OPPT actively promotes the use of safer chemicals and processes in all the basic operations of the
industrial sector through a combination of regulatory and voluntary efforts.
High Production Volume Challenge Program and
Test Rule
Two major components of OPPT's
Chemical Right to Know Initiative
(ChemRTK) are the HPV Challenge
Program and the HPV Test Rule, which
were announced by Vice President
Gore in October 1998. EPA, in
cooperation with the Chemical
Manufacturers Association (with
support from the American Petro-
leum Institute) and the Environmental
Defense Fund, has invited members of
the U.S. chemical industry to partici-
pate in the voluntary HPV Challenge
Program to provide the public with
basic toxicity and environmental fate
data on the HPV chemicals they
produce or import before the end of
2005.
Companies participating in the
Challenge Program first identify and
make public all relevant existing data
HPV Chemicals
Challenge Program
1,300
Sponsored
Chemicals
Total HPV Chemicals: 2,800
As of November 1999, EPA has received and processed
commitments for over 1300 chemicals from more than
230 companies and 60 consortia.
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Safer Chemicals
on their HPV chemicals. Then they identify any data gaps that would need to be filled by new
testing. No new testing will be done where adequate data already exist. Where new testing
must be done, it will be consistent with the internationally recognized Screening Information
Data Set (SIDS) program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), will incorporate procedures to reduce the number of test animals used, and employ
validated non-animal test methods where appropriate.
To further address the concern about the lack of available information on HPV chemicals, EPA
expects to publish a series of test rules under TSCA Section 4 that will seek basic screening-level
data on specific HPV chemicals, the first of which is scheduled to be proposed in early FY 2000.
Beginning in FY 1998 and extending into FY 2000, OPPT will continue to sponsor a series of
stakeholder meetings and public workshops on the HPV Challenge Program to address issues
such as chemical categories, data adequacy and management, animal welfare, and public right-
to-know and access to data. For more information on the HPV Challenge Program, see the
website or contact Barbara Leczynski, (202) 260-1864. For more information on the HPV
Test Rule, see the website or contact Keith Cronin, (202) 260-8151. (For information on a
third component of the ChemRTK Initiative related to Toxics Release Inventory reporting, see
pages 34-35.)
Children's Health Testing Program
The Children's Health Testing Program is the second component of the ChemRTK Initiative. The
Agency has begun a stakeholder dialogue to design and develop a voluntary program to test
commercial chemicals to which children have a high likelihood of exposure. Like the HPV Pro-
gram, this effort will have a regulatory component as well. For more information, see the website at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemrtk/childlt.htm or contact Catherine Roman, (202) 260-8155.
Endocrine Disrupters Screening Program
Increased scientific and public attention has focused on the potential effects of synthetic chemi-
cals on the hormone—or endocrine systems, of people and wildlife. The glands of the endocrine
system—pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, ovaries, and testes—produce hormones that guide growth,
behavior, development, and reproduction. A variety of chemicals have been found to disrupt
the endocrine systems of animals in laboratory studies and evidence has accumulated that the
endocrine systems of certain fish and wildlife have been altered by chemicals that contaminate
their habitats. Some scientists suspect that some chemicals may cause human health problems
including birth defects, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and infertility. While the science sur-
rounding endocrine effects is very complex and evolving, the evidence from field and laboratory
experiments— as well as epidemiological trends— has been compelling enough to take action.
Under the provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act,
Congress in 1996 directed EPA to propose a screening and testing program for evaluating
chemicals for potential impacts on endocrine systems by 1998. Congress directed EPA to
implement the program by August 1999 and report to Congress on its status in August 2000.
The Agency is in the process of implementing its Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program
(EDSP). Under the program, EPA is requiring the testing of pesticides and industrial chemicals
for estrogenic, androngenic, and thyroid effects in people and wildlife. Testing under the pro-
gram occurs in stages using a "tiered" approach. In EPA's EDSP, priorities for chemical testing
are based on existing data for fate and transport, toxicology and metabolism, production and
use, as well as epidemiology and field studies.
1O
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(Safer Che
With up to 15,000 chemical compounds to screen for potential to effect the endocrine system, EPA
and OSI Pharmaceuticals have evaluated a high through-put robotic system that is normally used
in drug development. Individual compounds are held in the 96 wells of the micro titer plate (lower
left) and passed through the liquid handling system. From there, the compounds are transferred to
another micro titer plate with tissue cells that respond to hormones. After incubating for 24 hours,
the samples are brought out and the light emitted from each is measured. If the chemical
compound blocks hormone action, the cells will emit less light. If the compound mimics a hormone,
the tissue will emit more light. Although promising, additional research is necessary before such
technology can be used reliably to determine whether pesticide and industrial chemicals may have
an effect on the endocrine system.
In addition to using existing data, EPA completed a pilot demonstration of a high throughput in
vitro screening assay system and is continuing work to determine the feasibility of using such
systems for pre-screening up to 15.000 chemicals that are produced in volumes greater than
10,000 pounds annually. EPA hopes to use information gathered from such a system to help
prioritize chemicals for testing.
Related to prioritization, EPA has adopted a phased approach to implementation
beginning with statutory requirements of FFDCA. EPA is focusing on pesticides
and inerts and on human health effects screening. With this in mind. EPA is
ensuring validation of health-effects screens and tests first. EPA will then
validate ecological screens and tests.
Once chemicals are prioritized, they will be screened in the Tier 1 phase.
Chemicals that test positive in Tier 1 will move to Tier 2 and be tested in
multi-generation studies.
EPA has completed a number of activities for implementing its EDSP.
Updates on the program can be found at www.epa.gov/opptinir/
opptendo or by contacting Gary Timm, (202) 260-1859 or Anthony
Maciorowski. (202) 260-3048.
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Safer Chemicals
NCR Weekly
Posting on
Internet
Since February 1998,
OPPT's New
Chemicals Program
has provided on the
Internet the weekly
status of
Premanufacture
Notices (PMNs)—the
information that
chemical
manufacturers must
submit to EPA for
analysis to determine if
a new chemical poses
health or environmental
risks. The site includes
PMN receipts and
regulatory decision
status information as
requested by chemical
manufacturers. The
postings help
companies keep track
of their cases and plan
commercialization
schedules. For more
information, seethe
website at
www. epa.gov/opptintr/
newchms/dropstat.htm
or contact Anna
Coutlakis, (202) 260-
3592 or Karen Boswell,
(202)260-1635.
12
Harmonized Test Guidelines
Differences in test guidelines among EPA offices have the potential to cause confusion and unnec-
essary chemical testing. Similarly, at the international level, differences in test guidelines among
nations lead to unnecessary chemical testing in world commerce. To avoid duplication of testing,
OPPT and the Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP) began an effort in the mid- 1980's to harmo-
nize their guidelines for human health and ecotoxicity testing into a single set of guidelines. They
began an international effort in 1990 to harmonize OPPT's guidelines with those of OECD.
By cooperating closely with other federal agencies, states, tribes, non-governmental organiza-
tions, and with its counterparts in other countries, EPA is reducing the burden for regulated
industry, increasing efficiency in collecting test data and in assessing risk, and fostering the
mutual acceptance of test data between the United States and other countries. In August 1998,
OPPT finalized the health effects guidelines that will now be used by TSCA programs. The
guidelines can be found on the Internet at \vw\\.epa.gov/OPPTS_Harmonized.
Significant New Use Rules (SNURs)
OPPT may issue a significant new use rule (SNUR) when potential new uses of a new or
existing chemical could result in increased exposures or releases of the chemical and pose an
unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. A total of 236 significant new use rules
were issued in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998-99). These rules provide OPPT with an
opportunity to review the interaction of the chemical in a different process and for different uses.
In addition, 18 new chemical SNURS were revoked and five existing SNURS were modified
based on submission of additional toxicity or exposure data. For more information, contact
Anna Coutlakis, (202) 260-3592.
TSCA Test Rules, Enforceable Consent Agreements, and
Voluntary Testing Agreements.
During FY 1998, OPPT initiated or developed TSCA Section 4 Test Rules and Enforceable
Consent Agreements (EGAs) to require industry to conduct health and environmental effects
studies. Most of the testing actions cited below involve chemicals that are produced domesti-
cally or imported in high volumes and have substantial human or environmental exposure.
Hazardous Air Pollutants Rule—In 1996, OPPT proposed a rule for comprehensive health
effects inhalation testing that involves more than 100 lexicological studies for 23 Hazardous Air
Pollutants (HAPs). Industry was invited to propose EGAs to use pharmacokinetics and other
mechanistic data to extrapolate information from existing studies and thereby avoid having to
conduct some or all of the proposed testing. During FY 1998, OPPT amended the proposed
rule and signed two agreements, started negotiations on seven EGAs, and received three
additional alternative testing EGA proposals. For more information, contact Richard Leukroth,
(202)260-0321.
Superfund Site Chemicals - Organics and Metals—The Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (ATSDR) requested that EPA use its TSCA Section 4 testing authority to
require industry to conduct certain health effects testing of eight organic chemicals (benzene,
chloroethane, hydrogen cyanide, sodium cyanide, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene,
toluene, and trichloroethylene) and six metals (beryllium, chromium, manganese, mercury, nickel,
and selenium). ATSDR will use these data for health assessments for populations near
Superfund hazardous waste sites. Because metals present unique issues for testing, OPPT and
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Safer Chemicals
ATSDR have assembled an interagency metals testing task force to focus on metals testing
needs. OPPT expects to issue a proposed rule for the ATSDR Organics and establish a
schedule for issuing the proposed rule for the ATSDR Metals in FY 2000. For more informa-
tion, contact Bob Jones, (202) 260-8150.
Dibasic Esters—In FY 1998, OPPT reached agreement with producers of dibasic esters
(DBEs)—solvents used as substitutes for methylene chloride in some consumer paint stripping
products—on all provisions of a TSCA Section 4 EGA. The EGA covers toxicity and dermal
penetration rate testing of three DBEs for which the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
needs health effects data. In FY 1999, the EGA was signed by all parties and went into effect
under the terms of an order. For more information, contact George Semeniuk, (202) 260-2134.
EPA's New Chemicals Program PBT Chemical Category
As part of the Agency's initiative for addressing the health and environmental risks of persistent
bioaccumulative toxic (PBTs) chemicals, OPPT developed in FY 1998 a new category for assessing
new chemical substances under TSCA Section 5(e) prior to their entry into the marketplace.
The PBT category description draws upon ongoing international efforts as well as EPA efforts
to craft a coordinated and scientifically sound approach to identifying PBT chemical substances.
With this category, EPA will be able to track PBT chemical substances through the TSCA New
Chemicals Program and measure the results of its risk screening and risk management activities
as one component in the Agency's overall PBT Initiative. (See also the Risk Reduction and
Public Understanding chapters for other activities related to the PBT Initiative.)
The New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition
Award
The New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition Program annually recognizes, through the
PMN process, new chemicals that may be safer substitutes or developed via a pollution preven-
tion process. In FY 1998. OPPT recognized Applied Power Concepts for two new chemicals
that will be environmentally safer and cost-effective products used in the cleanup of contami-
nated soil and ground water. The products decompose in water to form lactic acid, which can
be broken down by microorganisms. The only by-product of the process is water. For more
information see the websites at www.epa.gov/oppnntr/newchms/p2.htm or contact Mary
Begley, (202) 260-1769.
TSCA Information Rules
As apart of EPA's 1994 regulatory review, requirements under TSCA Section 8(d) were
reviewed to reduce the reporting burden for industry. As a result of this review, EPA
revised its TSCA Section 8(d) health and safety data reporting rule that requires
chemical manufacturers (including importers) and processors of listed substances
and mixtures to report unpublished health and safety studies. The revised rule,
effective June 1998, decreases the public reporting burden by 5,000 hours
and reduces costs for EPA while still providing the Agency and other federal
agencies with the needed data. This reinvention activity reduces the burden
placed on EPA, the Interagency Testing Committee, and industry, while still
providing EPA and other federal agencies the needed data. For more
information, contact Keith Cronin, (202) 260-8157.
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Safer Chemicals
1998 Inventory Update Rule Electronic Reporting
OPPT encouraged manufacturers and importers reporting under the 1998 Inventory Update
Rule (IUR) to use one of two electronic reporting forms developed by EPA and beta tested by
members of the regulated community. For the first time since reporting to the IUR began in
1986, companies may meet their reporting obligations by filing their 1998 IUR reports electroni-
cally. Both forms can be completed online and saved to an electronic medium for submission to
the Agency.
The electronic Form U-Executable, which was mailed to companies in the 1998 IUR Reporting
Packages, is an executable file that contains a help file, error checks, and other features designed
to facilitate form preparation and subsequent data processing by EPA. The Form U-
Downloadable, available from the 1998 IUR website at ww\i:epa.^ov/opptintr/iur98, was
developed in portable data format (pdf) to make it easy to download and compatible with nearly
all platforms. The website was developed to help companies meet their reporting obligations by
providing access to all the hardcopy information sent to manufacturers and importers in the 1998
IUR mailing packages. For more information, contact Deborah A. Williams, (202) 260-1734.
TSCA Inventory Update Rule Amendments
During FY 1998-99, the Agency proposed changes to the Inventory Update Rule (IUR). The
IUR updates the TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory every four years by collecting basic
production information for about 9,000 chemical substances produced in quantities of 10,000
pounds or more annually. The Agency proposes to adjust reporting thresholds and exemptions,
to add exposure-related information to the collection, and to make a number of basic adminis-
trative and confidential business information changes.
EPA will use this information to screen chemicals based on their relative risk and exposure
potential and to set national priorities for more in-depth risk assessment and risk management
activities. The amendments were proposed in August 1999. For more information, contact
Susan Krueger, (202) 260-1713.
TSCA Biotechnology Rule
Under the TSCA Biotechnology rule that regulates new microorganisms, intergeneric microor-
ganisms (those containing genetic material from more than one genus) are subject to notice and
review under TSCA Section 5. To date, OPPT has received six submissions of new microor-
ganisms for review.
In FY 1998, OPPT approved the first consolidated TSCA Experimental Release Application
(TERA) submission for three microbial seed innoculants that have been altered to improve
nodulation and nitrogen fixation in the roots of soybean plants. In FY 1999, EPA approved a
follow-up TERA for several additional sites for two of these microbial seed innoculants.
A second consolidated TERA submission was approved for two microorganisms that emit light
in the presence of trinitrotoluene (TNT). The microorganisms are intended for land applications
that detect the presence of active land mines.
Also in FY 1998, OPPT reviewed the first consolidated Microorganism Commercial Activity
Notice (MCAN) for two microorganisms that have been altered to produce commercial
enzymes for the detergent industry. Two MCANs for microorganisms that have been altered
for commercial biosynthesis of enzymes for secondary oil recovery operations were received in
FY 1998-99. Under the provisions of the TSCA Biotechnology rule, OPPT determined that all
four microorganisms may be commercialized without restrictions. For more information, see the
website at www.epa.gov/opptintr/biotech or contact Jim Alwood, (202) 260-1857.
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Safer Chemicals
Green Chemistry
OPPT'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. It recognizes chemical technologies that reduce or eliminate
the use or generation of hazardous substances during the design, manufacture, and use of
chemical products and processes that can be applied broadly in industry. The program also
supports a variety of educational projects, recognition activities, international activities, confer-
ences and meetings, tool development, and fundamental research. The following FY 1998-99
activities and accomplishments demonstrate the breadth of the program:
• In partnership with EPA's Office of Research and Development and the National Science
Foundation, the Green Chemistry Program continues to award $5 to $7 million in grants
annually through the Technology for a Sustainable Environment solicitation for the develop-
ment of benign feedstocks and reagents, greener solvents and reaction conditions, safer
chemical products, and pollution preventing analytical methods. OPPT's other partners in
research activities include the Center for Process Analytical Chemistry,
the Department of Energy, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
• In partnership with the American Chemical Society and the Partner-
ship for Environmental
Technology Education,
Green Chemistry is devel-
oping a reference compen-
dium, textbook supple-
ments, and laboratory
manuals; a training course
for professional chemists;
train-the-trainer workshops
that demonstrate the quick
incorporation of green
chemistry concepts and
examples; technical and
two-year college curricula;
databases of green chemis-
try examples; videos and
compact discs; publication
of books and articles,
The PYROCOOL technology successfully demonstrates that
selective employment of biodegradable substances dramatically
enhances the effectiveness of simple water, while eliminating the
need for traditionally used fire extinguishing agents such as glycol
ethers or fluorosurfactants that are toxic and/or harmful to the
environment. PYROCOOL has been employed successfully
against numerous fires in America and abroad. Recently, it was
used for extinguishing an oil tanker fire at sea on board the Nassia
in the Bosphorous Straits in just 12.5 minutes (a fire originally
estimated by Lloyd's of London to require 10 days to extinguish).
Using PYROCOOL saved 80 percent of the ship's cargo and
prevented 78,000 tons of crude oil from spilling into the sea.
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Safer Chemicals
The annual Presidential
Green Chemistry
Challenge Awards
Program recognizes
outstanding chemical
technologies that
incorporate green
chemistry principles into
chemical design,
manufacture, and use.
The Awards Program is
open to all individuals,
groups, and
organizations including
academia and industry.
Award recipients receive
national public
recognition for their
outstanding
accomplishments in the
research, development,
and implementation of
green chemical
technologies.
organization of workshops and conferences; and, the further development of the Green
Chemistry Expert System.
• With OECD, Green Chemistry is establishing an international partnership between govern-
ment entities, industry, and academic institutions to promote and disseminate globally
innovative science and technology that form the basis of sustainable chemistry and to assist
countries in the establishment of their own sustainable chemistry programs. Areas of focus
within this initiative include research and development, education, recognition, outreach,
and guidance to developing nations.
For more information, contact Tracy Williamson, (202) 260-3960.
1998 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards
• Professor Barry Trost, Stanford University, was selected for developing the concept of
atom economy, an approach that allows industry to reduce or eliminate waste from the
manufacture of chemical products while still maximizing profits.
• Professors Karen Draths and John Frost, Michigan State University, were selected for
their use of microbes as environmentally benign catalysts in the synthesis of important
industrial chemicals.
• PYROCOOL was selected for developing and introducing commercially an environmen-
tally responsible fire extinguishment and cooling agent.
• Flexsys was selected for developing a new process that synthesizes important chemicals
used to manufacture rubber products, including 4-aminodiphenylamine (4-ADPA).
• Argonne National Laboratory was selected for developing an economically viable process
for producing lactate esters as nontoxic and biodegradable solvents.
• Rohm and Haas Company was selected for designing an environmentally safe insecticide
that offers farmers a safer, effective technology for insect control in turf and a variety of
agronomic crops.
1999 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards
• Professor Terry Collins, Carnegie Mellon University, was selected for developing a series
of iron-based catalysts that enhance the activity of hydrogen peroxide in bleaching pro-
cesses in the pulp and paper, water disinfection, and laundry industries.
• Biofine Inc. was selected for designing a process that converts paper mill sludge, municipal
solid waste, unrecyclable waste paper, waste wood, and agricultural residues to a versatile
chemical.
• Lilly Research Laboratories was selected for designing a newer manufacturing process for
a central nervous system drug that eliminates chromium from the manufacturing waste
stream and reduces the amount of chemical solvents in the manufacturing process.
• Nalco Chemical Co. was selected for developing a new water-based process for manu-
facturing liquid polymer that eliminates the use of hydrocarbon solvents and surfactants
required in high volume with traditional emulsion polymers.
• Dow AgroSciences was recognized for developing Spinosad, an insecticide produced
from naturally occurring microorganisms, that targets chewing pests in cotton, trees, fruits
and vegetables without harming most beneficial insects, animals, and birds.
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Safer Chemicals
Green Engineering
In FY 1998, OPPT launched the Green Engineering program to introduce "green" or environ-
mentally conscious thinking into chemical engineering education and practice. Green Engineering
goes beyond traditional methods of reducing the amount of waste leaving a plant. It incorpo-
rates pollution prevention as a design objective and integrates risk assessment into process
design and optimization. By applying risk assessment screening tools to processes and prod-
ucts, the engineer can minimize the generation of pollution at the source and impacts of hazard
and exposure on human health and the environment.
The primary focus over the past year has been development of a textbook and course outline
that incorporates P2 and risk assessment approaches that engineers can use to design greener
processes. The textbook will be in modules so that schools can use it in a new elective course
Processes that determine environmental hazards
RelMseJwree
Prtduct Use
In this diagram from the Green Engineering textbook, environmental
hazards are defined in relation to the processes that can create or move
those hazards through the environment.
or incorporate chapters of the textbook into existing engineering courses.
OPPT plans to complete the textbook manuscript in Fall 1999.
OPPT is also partnering with the American Society of Engineering
Education (ASEE) to disseminate information to engineering schools and
to help them incorporate green approaches and methods into current
engineering curricula.
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6afcr Chemicals
A future goal of the green engineering program is to work with the industrial community in a
partnership with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) to incorporate green
information into continuing education training for practicing engineers. For more information,
contact Nhan Nguyen, (202) 260-3741.
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Disk Reduction
OPPTpromotes reduction of risk from chemicals such as lead, asbestos,
dioxin, and PCBs by implementing aggressive programs to minimize
exposure to these highly toxic substances.
Lead Programs
Exposure to lead hazards can have serious health conse-
quences, particularly for children. Lead poisoning has been
linked to such conditions as reading and learning disabilities,
IQ deficiencies, hyperactivity, and impaired hearing. In the
past, the use of leaded gasoline and lead-based paint contrib-
uted to the contamination of the environment. Over the past
twenty years, however, there has been significant progress in
preventing childhood lead poisoning. Much of this can be attrib-
uted to the passage of the 1971 Lead-based Paint Poisoning Pre-
vention Act, the phaseout of lead in gasoline, and the banning of lead-
based paint.
In order to sustain the progress already made in reducing lead hazards, OPPT contin-
ues to fund technical studies and to work on the promulgation of new rules designed to protect
human health and the environment. Another major component of the lead program is a
wide-ranging outreach and education program that provides information about lead and
lead programs to all interested parties.
The Eflects of Federal Actions On The Geometric Mean Blood-Lead Levels
Of Children 1-5 Years Of Age In The United States
20
3 16
09
B S 12
! =>
8
1983 1987 1991 1995
t t t
Actions To Reduce Exposure To Lead
1. 1971 —Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act
2. 1973—EPA begins phaseout of lead in gasoline
3. 1978—CPSC bans sale/distribution of lead-based paint
4 1986—Lead in plumbing, fixtures, and other solder banned
5. 1992—Lead Title X to abate lead hazards in housing
6. 1995—EPA completes phaseout of leaded gasoline
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Identification of Lead-based Paint Hazards, Lead-
contaminated Dust, and Lead-contaminated Soil
Childhood lead poisoning is a preventable disease, but to prevent it effectively the public and
decision makers need information to help evaluate homes, day care centers, and kindergar-
tens for lead-based paint hazards and to develop appropriate lead-based paint hazard control
strategies.
Congress required EPA to establish regulatory standards for identifying lead-based paint
hazards, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated soil. These standards will be used
to support implementation of the national lead-based paint hazard reduction program, includ-
ing disclosure of hazards prior to sale or lease of most pre-1978 property and evaluation and
control of lead-based paint hazards in federally-assisted and federally-owned housing. EPA
issued interim guidance on these standards on July 14,1994, that was published in the
Federal Register on September 11, 1995 (60 FR 47248).
LEAD
Awareness
Program
EPA published a proposed regulation on these standards on June 3,1998. At the same time,
the Agency made two new guidance documents available for public comment. In September
1998, OPPT met with EPA's Science Advisory Board for a review of the technical support-
ing analyses for the proposed rule. The Agency also held two public meetings (San Fran-
cisco, California and Washington, D.C.) to give interested parties the opportunity to offer oral
comments. The public comment period ended March 1,1999.
EPA will review and analyze all public comments and Science Advisory Board recommenda-
tions. EPA will revise the proposed regulation based on its evaluation of the comments and
publish the final regulation and accompanying guidance documents. Until then, the OPPT
interim guidance, issued in 1994 and published in the Federal Register in 1995, remains the
official Agency policy. For more information, contact Jonathan Jacobson, (202) 260-3779.
Pre-Renovation Information Rule
The Pre-Renovation Information Rule requires distribution of lead hazard information prior to
starting renovation activities that could disturb lead-based painted surfaces. The Agency
believes that distribution of this information will help reduce lead exposures.
This rule, published June 1998, requires renovators to provide a lead hazard information
pamphlet to owners and occupants of pre-1978 housing prior to commencing the renovation.
In addition, the rule requires notification on the nature of the renovation activities in certain
circumstances involving multi-family housing. This rule ensures that owners and occupants of
target housing are provided information concerning potential hazards of lead-based paint
exposure before certain renovations are begun. In addition, the lead hazard information pam-
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phlet advises owners and occupants to take appropriate precautions to avoid exposure to lead-
contaminated dust and lead-based paint debris that are sometimes generated during renova-
tions. The rule went into effect June 1,1999. For more information, contact Dayton Eckerson,
(202)260-1591.
Renovation and Remodeling Rule
The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act ( Section 402; Title X) requires
EPA to conduct a study of lead exposure associated with renovation and remodeling (R&R)
activities. The results will be used in conjunction with public dialogue to help determine which
groups of people conducting R&R activities require training, certification, or educational
materials. Subsequently, EPA will revise the training and certification regulations to include
these groups and activities.
EPA held several public meetings in late 1998 and early 1999 for interested parties to con-
tribute information and perspectives on specific policy questions related to this rulemaking.
EPA expects to publish a proposed rule for public comment in 1999. For more information,
contact Mike Wilson at (202) 260-4664.
Renovation and Remodeling Study
To support the R&R rule, EPA is studying the extent to which renovation and remodeling
activities may create a lead exposure hazard for building occupants or for workers themselves.
The R&R study has four phases, with the fourth completed in FY 1998:
• The Environmental Field Sampling Study involved collecting and analyzing air and settled-
dust samples for lead.
• The Worker Characterization and Blood-Lead Study, where a broad assortment of R&R
professionals provided blood samples for analysis and filled out a detailed questionnaire
pertaining to their work habits and experience and other factors.
• The Wisconsin Childhood Blood-Lead Study used the Wisconsin blood-lead registry to
focus on the relationship between R&R activities and children's blood-lead levels.
• The recently completed R&R Phase IV study focused on individuals who work primarily in
old or historic buildings. Both professional R&R workers and homeowners who work
extensively in old buildings were included in this study.
Results from all four phases of the study are available. For more information, contact Dan
Reinhart, (202) 260-1585.
Proposed Rule on the Management and Disposal
of Lead-Based Paint Debris
The Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human
Services, several states, advocacy groups, and the regulated community have
expressed concerns that the costs of testing and disposal of debris contain-
ing lead-based paint under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) are a significant obstacle to financing lead abatement. The TSCA
standards, proposed December 1998, allow lead-based paint debris to
be managed and disposed of in a more consistent and less costly manner.
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Qisk
OPPT worked closely with EPA's Office of Solid Waste to develop the TSCA proposal. After
receiving and evaluating public comment, the Agency expects to issue a final rule. For more
information, contact Dave Topping. (202) 260-7737.
Region 5 Multimedia Strategy for the Management and
Reduction of Lead Hazards
EPA's Region 5 adopted its first multimedia strategy for managing and reducing the hazards
associated with human exposures to lead in FY 1998. A special work group comprised of
representatives from each of the major program and division offices formulated innovative
cross-media approaches to further reduce childhood lead poisoning. The strategy calls for a
regionwide effort to reduce childhood lead poisoning by targeting efforts to those children who
are at greatest risk (children under age six with blood-lead levels of 10 ug/dL or greater).
These children and the neighborhoods they live in will be identified through a screening proce-
dure that will consider blood-lead levels, environmental sources of lead, housing, and demo-
graphic data. The region will approach the effort using community-based environmental protec-
tion, standardized scientific methods, and partnerships with state, tribal, and local governments.
During FY 1999, the region completed community-based lead assessments for each of the
region's geographic initiative areas, along with a geographic information system screening as
described above. For more information, contact Phil King, (312) 353-9062.
Public Education and
Outreach Grants
In FY 1998, OPPT and the EPA
Regional Lead Programs awarded
grants under the new Lead Poisoning
Prevention and Lead Hazard Aware-
ness Public Education and Outreach
Lead In Your Home:
A Parent's Reference Guide
A comprehensive new guide for
parents and homeowners about lead
hazards and lead poisoning prevention
in the home, Lead In Your Home: A
Parent's Reference Guide, is an
important new tool in EPA's efforts to
raise lead hazard awareness. The
new publication provides
comprehensive guidance on steps
that can be taken to reduce lead
hazards, including information on
common sources of lead in the
home, how to test for the presence
of lead, and safeguards for
preventing exposure when
conducting home repairs or
renovations. The guide also
provides a list of state and other
contacts that can provide families
with more assistance in protecting their children from lead hazards. The guide is available free from
the National Lead Information Center and OPPT's Lead Homepage at www.epa.gov/lead. For more
information, contact Megan Carroll, (202) 260-7269.
22
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Grant Program. Its purpose is to provide public education and outreach that increases aware-
ness of lead-based paint hazards and promote lead poisoning prevention among those at risk,
including primarily low-income, minority communities located in large metropolitan areas or
communities with predominantly older housing. Children living in these communities are at risk
for elevated levels of lead exposure. Nine projects across the country received funding this year
totaling approximately $459,000. The Agency will evaluate the effectiveness of this first round
of grant funding before planning for the future of the program. For more information, contact
Megan Carroll. (202) 260-7269.
"RUNS BETTER UNLEADED" Campaign
In FY 1998. OPPT developed the "Runs Better Unleaded" poster campaign to promote lead
hazard awareness. As part of this campaign. EPA and the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority (WMATA) placed 500 posters in Metrobuses and stations and placed 10
dioramas in the WMATA Metrorail stations in February and March 1999. To further promote
EPA's Lead Awareness Program,
EPA Regional Lead Coordinators are
investigating opportunities to place the
posters in other cities, such as Dallas
and Seattle. Wall posters have been
distributed to state, tribal, and local
departments of health, as well as to
children's advocacy groups.
In FY 1999, the poster won an
Award of Merit in the poster category
for visual communication for either
internal or external audiences by the
International Association of Business
Communicators, a professional
association comprised of members of
^^^•••^^•••••^••••••••^••^•••K public relations firms, advertising
agencies, communications firms, and
consultants who work in the field of both communication and visual arts.
Posters are available by calling the National Lead Information Center. 1 -800-424-LEAD. For
more information, contact Megan Carroll, (202) 260-7269.
The National Cinema Outreach Pilot Project
During the months of December 1998 and January 1999. OPPT piloted the National
Cinema Outreach Project to provide for the first time, lead hazard awareness
information on theater screens. This nationwide program of three slides containing
lead poisoning awareness messages was piloted in 17 states, 57 cities, 510
screens, with 1530 screenings each day, or 45.900 viewings each month during
this time period. The slides featured medical backgrounds with different
messages ("Protect Your Children From Lead Poisoning," "Grow Them Up
Healthy," and "Get Your Child Tested Today") and the 1 -800-424-LEAD
number and the Lead website. It is estimated that the lead hazard awareness
messages were viewed by a half-million people. For more information,
contact Susan Laing, (202) 260-0248.
1-800-424-LEAD
National Lead
Information
Center Hotline
The National Lead
Information Center
collects, evaluates, and
disseminates
information on the
assessment and
reduction of lead-based
paint hazards; adverse
health effects; sources
of exposure, detection
and risk assessment
methods; environmental
hazards abatement and
clean-up standards. The
Hotline also offers a
number of publications
in Spanish. For more
information, contact
Robert Wright,
(202) 260-7800.
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In the Regions
EPA's Region 1 has developed several education and outreach brochures in Arabic, Croation,
Bosnian, and Vietnamese on the hazards of lead paint, radon, asbestos, and mercury. The New
England Lead Coordination Committee is providing information to the public and contractors
through billboards along highways, posters in hardware stores, radio spots, press releases, and
hardware store personnel education. The region developed manuals in English, Spanish, and
Indian languages spoken in New England for a 40-hour course designed to educate state, tribal,
and community officials to train daycare providers in presenting lead safe techniques to young
children. Attendees learn how to perform story boards, puppet shows, songs, and skits, and
how to cook healthy foods, look for lead dust, and instill safe habits such as washing hands.
For more information, contact Jim Bryson, (617) 918-1524.
EPA's Region 2 is distributing The Trouble with Lead, a 30 minute video about the hazards of
lead-based paint. The video was produced by New York State and funded with an EPA State
Lead Grant. Three thousand copies have been distributed for free use by the public to New
York State Public Libraries, county health offices, Blockbuster Video stores, and Home Depot
and Builder's Square hardware retail stores. For more information, contact Louis Bevilacqua,
(732)321-6671.
The city of Chicago has the largest Polish community in the United States with many employed
in the construction trades. In an effort to inform the community about the Pre-Renovation Lead
Information Rule, EPA's Region 5 provided in June 1999 translations of the newly effective
406(b) guidance to the Polish media in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri.
The wording for the poster "Runs Better Unleaded" was translated into Polish. The first edition
will be available in mid-September, and the posters will be delivered to Polish communities. For
more information, contact Ludmilla Koralewska, (312) 886-3577.
National Latino Lead Education Campaign
The National Safety Council, with a grant from OPPT, developed a National Latino Lead
Education Campaign to reach this growing population (estimated to be 30 million persons) with
the lead poisoning prevention message. Kicked off in Washington, D.C. on June 15,1999, the
campaign included a public service announcement for television stations in Spanish and English;
posters placed in buses in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles; and, a week long series on lead
poisoning prevention that was broadcast on 62 radio stations in the United States and Puerto
Rico. The following services and products have also been produced: a "Lead Inform" pam-
phlet; posters in Spanish; Spanish language websites; a database of lead educational materials;
translations at the federal and local levels of programs and educational materials; and bilingual
translations for meetings and other presentations. In addition, a number of EPA's regional
offices have developed materials in Spanish for the Latino audience. For more information,
contact Robert Wright, (202) 260-7800.
Implementation of Lead-Based Paint Accreditation,
Training, and Certification Program
Safe removal of lead-based paint requires a professional who knows how to evaluate and
remove the hazard without making the problem worse. To ensure that homeowners and others
who need these services can locate trained professionals, EPA published in August 1996 the
final TSCA Section 402/404 rule for training and certification of workers, accreditation of
training programs, and model state programs for lead-based paint activities in target housing and
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child-occupied facilities. Implementation of the Federal program was deferred until August 29,
1998 to allow states and Indian tribes to apply and receive authorization to run their own EPA-
approved lead-based paint programs based on the federal program. Ongoing activities related
to the implementation of the programs include:
• OPPT has been working through the Regional Offices and the Forum on State and Tribal
Toxics Action (FOSTTA) to help states and tribes develop their own lead-based paint
training and certification programs. To date, 29 States, the District of Columbia, and two
Indian tribes have received authorization to run their own programs.
• Since 1995, the Agency has provided TSCA Section 404(g) grants/cooperative agree-
ments to states, tribes, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia to research blood-lead
levels in their communities, identify high risk communities, develop legislation, and build a
lead-based paint program infrastructure where necessary.
• The federal lead-based paint accreditation, training, and certification program became
effective on August 31,1998, in all non-authorized states and Indian tribes. All training
providers must now be accredited by EPA to offer lead-based paint activities courses in
the federal program. Requirements for certification and work practice standards were
supposed to be effective on August 30,1999. However, there were not enough training
providers to accommodate the number of individuals seeking certification prior to the
August 30, 1999 date. Therefore, EPA extended the effective date until March 1, 2000,
for certification of individuals and firms and use of work practice standards. OPPT will
continue to work through the regional contacts and FOSTTA to fully implement the lead-
based paint program.
• OPPT developed applications, forms, and instructions for training providers to use when
applying for accreditation and individuals and firms to use when applying for certification.
These materials, as well as the Agency's fees for receiving accreditation and certification
and the applicable regulations, are posted on the Agency's website at www.epa.gov/lead.
These documents as well as other relevant documents may also be obtained from the National
Lead Information Center at 1 -800-424-LEAD. For more information, contact Traci Brown,
(202) 260-8487 or Ellie Clark, (202) 260-3402.
Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBT) Initiative
Persistent, bioaccumulative toxic pollutants (PBTs) are highly toxic, long-lasting substances that
can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health. They
are associated with a range of adverse human health effects including effects on the nervous
system, reproductive and developmental problems, cancer, and genetic impacts. EPA's
challenge in reducing risks from PBTs stems from the pollutants' ability to travel long
distances, to transfer easily among air, water, and land, and to linger for genera-
tions in people and the environment.
In response to the problem, EPA developed the Draft Multimedia Strategy
for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Pollutants. EPA's
strategy outlines several actions the Agency will take to reduce exposures
to and uses of PBTs. Near-term actions include the following:
• Prevent the introduction of new PBTs into commerce.
BulL
• Encourage voluntary reductions of priority PBTs in hazardous waste.
• Provide information to the public about mercury emissions from
utilities.
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• Increase the public's right-to-know about local sources of PBT emissions. (See also the
Public Understanding chapter.)
• Evaluate fish in U.S. water bodies for PBT contamination.
A major component of EPA's strategy is to develop and implement national action plans that
reduce risks from select PBTs. EPA's first national action plans will be developed for 12 priority
PBTs named in the Canada-U.S. Binational Toxics Strategy. (See below.) EPA proposed a
draft action plan for mercury at the same time it proposed the Strategy in the Fall of 1998. In
addition the Agency is developing draft action plans covering the remaining 11 substances and
will propose most of these for public comment in the Fall of 1999. EPA conducted a prelimi-
nary stakeholder review for four draft plans in August 1999. For more information, see the
website at www.epa.gov/pbt or contact Sam Sasnett, (202) 260-8020.
*-V - aldrin/dieldrin * * - f ;
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For mercury, three specific partnerships with industry were established. The Chlorine Institute,
on behalf of mercury cell chlor-alkali producers, committed to reducing mercury use 50 percent
by 2005; the American Hospital Association signed a memorandum of understanding to virtually
eliminate mercury containing waste from the health care industry waste stream by 2005; and
three northwest Indiana steel mills signed a mercury reduction agreement.
For pesticides, a report was drafted to confirm that chlordane, aldrin/dieldrin, DDT, mirex, and
toxaphene are no longer used or released from sources that enter the Great Lakes Basin.
Although all uses of these pesticides have been canceled, and all but chlordane have not been in
production in the United States for many years, there is still a potential for releases to the Great
Lakes from remaining stockpiles or reservoirs, or from production and use internationally. The
workgroup recommended continued monitoring, remediation of Superfund sites, and waste
pesticide collections. For further information, see the website at www.epa.gov/bns/or contact
Tony Martig, (312) 353-2291.
Mercury
Mercury, a naturally occurring metal, enters the environment from sources like coal-fired
power plants, mining and smelting various ores, and the disposal of consumer products
manufactured with it. Because it is a PBT pollutant, the amount of mercury in the biosphere
has been increasing since the beginning of the industrial age. In fact, 870 pounds of mercury
is added to the atmosphere in this country each day from human sources.
Mercury is a known neurotoxin that slows fetal and child development and causes irreversible
deficits in brain function. Tens of thousands of babies are born each year after being exposed
in the womb to levels of mercury at which some studies have shown adverse health effects.
EPA established the Mercury Task Force so that programs throughout the Agency could
share information and promote mercury risk management actions. Over the last year, the
forum developed the draft EPA Action Plan for Mercury to identify and reduce risks from
exposure to mercury using a multimedia approach. The first in a series of national plans, it is
a part of EPAs Multimedia Strategy for Priority PBT Pollutants. The Mercury Action Plan
was released in late 1998 with the PBT Initiative Strategy as an example of a chemical action
plan. For more information, visit the website at www. epa.gov/pbt or contact Karen Maher,
(202) 260-3894.
International Mercury Activities
OPPT assisted with developing and implementing three workshops in FY 1998 under the
Commission for Environmental Cooperation's North American Regional Action Plan
(NARAP) for Mercury. The overall objective of the Mercury NARAP is to provide
long-term, common, and clear directions for the United States, Canada, and
Mexico to prevent or minimize releases of mercury from man-made sources. In
February, in Zacatecas, Mexico, participants initiated the process of develop-
ing a national Mexican monitoring plan for cost-effective sampling and
analysis of mercury. In September, the Partnerships/Voluntary Initiatives
Workshop, in Mexico City, established tri-national partnerships and
voluntary initiatives designed to promote pollution prevention (reducing
mercury use and release) through "best practices." The third workshop.
at EPAs National Exposure Research Laboratory Characterization
Research Division in Las Vegas provided a forum for mercury experts to
recommend ways to reduce and prevent mercury releases; identify
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scientific and technological uncertainties; identify research needs; and, develop a strategy outline
for a tri-national North American mercury baseline. For more information, contact Greg
Susanke, (202) 260-3547.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Activities
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of synthetic organic chemicals manufactured
worldwide and used in thousands of products and processes where non-flammability, stability to !
heat, or effectiveness as a plasticizer are required. PCBs bioaccumulate and they have been classi-
fied by EPA and other organizations as probable human carcinogens with other significant ecological
and human effects. An estimated 1.4 billion pounds of PCBs manufactured in the United States have
found their way into thousands of products.
TSCA Section 6(e) bans the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, and use of PCBs
but provides for exceptions for uses and one-year exemptions from the bans on manufacture,
processing, and distribution in commerce. TSCA also requires that PCBs be marked and mandates
control over their disposal.
More than 50 permits to dispose of PCBs were issued, renewed, modified or processed in FY
1998-99. PCB Disposal Amendments, promulgated in June 1998, represented the first comprehen-
sive review and overhaul of the PCB regulatory program in 20 years. The rule reduces the permitting (
burden and provides for flexibili ty in sampling, cleanup, storage, and disposal of certain PCB wastes.
These changes are estimated to save the regulated communities approximately $ 750 million annually,
while still providing the same level of protection to human health and the environment
In FY 1998-99, OPPT continued to develop several other regulations including the Transformer
Reclassification Rule, two rules addressing petitions filed to request exemptions from certain statutory 5
bans, and a rule authorizing the continued use and distribution in commerce of certain non-liquid *
PCBs.
The PCB program continues to be involved in several major efforts with other federal agencies.
These include issuing an intergovernmental report on the scrapping of ships at both domestic and >
foreign facilities, reviewing of data that may lead to the development of procedures for identifying I
PCBs in products (e.g., paints, coatings, plastics) and the resolution of technical and legal issues
surrounding the use of ships as artificial reefs. For more information, contact Tony Baney, (202) 260-
3933.
EPA's Region 5 and Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance developed a proposal to
promote the early voluntary phasedown of PCB-using transformers, voltage regulators, and large
capacitors in Region 5. As part of the proposal, a company would commit to remove and dispose its;
PCB equipment and self-disclose violations detected during the phasedown period. After comple-
tion of the phasedown period, the Region could use a specific policy to determine the final amount of '
any civil penalty. The policy includes penalty reductions for companies that complete their PCB
phasedown program. The program is intended to be implemented as a pilot project with utilities in
the region. If successful, it is intended to be offered to otherindustriqs. A Region 5 study has found
that the utilities are finding PCB transformers through testing programs, are continuing to phasedown
PCB transformers, and have reduced their PCB capacitors by over 27 percent since 1994. For
more information, contact Tony Martig, (312) 353-2291.
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Fibers
Asbestos
EPA is working with the states to develop amendments to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Re-
sponse Act (AHERA) Regulations, the Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan (MAP), and the Asbes-
tos Worker Protection Rule. These amendments wOl increase consistency with the 1994 OSHA
Construction Standard for Asbestos, provide states with additional flexibility in designing and imple-
menting their own asbestos training and accreditation programs, and clarify the obligations of asbestos
abatement contractors, asbestos training course providers, and other members of the regulated
community. In April 1998, EPA, 36 states, and the Navaho Tribe met to discuss asbestos issues,
including state program administration, modular training concepts, and enforcement. For more
information, contact Cindy Fraleigh. (202) 260-1537.
In the Regions
Region 5 joined forces with its six states in April 1999 to form the Mid-West Regional Environmental
Consortium to coordinate and sustain asbestos control efforts throughout the region. The six states—
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin—along with the region entered into a
formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to share information and pool expertise in approaching
and resolving multi-state and region-wide asbestos regulatory issues. The consortium will also focus
on reciprocity and the establishment of consistent procedures for improving the quality of asbestos
training and licensing activities as well as help plan the next National Asbestos Meeting, hosted by the
Illinois Department of Public Health and tentatively scheduled for April 2000 in Chicago. For more
information, contact Phil King, (312) 353-9062.
Refractory Ceramic Fibers
Refractory ceramic fibers (RCFs), identified as a probable human carcinogen, are used in a variety of
industrial insulation settings, including the lining of high temperature furnaces, heaters, and kilns. For
the past five years, the RCF Coalition has been providing EPA with worker exposure monitoring
data collected pursuant to a TSCA Section 4 Consent Agreement. In FY 1998, EPA received the
final set of data due under the agreement. Reductions in worker exposures were most pronounced in
coalition customer facilities, which may be due to the coalition's program that included outreach
materials and facility visits by an industrial hygienist to suggest opportunities for reductions. The
coalition is interested in entering into a voluntary agreement with EPA, National Institute for Occu-
pational Safety and Health, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to continue
monitoring exposures, conducting toxicological and epidemiological research, providing customers
and employees with product information and training, and furnishing exposed workers with
persona] protection equipment. For more information, contact Sam Brown, (202) 260-
2282 or Cindy Fraleigh, (202) 260-1537.
Acute Exposure Guidelines
The 32-member National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure Guideline
Levels for Hazardous Substances brings together public and private sector
scientists to develop short-term exposure limits for acutely toxic chemicals. Its
goal is to establish scientifically credible acute exposure guideline levels
(AEGLs) for 300 to 400 chemicals at the rate of 30 to 40 chemicals per
year. AEGLs are used when responding to accidental releases of acutely
toxic chemicals in the workplace, along transportation routes, and in local
communities.
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InFY 1998, during its second year of operation, the committee developed approximately 190
proposed AEGL values for 18 hazardous substances. Also, the committee published approximately
130 AEGL values for 12 hazardous substances in the Federal Register on October 30,1997, for
public review and comment. Following receipt of public comment and appropriate consideration, the
committee reached consensus to elevate 10 of these chemicals and approximately 110 AEGL values
to "Interim" status.
During FY1998, a subcommittee of the National Research Council of the National Academy of
Sciences was formed to review the chemicals in Interim status for future publication as "Final"
AEGLs.
Efforts to explore the international participation by member countries of the Organization for Eco-
nomic Cooperation and Development have continued. At present, the majority of the member
countries support adoption of the AEGL values for international applications. For more informa-
tion, contact Roger Garrett, (202) 260-4302 or Paul Tobin, (202) 260-1736.
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Public Understanding of
LJ
Toxics Release Inventory
EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), established by the Emer-
gency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986
(EPCRA), promotes planning for chemical emergencies and
assures the public's right to know about toxic and hazardous
chemicals in their communities by requiring certain facilities to
report their chemical releases. In 1990, Congress passed the
Pollution Prevention Act, which required facilities to report to
TRI their pollution prevention activities, including recycling and
source reduction. TRI provides this information to the public
on releases and other waste management activities of more than
600 chemicals and chemical categories from certain industry sec-
tors. With this information, communities know what toxic chemi-
cals are present in their neighborhoods, facility managers can identify
opportunities for source reduction, and facilities can compare their
progress to other facilities across the country.
Under the TRI program, facilities report information annually to EPA and the state in
which they are located. The information includes amounts of each listed chemical released to the
environment from the facility; amounts of each chemical shipped off site for recycling; energy
recov ery. treatment or disposal; amounts of each chemical recycled, burned for energy
recovery, or treated at the facility; and, maximum amounts of the chemical present at the
facility during the year. EPA has developed numerous publications and resources for easy
access to TRI data.
TRI has undergone a series of expansions, beginning in 1994, with a doubling of the
number of chemicals on the TRI list for which reporting is required. In 1997, seven more
industry sectors were required to report releases to TRI. OPPT is working on adding
certain persistent, bioaccumulating toxic (PBT) chemicals, including lead, to TRI and
lowering reporting thresholds for PBTs. These proposed rules were published in FY
1999. (See also the PBT Initiative in the Risk Reduction chapter.)
The TRI Program is being moved from OPPT to the newly established Office of Envi-
ronmental Information in EPA. This office will support the Agency's mission of protect-
ing public health and the environment by integrating quality environmental information to make it
useful for informing decisions, improving information management, documenting performance,
and measuring success. It is anticipated that a process will be developed for stakeholder
consultation to assist this new office with addressing a broad range of information-related issues,
including TRI concerns.
1996 and 1997 Data Release
Reports
Each year, EPA prepares a data release report that
summarizes the TRI data for the current and previous
years. In FY 1998, the report was significantly expanded
from previous years to include analyses of TRI data for
OPPT \\orks in provide understandable, accessible, and
complete information on chemical risks to the broadest
audience possible. B\ promoting public understanding, OPPT
supports better public decisions about how to protect human
health and the environment.
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Understa
Community Right-to-Know
Changes in Total Releases, 1988-1997
4000
3000
2000
1000
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996
1989 1991 1993 1995 1997
each of the 20 industry sectors covered by the current reporting requirements. Because this
required much additional analysis, OPPT prepared the data release report in two stages. In the
first stage, OPPT prepared the national-level analysis of the 1996 TRI data and data analyses
for each of five industry sectors. This report was issued in June 1998. In the second stage,
OPPT prepared analyses of the remaining 15 industry sectors that report to the TRI. This
report was released January 1999.
The 1997 TRI Public Data Release focuses on TRI data at the national level for calendar year
1997. For comparison purposes, this report also provides basic data for the preceding year
(1996), for the new baseline year (1995), for the period since the Pollution Prevention Act
mandated collection of waste management data (1991), and for the original baseline year
(1988). This report was released in May 1999. For more information, contact Michelle Price,
(202) 260-3372.
1996 TRI Data
For 1996,21,626 facilities filed 71,381 TRI reporting forms. These facilities reported on- and
off-site releases of 2.43 billion pounds of toxic chemicals, a decrease of about 97 million pounds
32
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PuHk I nderslanding ol Bisks
Community Right-to-Know
1996-1997 Toxics Information
On-Slte
(MINIMI« row*)
Releases
Waste Management
Recycling
1996-7.843
1997-7.987
Energy Recovery
1996-2,762
1997-3,806
Underground Injection Land
1996-204 1996-309
Treatment
1996-7,140
1997,^7.013
from 1995. This continues a down ward trend in total releases of toxic chemicals since 1988.
Releases decreased about 46 percent between 1988 and 1996.
Air emissions for 1996 totaled 1.45 billion pounds, or almost 60 percent of all releases in 1996.
Emissions to water totaled about
173 million pounds, or about 7
percent of all releases. Emissions
to land on-site accounted for
about 13 percent of releases, and
transfers off-site for disposal
accounted for about 12 percent
of all releases.
Total quantities of reported
production-related wastes have
remained roughly constant since
1991, when collection of waste
management data began. Look-
ing only at chemicals that have
been reported since 1991, total
production-related wastes
increased slightly between 1995
and 1996, from 22.6 billion
pounds in 1995 to 23.4 billion
pounds in 1996. This includes the
toxic chemicals that were re-
cycled, burned for energy recov-
ery, treated, or released as
described above. For more
information, contact Michelle
Price, (202) 260-3372.
1997TRIData
For 1997,21,490 facilities filed
71.670 TRI reporting forms.
These facilities reported on- and
off-site releases of 2.58 billion pounds of toxic chemicals, an increase of 56.1 million pounds
from 1996. This increase appears to be due to a number of facilities shifting from the
recycling to disposal of metals. Despite this slight increase, EPA does believe that
there will continue to be decreases in environmental releases over the long term.
Releases decreased about 43 percent between 1988 and 1997.
Air emissions for 1997 totaled 1.33 billion pounds, or almost 52 percent of all
releases in 1997. Emissions to water totaled 218.4 million pounds, or 8.5
percent of all releases. Emissions to land on-site accounted for 13.5
percent of releases, and transfers off-site for disposal accounted for about
18 percent of all releases. Underground injection accounted for 8.5
percent of all releases.
Total quantities of reported production-related wastes increased 8.3
percent or 1.54 billion pounds (after three facility revisions are consid-
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Public Understanding of L'isks
ered)from 18.44 billion pounds in 1991 to 19.98 billion pounds in 1997. This includes the
toxic chemicals that were recycled, burned for energy recovery, treated, or released as de-
scribed above. The net increase from 1991 to 1997 appears to be driven by an increase in
recycling (increase of 18.3 percent) and treatment (increase of 20.4 percent). For more
information, contact Michelle Price, (202) 260-3372.
Training, Guidance, and Stakeholder Outreach
In 1997, EPA issued a final rule requiring approximately 6,100 facilities in seven additional
industry sectors to begin TRI reporting. These newly added industry sectors were required to
submit their first TRI reports by July 1, 1999. During FY 1998-99, OPPT developed guidance
for the seven new industries and conducted 20 workshops for the newly added industries on
how to comply with their reporting obligations. OPPT also updated the reporting guidance for
the "old" industries and conducted over 20 general training sessions around the country during
Spring 1998. In FY 1999. OPPT continued its industry outreach efforts by conducting 22
general and focused training workshops and updated its guidance for industries subject to TRI
reporting requirements.
Following the industry expansion rule, EPA committed to conducting an intensive dialogue with
stakeholders regarding ways to improve TRI reporting and to reduce the burden of reporting.
As part of that commitment, OPPT formed an advisory committee under the National Advisory
Council on Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) to advise the Agency on those
issues. The committee met eight times between September 1997 and October 1998 and
submitted a report to the Agency in May 1999. The committee report summarizes its work and
recommendations in three areas: burden reduction, revisions to Form R, and data release. The
Agency also held seven public meetings around the country in late 1997 and 1998 to obtain
public comment on these same issues. For more information, access the website at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri or contact Amy Newman, (202) 260-1846.
Proposed Rule for TRI Reporting of Persistent
Bioaccumulative Toxic Chemicals
To implement the third component of Vice President Gore's Chemical Right-to-Know Initiative
(see the Safer Chemicals chapter), OPPT developed a proposed rule to modify and expand
current TRI reporting requirements for PBT chemicals. (See also the PBT Initiative in the Risk
Reduction chapter.) This proposed rule is intended to lower the TRI reporting thresholds for
PBT chemicals and to add certain other PBT chemicals to the EPCRA Section 313 list of toxic
chemicals. Currently, facilities that manufacture or process less than 25,000 pounds or other-
wise use less than 10,000 pounds of a listed chemical in a given year do not need to report their
chemical releases under TRI. Lowering these thresholds for PBTs will assure that we get
reporting on almost all releases of these chemicals. These PBT chemicals are of particular
concern not only because they are toxic but because they remain in the environment for long
periods of time, are not readily destroyed, and build up or accumulate in body tissue. Relatively
small releases of PBT chemicals can pose human and environmental health threats. These
chemicals warrant recognition by communities as potential health threats and as such need to be
captured by the TRI Right-to-Know Program.
The existing reporting thresholds do not adequately ensure that the public has access to informa-
tion about the quantities of the PBT chemicals that enter their communities from local industrial
facilities. Facilities that manufacture, process and/or use PBT chemicals are not reporting many
of the releases and other waste management associated with these chemicals. By lowering the
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Public Understanding of Disks
existing thresholds, EPA believes the public will have access to basic environmental data about
PBT chemicals. The proposed rule was published in January 1999. All comments are being
reviewed and the final rule is expected in the first quarter of FY 2000. For more information,
contact Dan Bushman, (202) 260-3882.
Lower Threshold Proposed for Lead TRI Reporting
In a proposed rule published in August 1999, EPA is proposing to lower the threshold for
reporting of lead releases to TRI. Lead remains in the environment for long periods of time and
is toxic to humans, especially to children. Children and developing fetuses are known to absorb
lead more readily than adults, and once in the body, lead is distributed to the blood, bone, and
soft tissue. Children exposed to lead can suffer from damage to the brain and central nervous
system, slow growth, hyperactivitiy, and behavior and learning problems. Adults exposed to
lead can suffer difficulties during pregnancy, high blood pressure, nervous disorders, and
memory concentration problems.
Currently, facilities are not required to report their lead and lead compound releases to the air,
water, and land unless they manufacture or process more than 25,000 pounds annually or use
more than 10,000 pounds annually. These high thresholds severely limit the reporting of lead and
lead compounds. Under the proposed rule, the reporting thresholds would be lowered to 10
pounds per facility per year and substantially increase the amount of information made available
to the public through TRI by about 13 percent, or 15,000 reports. The comment period for the
proposed rule extends through the first quarter of FY 2000. For more information, contact Dan
Bushman, (202) 260-3882.
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers
Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) is the term used worldwide for systems similar to
TRI. When the United States initiated TRI in 1987, there were only two PRTR systems in the world.
Today, there are seven, with many more in development. It is expected that in the next five to 10
years, over 40countries will have PRTR systems.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), comprised of 29 industrial-
ized countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America, has created a guidance document for
nations to use when developing PRTR systems. An OECD program is promoting PRTR coopera-
tion among member nations. United Nations organizations have been working with industrializing
nations to design PRTR systems. Canada, Mexico, and the United States are cooperating to enhance
the ability to compare and aggregate PRTR data across all three countries.
In September 1998, OECD, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and
the United Nations Environment Programme conducted an international conference
on PRTRs in Tokyo, Japan. OPPT represented the United States and co-chaired
the conference with Japan. In addition to showcasing the progress on the
Japanese PRTR, the conference highlighted the needs for public involvement
and access, the importance of a centralized national PRTR database, and
the role of facility-specific and mandatory reporting. The conference's final
communique encouraged OECD, in its survey of national PRTR systems,
to highlight the aspects of those systems that countries identified as
important.
The results from the Japanese conference, the OECD survey, and deci-
sions by the PRTR Coordination Group (a group that promotes interna-
tional cooperation on PRTRs) will be discussed at an international confer-
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Public Understanding of Disks
The TRI
Information
Kit
The TRI
Information Kit,
which explains
what TRI is, how it
can help
communities, and
how to access the
data electronically,
is available from
the National Center
for Environmental
Publications and
Information
(NCEPI) by calling
(800)490-9198,
reference
document number
EPA-749-K-98-001.
ence on chemicals management in October 2000. This meeting, to be held in Brazil, will take
steps to promote the chemicals issues identified by the Earth Summit in advance of its tenth
anniversary in 2002. A special session on PRTRs will be held at the meeting that will focus on
the role of PRTRs in improving the ability of nations to manage chemicals. For more information,
contact John Harmon, (202) 260-6395.
In the Regions
During FY 1998, Region 2 was invited by the Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers to present
information on how the TRI program was implemented in the United States and how TRI has been
used by the government, industry, and the general public to reduce pollution and identify areas of
health and environmental concerns. The region also gave a presentation in Mexico to assist the
development of the Mexican PRTR and hosted a one-day TRI and Pollution Prevention presenta-
tion for a Slovak delegation that was exploring the possibility to implement such a program in their
country. For more information, contact Nora Lopez, (732) 906-6890.
Region 5 conducted 20 compliance assistance workshops for industry during FY 1998-99.
Some were conducted at the request of and in partnership with trade associations. TRI pro-
vides communities with data so they can make informed decisions regarding environmental
concerns in their communities. However, communities must be aware of the data, know how to
access it, and understand the data so they can make use of it. Region 5 conducted 12 commu-
nity TRI outreach activities for teachers, students, and children during FY 1998 and 29 in FY
1999. For more information, contact Thelma Codina, (312) 886-6219.
Region 9 has developed a brochure, A Citizen's Guide to Reducing Toxic Risks, that gives
step-by-step instructions on accessing TRI data through the Internet, lists community resources
to help analyse the data, and provides concrete examples of how TRI data has been used by
community and environmental groups in California and Arizona. The brochure was distributed to
over 1,000 community groups, state and local agencies, tribal organizations, and pollution
prevention offices and is available from the regional office at (415) 744-1109.
To promote collaboration between community groups experienced in using TRI data and groups
with less experience or less access to computer resources, the region funded Communities for a
Better Environment, a local environmental group with substantial experience using TRI data, to
hold three workshops in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Workshop attendees were given
hands-on computer experience as they explored what facilities are located in their neighbor-
hoods, which toxic pollutants are being released to the air, water, and ground, and how to
evaluate the risks associated with these releases. For more information, contact Patty Monahan,
(415)744-1109.
TRI Education Product
In FY 1998, OPPT developed teaching materials for junior and senior high school students on
TRI through a grant with the National Science Teachers Association. The materials, developed
by science and social studies teachers, introduce and encourage the use of large databases as an
education tool in the classroom. OPPT sponsored this effort to provide a greater understanding
of the usefulness of TRI data and to help make environmental information in general more
relevant for educational purposes. The materials include the following:
TRI CD-ROM and Users' Manual—provides information that points the way to potential
exposures and hazards in our communities.
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Public Understand)!;.
The Toxics Release Inventory Teachers Guide—an activity book that brings real-world data
into the classroom and gives students a solid understanding of the scientific concepts related to
toxic releases.
Getting Started—a road map of suggestions and ideas for how to introduce environmental
education in the classroom.
EPA's Guide to Environmental Issues—general background information on the environment,
including definitions, a discussion of environmental programs, common questions, and govern-
ment resources.
Database Basics—specific tools for working with data that can be used to support activities
requiring the use and understanding of the TRI database.
For more information, contact Georgianne McDonald, (202) 260-4182.
Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators Model
OPPT has developed a multimedia environmental indicators model, the Risk-Screening Envi-
ronmental Indicators (RSEI) model, to investigate the risk-related aspects of toxic chemical
releases in the United States. The model currently provides a measure of the impacts of TRI
Chemicals on the general population. This screening-level tool presents a risk-related perspec-
tive, as well as a hazard-based perspective, of trends in environmental well-being as a function
of chronic human health. The flexibility of the indicators model provides users with the opportu-
nity to examine trends, to rank and prioritize chemicals for strategic planning, to conduct risk-
related targeting for enforcement and compliance purposes, to perform disparate impact evalua-
tions, and to support community-based environmental protection projects.
The Indicators have been under development since 1991 as an OPPT strategy responsive to
the 1990 EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) recommendations. The methodology was
reviewed by the SAB in 1997 and has been modified to reflect comments the Agency has
received. Many potential applications of this screening-level tool are now being explored within
OPPT and with outside collaborators (including states, regions and academicians).
The beta-tested, air-only version of the Indicator model was released July 1999 under several
Freedom of Information Act requests. The Indicator model is designed to run on a PC using
Microsoft Windows and is available on CD-ROM from the TSCA Assistance Information
Service, (202) 554-1404orTsca-hotline@epa.gov. For more information, see the website at
www.epa.gov/opptintr/envjind/index.html01 contact Nicolaas W. Bouwes, (202) 260-1622
or Steven M. Hassur, (202) 260-1735.
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking
OPPT is contributing to a new Agency program for working with communities
to collect, manage, and present environmental information. The program.
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking
(EMPACT), administered primarily by the Agency's Office of Environ-
mental Information, aims to prov ide timely, accurate, and understandable
environmental information available to millions of people in the largest
metropolitan areas across the country so that communities and individuals
can make informed decisions about their local environments. EMPACT is
a four-year program designed to make Right-to-Know a keystone of
U.S. environmental protection.
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Public Understrmding of Qisks
In FY1998, OPPT developed an EMPACT project to improve tools for risk assessment, air
toxics screening, and risk communication using two OPPT tools—the risk-screening methodol-
ogy used in the Baltimore Community Partnership and the Environmental Indicators Model
described above. In collaboration with Regions 1 and 7, communities in St. Louis. Missouri,
and Lawrence, Massachusetts, are now using the Baltimore methodology to collect and inter-
pret data on their local air quality. Based on these experiences, OPPT will further refine the
methodology and make it available for use in other cities. For more information, contact Hank
Topper, (202)260-1540.
Region 5 Environmental Actions for Children's Health
Initiative
In FY 1998, Region 5 launched its children's health initiative by establishing a multidisciplinary
and multimedia workgroup under the direct sponsorship of the Deputy Regional Administrator.
The group, known as Region 5 Environmental Actions for Children's Health (REACH). is
promoting greater protection of children's health through environmental management activities.
To date, REACH has sponsored a number of workshops:
• "Children at Risk Conference: Environmental Health Issues in the Great Lakes Region,"
was held in partnership with the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry
(ATSDR) and convened during July 1998 in Chicago.
• The Environmental Watch (Workshop on Actions to Take for Children's Health), held in
June 1999 in partnership with ATSDR and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Sen ices (HHS), was aimed at developing community-based approaches to promoting
children's health issues.
The workgroup also established a link with the Federal Interagency Task Force on Children's
Health Outreach, launched a monthly educational seminar series on varying topics concerning
children's health, posted an Internet website, and created a regionwide database of all reported
cases of elevated blood lead in children along with a corresponding set of statewide geographic
information system maps showing their geographic distribution. Work has begun on a scientific
literature review in an effort to identify and prioritize environmental health risks to children that
may be of greatest concern to this unique part of the country. For more information, contact
Phi! King, (312) 353-9062.
Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative
OPPT contributes to a cooperative effort to address cumulative exposure, hazard, and risk
issues affecting residents of Cook County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana. The effort, called
the Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative (CCRI), has its origins in a 1996 petition from 11 com-
munity advocacy groups requesting that EPA regulate air deposits of dioxins, furans, mercury,
cadmium, and lead from incinerators in the two counties. Members of CCRI include EPA
Region 5, the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Air and Radiation, the Office
of Environmental Justice, Indiana and Illinois officials, and 11 Chicago-area advocacy groups.
CCRI is developing a cumulative "environmental loading profile" to catalog the source and
nature of toxic emissions; a PC-based program to analyze emissions and ambient data from
the study area; a cumulative risk analysis of the significant environmental hazards, their
sources and exposure pathways, risks of various health effects from multiple exposure
sources and pathways, and locations and other characteristics defining sensitive populations;
and, pollution prevention and remediation activities. For more information, contact Phyllis
Reed, (312)886-6018.
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Public Line
Consumer Labeling Initiative
EPA introduced The Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) in March 1996 to foster pollution preven-
tion, empower consumer choice, and improve consumer understanding of safe use. environmental,
and health information on household consumer product labels. By making essential information on
labels easier to use. consumers will be better able to make informed choices among products and
to use those products safely. The CLI is a voluntary, cooperative effort involving EPA. other
federal and state agencies, industry trade associations, consumer product manufacturers, and other
interested groups. Begun as a multi-phased pilot project, the CLI focuses on indoor insecticides,
outdoor pesticides, and household antimicrobial and hard surface cleaning products.
. User
Friendly
Labels:
Simple language,
clearer format.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Common names for
chemical ingredients.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
Bulleted or numbered text, in
simple, easy-to-follow words
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS:
Bulleted text with clear
descriptions and no jargon.
FIRST AID:
Medically correct, simple instructions -
may appear in a box or table and
have an emergency phone number
nearby.
Label changes have already appeared on many consumer pesticide products as a result of CLI
research and recommendations arising from Phase I of the project. These changes include the use
of common names rather than complex chemical names for active ingredients, the label heading
"First Aid" in place of the old heading "Statement of Practical Treatment," the elimination of the
misleading term "inert" from ingredients listings, and inclusion of toll-free telephone numbers for
information. Simplified, medically correct first aid instructions will be added soon.
In FY 1998, Phase II of the CLI involved consumers across the country in two
major research studies. This research established a baseline of current consumer
behavior, including what information consumers read on labels, when they
consult it, and what portions of labels they find difficult to locate or compre-
hend. The research also tested alternative label language and formats to
determine whether they would help consumers. In addition, Phase El
activities included analytical policy work on ingredient identification and the
development of storage and disposal language that is consistent with local
trash, household hazardous waste, and recycling programs. A consumer
education program also began with a nationwide campaign to "Read the
Label First!"
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Public Understanding of Disks
The CLI is linked closely with other EPA programs on pesticide labeling, risk and hazard
communication activities, all environmental labeling policy activities and programs, pollution
prevention, trade and environment activities, and environmentally preferable procurement. For
more information, contact Mary Dominiak, (202) 260-7768.
OPPT Tribal Program
OPPT has made significant progress in building an effective partnership with Indian tribes to
protect and safeguard the environment on native lands. In FY1998-99, OPPT implemented a
tribal program to improve communications with the tribes. OPPT published a package of informa-
tion about OPPT programs with staff contacts, Internet access, grants information, and a quarterly
tribal newsletter. During FY 1999, the newsletter combined news about EPA's tribal program with
the news of tribal activities to encourage the exchange of information between the tribes and EPA.
hi addition, OPPT funded tribal activities through the Pollution Prevention Incentives for States
and Environmental Justice grants as well as the lead program outreach and accreditation and
certification grants. The approximate total of funding awarded to tribes through these programs
in FY 1998 was $2.9 million. Approximately $3.5 million has been set aside in FY 1999 for
tribal grants in these programs.
In FY 1998-99, OPPT developed and presented a training session for Agency managers
entitled "Working Effectively with Tribal Governments," which introduced managers to tribal
culture, history, and the issues inherent in implementing EPA's Indian program. For more infor-
mation, contact Mary Lauterbach, (202) 260-9563.
Forum of State and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA)
The Forum of State and Tribal Toxics Action (FOSTTA) is a mechanism for states and tribal
environmental and health officials to provide EPA with valuable expertise from the community
perspective. FOSTTA representatives participate in the following activities: the Chemical Man-
agement Project; the Lead Project; the Pollution Prevention Project; the Tribal Affairs Work
Group; and, the TRI'Project. For more information, contact Darlene Harrod, (202) 260-6904,
OPPT's Small Business Outreach Framework
40
OPPT has developed the Small Business Outreach Framework, a comprehensive ap-
proach to communicating with small businesses specifically on toxics issues. The Frame-
work contains the following components:
• Analyze impacts of EPA's regulatory proposals on small entities. v v
• Involve small entity stakeholders. *
• Mitigate negative impacts on small entities.
• Ensure that the GPRA performance measures include small business needs.
• Develop an interactive outreach program on OPPT's home page.
• Establish a small business e-mail and subdirectory database.
• Establish a small business ombudsman to answer questions from small businesses on
issues pertaining to OPPT.
• Convene regular meetings with the small business community to discuss OPPT issues
that impact them.
• Schedule visits to small businesses to better understand their concerns.
For more information, contact Phil Robinson, (202) 260-3910.
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Pollution Prevention
Pollution Prevention in the Health
Care Industry
OPPT is working with the members of the National Associa-
tion of County and City Health Officials to improve the ability
of local health officials to integrate source reduction into solu-
tions to community health concerns and environmental prob-
lems. In FY 1998, OPPT demonstrated the utility of geo-
graphic information systems (GIS) by local health departments
for use in zoning decisions, land-use planning, pollution pre-
vention, and environmental compliance activities through the de-
velopment of fact sheets and case studies. In FY 1999, OPPT
planned GIS pilots with specific communities and local health de-
partments using TRI and other available environmental and health
data. For more information, contact Julie Shannon, (202) 260-2736.
The Agency is also involved in waste reduction efforts in the health care
industry. In FY 1 998, OPPT, EPA's Region 5 and the American Hospital As-
sociation (AHA) signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work on the
following:
• Virtually eliminate mercury waste generated by hospitals by 2005.
• Reduce overall hospital waste by 33 percent by 2005 and 50 percent by 20 1 0.
• Jointly identify additional substances to target for pollution prevention and waste
reduction opportunities.
EPA will provide information to AHA members and other health care professionals on
pollution prevention (P2) opportunities. For more information, contact Holly El wood,
(202) 260-4362 or Chen Wen, (202) 260-4109.
OPPT promotes pollution prevention as an alternative to end-of-pipe controls through
programs and activities to reduce or eliminate waste at the source.
EPA's Environmental Justice Through Pollution
Prevention Program
The EPA Environmental Justice Through Pollution Prevention (EJP2) program strives to help reduce
environmental risks in disadvantaged and minority communities largely through grants to promote
pri v ate and public partnerships. Since the program started in 1 995. EJP2 has issued 1 79 grants
worth approximately $ 14.2 million. During FY 1 998, 44 new grants totaling over $3.5 million were
awarded. FY 1999 funding levels totaled $750,000 available for awards. OPPT is in the process of
evaluating more than 1 20 applications received for the FY 1999 grant period. Also in FY 1999,
OPPT started evaluating programs and developing case study reports to assess the successes and
challenges encountered by EJP2 grant recipients since the program's inception. For more informa-
tion, contact Louise Little, (202) 260-4341 .
-
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I
In the Regions
An "Environmental Justice Through P2" grant in Region 9 led to a solvent phase-out rule in the
Los Angeles (LA) Basin. Rule 1171. passed by the South Coast Air Quality Management
District, will result in the conversion of 40 thousand cleaning operations to water-based cleaning
and will eliminate the release of 10 tons of volatile organic compounds per day in the LA Basin.
The Voluntary Initiative for Source Reduction
In an unusual collaboration, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Dow Chemi-
cal Company, with funding from OPPT, evaluated several plant processes at Dow's Midland.
Michigan, facility for pollution prevention opportunities. With the expertise of a P2 expert. Dow
reduced nearly seven million pounds of wastes and emissions over two years while saving the
facility over $5 million dollars.
The effort resulted in significant savings and reductions as well as important lessons learned for
future collaborations:
• Exceeded 35 percent reduction goals by reducing targeted emissions by 43 percent, from
one million to 593,000 pounds and targeted wastes by 37 percent, from 17.5 million to 11
million pounds.
General Flow Diagram: Ion Exchange
Methanol, Formaldehyde, HCI. catalyst
and polymer
Reaction
Vent Gas to Vent
Incinerator
- Chloromethane 820,000
Product
Separation
Recovery
I
Product to finishing
Packaging
Tars and Raw Materials
to WWTP:
- Formaldehyde 1,300,000
Changes to Dow's Ion Exchange process—a process that produces resins used in water treatment
for industrial and residential use—required $330,000 to make changes to equipment that are
expected to save $3.3 million per year In raw materials and waste treatment costs. During the Ion
Exchange process, wastes such as Chloromethane and tars are produced. Dow and the project's
P2 expert focused on reducing tar formation and increasing recovery of raw materials.
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Pollution Prevention
• Reductions will save Dow approximately $5.4 million annually and investments made to
attain the reductions will pay for themselves in less than one year for an overall rate of
return of 180 percent.
• Significant opportunities exist both to reduce wastes and emissions and to save companies
considerable money.
• Barriers to the identification and implementation of these opportunities are largely institu-
tional.
• The two most important ingredients for success in projects such as these are innovative
engineering focused exclusively on P2 and direct communication of informed activists with
manufacturing managers and engineers.
• Institutional change on the part of the manufacturer is far more difficult to achieve and
measure than individual reductions at a given plant.
The challenge now is to share the results and lessons of the Midland project and enlist more
facilities to achieve further significant reductions and cost-savings through the Voluntary Initiative
for Source Reduction (VISR). OPPT is working with NRDC to identify new partners for the
effort and is considering various roles for government such as the formation of a team of pollu-
tion prevention experts to assist facilities in the identification of prevention opportunities along
with an outside steering committee. Such an expert team and committee may be linked to a
progressive trade group with multi-stakeholder representation. Regions and State P2 Technical
Assistance Programs may aid the program by identifying additional facilities for NRDC pilots,
following the NRDC-Dow model or implementing similar reductions, through their already
active assistance efforts. For more information, see the website at www.nrdc.org/nrdcpro/msri/
msriinx.html or contact Dave Kling, (202) 260-3557 or John Shoaff, (202) 260-1831.
Environmental Accounting Project
OPPT's Environmental Accounting Project (EAP), launched in 1992. encourages businesses to
understand the environmental costs incurred from their processes. In FY 1998, EAP developed
the following resources for businesses to address many of the key recommendations garnered
through that process:
• Valuing Potential Environmental Liabilities for Managerial Decision Making: A
Review of Available Techniques, a report that describes publicly available approaches
and tools that have been developed specifically for estimating the monetary value of
potential, preventable environmental liability costs.
• Searching for the Profit in Pollution Prevention: Case Studies in the Corporate
Evaluation of Environmental Opportunities, a report by James Boyd of
Resources for the Future that presents findings on the decision-making pro-
cesses surrounding pollution prevention investments at three large chemical
manufacturing organizations—Dow, Monsanto, and Dupont.
• An environmental health and safety cost management handbook to
guide medium-to-large sized manufacturing organizations in the devel-
opment of environmental accounting initiatives.
In addition, OPPT established a partnership with Best!Ware and
Peachtree Inc.. the makers of M.Y.O.B. Accounting and Peachtree
Office Accounting respectively, to integrate environmental accounting
concepts fully into their software for small and medium-sized businesses.
For more information, see the website at www.epa.gov/opptintr/acctg or
contact Kris Pierre. (202) 260-3068 or Susan McLaughlin. (202) 260-3844.
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44
Common Sense Initiative: Computer and Electronics
Sector
After a four year effort, EPA concluded the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) in March 1999 and
began implementing 26 recommendations made by the participating workgroups for changing
many of the Agency's traditional approaches to environmental protection. The effort has won a
Vice Presidential Hammer Award. OPPT. in collaboration with EPA Regions 1 and 9. convened
a series of meetings with stakeholders in the computer and electronics industries to develop nine
recommendations. The following activities are part of the Agency's implementation of those
recommendations:
• Two websites have been developed: one. at www.pwbrc.org, provides resources for
companies who need to know what environmental reports to file and the other, at
www.chemicalspill.org, provides information for communities near facilities who want to
know how to protect themselves in case of accidents.
• EPA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and National Institute for Occupa-
tional Safety and Health held a symposium in June 1999 to find ways to minimize risk
shifting between workers and their environment.
• Revisions of a regulation under the Resource Conser-
vation and Recovery Act are currently underway
by EPA's Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (OSWER) for
removing barriers to recovery and
recycling of cathode ray tubes
(CRTs).
• OPPT formed an electronic products
recovery and recycling roundtable to
address the growing quantity of
computer electronics equipment
showing up in waste streams. See
the website at www.epr2@nsc.org.
For more information contact, Chris
Tirpak, (202) 260-7538 or John
Bowser, (202) 260-1771.
Design for the Environment Program
The Design for the Environment (DfE) Program is a voluntary, partnership-based program that
assists businesses with integrating environmental concerns into the traditional parameters of cost
and performance. Of DfE's numerous projects ongoing in FY 1998-99, six are highlighted
below. For more information, see the DfE Web site at www.epa.gov/dfe or contact the
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) at (202) 260-1023.
Fabricare Processes
In September of 1998, the DfE Fabricare partnership completed the Cleaner Technologies
Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) for Professional Fabricare Processes. This partnership works
with the dry-cleaning industry to reduce exposure to perchloroethylene (perc). a solvent used by
many cleaners. The CTSA, developed for environmental health and safety personnel, garment
care shop owners, and equipment manufacturers, presents information on existing dry-cleaning
processes involving perc and hydrocarbons, as well as emerging technologies such as wet
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Pollution Prevention
Color Monitor Production 1994-2001
cleaning and liquid carbon dioxide. It also provides industry with specific cost, risk, and perfor-
mance information, as well as comparative environmental information on existing and new
cleaning technologies and substitute solvents. In addition, the project partners developed a
summary of the program along with a CTSA fact sheet, and a Frequently Asked Questions
document. For more information, contact Cindy Stroup, (202) 260-3889.
Computer Displays
The DfE Program initiated the DfE Computer Display Project, a voluntary partnership with the
display industry in FY 1998. The partnership will use both life-cycle assessment (LCA) and
cleaner technologies
substitutes assessment
techniques to evaluate
the life-cycle environ-
mental impacts, perfor-
mance, and costs of
cathode ray tube (CRT)
and flat panel (liquid
crystal) display (LCD)
technologies used for
desktop computers.
During FY 1999, the
project partners have
completed the goal
definition and scoping
phase of the LCA, and
are now engaged in the
life-cycle inventory
phase. The life-cycle
impacts assessment
phase of the study will
include the impact
categories that will be
considered—resource
consumption, energy
use, water use, landfill
space use (hazardous
and non-hazardous),
global warming, ozone depletion, photochemical smog, acidification, air quality
(particulates), water eutrophication, water quality, human health toxicity (occupa-
tional and public), ecotoxicity (aquatic and terrestrial), and aesthetics (odor).
The DfE Program will provide the results of the study to original equipment,
display, and component manufacturers and encourage them to make environ-
mentally-informed decisions about which technologies, materials, and
processes to use in manufacturing their electronic equipment, displays, and
components. Another goal of the DfE Computer Display Project is to
identify the environmental strengths and challenges of each type of technol-
ogy, and determine which components, processes, or aspects of the
technologies could be redesigned or modified to reduce overall environmen-
tal impacts. This project will fill a critical environmental information gap
With production of flat panel displays expected to exceed CRT display
production by the year 2001, it will be critical to understand the
environmental impact of this new technology.
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Pollution Prevention
before flat panel displays make significant gains in the desktop monitor market currently dominated
by CRTs. For more information, contact Kathy Hart, (202) 260-1707 or Dipti Singh, (202) 260-
3436.
Printed Wiring Boards
In FY 1998, DfE Printed Wiring Board (PWB) Project participants completed a final CTSA for
the "making holes conductive" step of the PWB manufacturing process. The alternatives exam-
ined can replace a current technology that uses formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals, con-
sumes large quantities of water and energy, and generates a significant amount of hazardous waste.
Project participants also produced a CTSA summary report, a second report on pollution preven-
tion and control technology in the PWB industry as well as two additional pollution prevention case
studies.
In FY 1999, the DfE project partnership team completed a performance demonstration as part of
a second CTSA assessment to evaluate several lead-free alternative surface-finishing technologies
that can replace the "hot air solder leveling" process. The potential health and environmental risks,
performance, costs, and natural resource requirements of the surface-finishing technologies are
being evaluated in the CTSA by May 2000. For more information, contact Kathy Hart, (202)
260-1707 or Dipti Singh at (202) 260-3436.
Industrial and Institutional Laundry Partnership
Each year, laundry product formulators use billions of pounds of chemical ingredients to make
detergents that ultimately are released into the environment in laundry waste water. The DfE
Industrial and Institutional Laundry Initiative offers partnership with and recognition for companies
that improve the environmental profile of laundry products and processes. Innovative and im-
proved laundry formulations contain ingredients with lower toxicity, fewer toxic byproducts, less
potential to bioaccumulate, and more rapid biodegradability.
In FY 1998, the DfE Program signed its second partnership agreement with Anderson Chemical
Co. of Minnesota. The DfE Program focused much of its FY 1998 activities on the development
and distribution of technical support materials. In FY 1999, DfE formed partnerships with two
other companies, Noramtech Corporation of Missouri and Norchem Corporation of California.
Partnership negotiations are underway with several other companies. In addition, EPA's Consid-
erations for Partnership Paper describes various pollution prevention-type attributes for achiev-
ing improved and innovative laundry formulations. For more information, contact David DiFiore,
(202) 260-3374, Carol Hetfield, (202) 260-1745, or Mary Cushmac, (202) 260-4443.
Small Auto Refinish Pilot Project in Philadelphia
Across the United States, there are 65,000 autorefinish shops, employing about 500,000
workers that use many potentially harmful chemicals such as solvents, diisocyanates, and paint
additives during spray painting and other related activities. Diisocyanates, which are very toxic
at low levels, are produced in high volume with widespread exposure to millions of workers,
consumers, and people living in the vicinity of manufacture, processing, and use. OPPT's DfE
Program is working with the auto refinishing industry to identify and adopt safer, cleaner, and
more efficient practices and technologies that prevent pollution and reduce exposures to hazard-
ous materials.
During FY 1998-99, DfE completed 12 comprehensive site visits at partner shops, observed
shop operations, gathered information on improved equipment and practices, identified best
practices, and recommended areas for improvement. For example, some shops have switched
from conventional paint spray guns to high-volume, low-pressure guns that can increase paint
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Pollution Prevention
transfer efficiency by 25 percent, reduce paint over spray, save material costs, and reduce
worker exposure and air emissions to the surrounding community. As part of the DfE project,
partner shopowners and autorefmishers meet to exchange information on their successes and
difficulties in making improvements and potential solutions.
DfE is coordinating its efforts with EPA's Region 3, the City of Philadelphia, and state programs.
DfE is working with the Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (C-CAR) small
business compliance assistance center to develop a virtual autobody web site to disseminate
information materials and link to other relevant websites. DfE is also coordinating with Iowa
Waste Reduction Center's STAR program to train painters in more efficient spraying techniques
that reduce paint over spray. For more information, see the website at www.epa.gov/dfe or
contact Mary Cushmac, (202) 260-4443, Carol Hetfield, (202) 260-1745, or David DiFiore,
(202) 260-3374.
Environmental Education Through Community College Partnership
DfE formed an alliance with the Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE)
network to promote DfE approaches and P2 strategies to community, vocational/technical, and
tribal colleges nationwide.
In FY 1998-99, the DfE-PETE Alliance sponsored the following activities: 10 regional instruc-
tor resource workshops; four P2 in Chemistry workshops; the development of a P2 curriculum
module for the lithographic printing process; a revision of the P2 in Automotive Repair curricu-
lum module in coordination with EPA Region 9 staff; and a P2 in Automotive Repair workshop.
The DfE-PETE Alliance is also active in the tribal education community through activities such
as two tribal college instructor workshops, the development of needs and capabilities profile of
the tribal colleges and communities, and a forum on tribal education. For more information,
contact Carol Hetfield, (202) 260-1745 or Maria Hendriksson, (202) 260-8301.
Small Business Development Center Pilot Projects
Over the past three years, OPPT has funded pilot programs with the Vermont and Pennsylvania
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to demonstrate the value of providing preven-
tion-oriented environmental assistance to small firms. In FY 1998, at the end of its third and
final year, the Vermont pilot effort established a working relationship between the Vermont
SBDC, the Vermont Agency for Natural Resources, and the Retired Engineers and Profession-
als Program through which Vermont businesses are offered free, on-site pollution prevention
opportunity assessments.
In FY 1999, OPPT's pilot project with the Pennsylvania Small Business Center completed
its third and final year. Project staff responded to 90 requests for general information
about a broad range of topics: permitting and regulatory compliance; commercial-
ization of environmentally-sensitive products; energy efficiency; and pollution
prevention. For more information, contact Ed Weiler, (202) 260-2996.
Business Plan Review Service
The Business Plan Review Service (BPRS)—one of several support
services stimulated by OPPT and managed by the Environmental Capital
Network (ECN)—provides environmental technology entrepreneurs a
critique of their business plans by individuals who regularly invest in the
environmental technology industry.
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Pollution Prevention
In FY 1998, the Department of Agriculture contracted with the BPRS to review the business plans
of several companies that have obtained equity financing through its venture capital arm, the
Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation. The Department of Energy
(DOE) intends to include the BPRS with its services that support the commercialization of tech-
nologies developed by winners of various DOE technology development grants. Finally, ECN is
working with EPA's Office of Research and Development to market the BPRS to recent Phase
II winners of EPAs Small Business Innovation Research Program. For additional information,
contact Ed Weiler, (202) 260-2996.
In the Regions
A consent decree with the United Technologies Corporation offered a unique opportunity for Region
1 's Assistance and Pollution Prevention Office to evaluate the use of environmental management
systems. Region 1 also launched year two of their StarTrack Program for participating companies to
conduct compliance and environmental management system audits and to develop public environ-
mental performance reports.
With funding from EPA's Waste, Air, and Pollution Prevention programs, Region 8 has formed the
Colorado Ski Industry Project, a partnership with the state of Colorado and Aspen Skiing Company
aimed at finding new ways to prevent pollution, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money. Region
5 's U .S. Auto P2 Project continues to progress as participating companies reduce their use and
release of toxics and other materials of concern. The Auto Project is an example of a partnership
where the Agency invests start-up resources and the industry takes ownership of the project.
Voluntary Standards at EPA
The Voluntary Standards Network, established in 1993 by EPA's Administrator Carol Browner,
is the Agency's principal mechanism for coordinating activities related to voluntary standards.
With policy guidance from the EPA Standards Executive, the Network oversees the implemen-
tation of Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act and OMB
Circular A-119, which require federal agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in their
rule-writing and procurement activities. In FY 1998-99 the Standards Executive and the
Voluntary Standards Network accomplished the following:
• Drafted and coordinated the "EPA Position Statement on Environmental Management
Systems and ISO 14001."
• Developed an agencywide implementation plan for Section 12(d) of the National Technol-
ogy Transfer and Advancement Act and OMB Circular A-119.
• In cooperation with the Office of General Counsel and the rulewriters steering committee,
developed a voluntary standards checklist for Agency rulewriters, and began the develop-
ment of a more comprehensive guide for using and participating in the development of
voluntary standards.
• Coordinated Voluntary Standards policy with the Agency's Trade and Environment Steer-
ing Committee.
• In cooperation with EPA's Office of Water and Office of Reinvention, provided funding to
the Community Nutrition Institute and ECOLOGIA to increase non-governmental organi-
zation education, participation, and involvement in the ISO 14000 process and provided
grants to the Pacific Institute to conduct an analysis of ISO 14000 at the domestic and
international levels from a socio-economic perspective and to Georgia State University to
develop a model of companies implementing ISO 14001 in the United States.
For more information, contact Mary McKiel, (202) 260-3584, or Eric Wilkinson, (202) 260-3575.
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Pollution Prevention
Pollution Prevention in EPA Regulatory Programs
Since 1992, OPPT has introduced and promoted cross-media and pollution prevention
approaches in selected EPA rulemaking efforts beginning with the Source Reduction Review
Project (SRRP).
The Office Directors M2P2 Forum has targeted ten rulemaking projects in the Office of Air
and Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) for P2 consideration, seven rulemaking
projects in the Office of Water (OW), and programmatic activities in the offices of OAQPS,
OW, OSWER, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), and OPPT.
P2 questions have also been incorporated into the 10-year Maximum Achievable Control
Technology (MACT) Surface Coating Categories questionnaire designed for gathering informa-
tion to develop the MACT emission standards and in the Iron and Steel Effluent Guideline
Information Collection Request (ICR). These questionnaires have already been mailed to the
industrial facilities for data gathering.
OPPT and the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) are providing opportunities
for state program representatives to participate in Agency regulatory workgroups to promote
P2. Their involvement so far has helped to identify P2 case studies and key industry contacts
especially with small businesses. For more information on P2 in regulations, contact Kathy
Davey, (202) 260-2290 or Paul Matthai, (202) 260-3385.
Measuring the Effects of Pollution Prevention Activities
OPPT initiated a research project in FY 1998 to develop a statistical model to improve the
ability to determine the relationship between source reduction practices and changes in TRI
releases. This project will use a "weight of evidence" statistical model to assess the effects of
source reduction practices on the quantity of wastes generated by facilities reporting to the TRI
and to characterize the degree to which such facilities adopt waste management practices from
release to source reduction. The results of this project will be available in Fall 1999. Further,
as part of the National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS), many states
are entering into agreements with the Agency on core performance measures to evaluate their
environmental progress. For more information, contact Kris Pierre, (202) 260-3068.
In the Regions
In FY 1998, Region 3 sponsored a Waste Minimization/Pollution Prevention Technical
Conference for the regulatory community and those involved with pollution management and
pollution control. Region 5 presented its P2 Educational Toolbox to educators across the
region and nation. Regions 3 and 4 continue to promote the Waste Reduction
Resource Center, which provides access to over 2000 full text P2 references
downloadable from their library of 12,000 references.
The Pollution Prevention Assessment
Framework
In FY 1998-99, OPPT conducted three national workshops to demon-
strate how the P2 Assessment Framework—a compendium of com-
puter-based methods that derive important risk information based on
chemical structure—can be used in pollution prevention and product
stewardship initiatives. In addition, presentations and model demonstra-
tions have been conducted for industry organizations and other stakeholders.
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Pollution Prevention
The models presented in the P2 Framework have been developed over the past 20 years by
OPPT to screen new chemicals when there are no data. OPPT, the University of New Hamp-
shire, and Michigan Technological University have started several pilot projects with chemical
manufacturers and chemical users in several industry sectors to demonstrate how the P2 Frame-
work can be used to identify problem chemicals, reduce risk, and prevent pollution. Experience
to date indicates that the P2 Framework reduces R&D and product development costs, re-
duces time to market, and reduces waste management. To quantify savings to companies who
use the P2 Framework, OPPT and Kodak are conducting an Environmental Cost Accounting
Study (see description above). For more information, contact Bill Waugh, (202) 260- 3489 or
Maggie Wilson. (202) 260-3902.
P2 and Local Governments
OPPT works with several different local government organizations including the National
Association of Counties (NACo) (see Environmentally Preferable Purchasing), the National
Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) (see P2 and Health) and the
National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) Local Government Workgroup. In FY
1998-99, the NPPR workgroup developed P2 information for several local government opera-
tions such as waste water treatment for inclusion in OEC A's sector notebook entitled A Profile
of Local Government Operations. The NPPR workgroup used this document to conduct a
series of pollution prevention and compliance assistance training for local governments through-
out the country. For more information, contact Julie Shannon, (202) 260-2736.
In the Regions
Region 1 's Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians sponsored several projects to demonstrate best
management practices, including pollution prevention, in fields used for livestock in its water-
shed. Region 7's Community Based Activity includes developing a marketing strategy for
community based projects in the region. The strategy contains both pollution prevention and
community right-to-know activities.
NACo Partnership to Promote Environmentally Preferable
Procurement
The National Association of Counties (NACo) launched a campaign, under sponsorship of
OPPT, to assist counties in locating and selecting cost-effective products and services that
emphasize environmental attributes. NACo is campaigning to inform others that many products
with environmentally preferable features are available without compromising performance or
increasing price. NACo has a starter kit of case studies, model resolutions, program imple-
mentation strategies, and a resource list. NACo is also prepared to provide technical informa-
tion packets on eight product categories commonly procured by local governments, including
cleaners, pesticides and herbicides, office supplies, printing, paints, construction and demolition,
green buildings, and fleet maintenance and alternative fuel vehicles. For more information,
contact Julie Shannon, (202) 260-2736.
Media Association P2 Forum
In an effort to encompass a broader array of perspectives, the P2 Forum added in FY 1998
representatives from the Association of State Drinking Water Offices and from NACCHO to
form the Media Association P2 Forum. This group is the Agency's only forum that brings
together the various media associations to examine opportunities for incorporating pollution
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Pollution Prevention
EPA's Region 3 demonstrated the "P2" power of
plants and flowers at the 1998 Philadelphia
Flower Show, the largest annual flower show in
the United States. The exhibit included the fringe
tree (Chionanthus virginicus), the pink-flowering
red-bud (Cercis canadensis), the yellow-flowering
Florida flame azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)
and the white-flowering coastal azalea
(Rhododendron atlanticum).
prevention into environmental management
practices across media.
In April 1999, OPPT convened a panel of the
presidents of the state air, water, and waste
program directors' associations as well as the
air district directors' group at the National
Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Annual Conference. This was the
first opportunity to bring these
media association directors
together to talk about their
common interests and willingness
to move forward together on
multimedia, prevention-oriented
issues. For more information, contact
Lena Hann Ferris, (202) 260-2237.
In the Regions
The Texas Natural Resources Conservation
Commission's Office of Pollution Prevention
and Recycling and Region 3's Businesses for
the Bay Program were two of three recipients
of recent National Pollution Prevention
Roundtable (NPPR) MVP2 Awards. Region
7's new headquarters office building was
recognized by the Third Annual General Services
Administration Environmental Award for Recy-
cling, Acquisition, and Waste Prevention.
Pollution Prevention
Incentives for States Grants
The Pollution Prevention Incentives for States (PPIS) grant program, which fosters the creation of
new prevention approaches by states and the development of cross-media state and tribal pollu-
tion prevention programs, awarded approximately 59 grants totaling $5.3 million from EPA's
regional offices. These grants fund projects for technical assistance and training, education
and outreach, regulatory integration, demonstration projects, legislation activities, and
awards and recognition programs. The goal of the PPIS grant program is to assist
businesses and industries in identifying better environmental strategies and solutions
for complying with federal and state environmental regulations. Grants were
awarded this year based in part on how a program furthers the following three
national priorities:
• Promote partnering among environmental and business assistance
providers.
• Advance state environmental goals.
• Promote the P2 program's accomplishments within the state's
environmental programs.
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Pollution Prevention
Since the inception of the grant program in 1989, EPA has awarded more than $53 million
grant dollars. During the past ten years, PPIS funds have enabled state programs to imple-
ment a wide range of pollution prevention activities including nearly 8,000 pollution prevention
assessments, 1,200 workshops, and the development of over 500 pollution prevention case
studies. For more information, contact Christopher Kent, (202) 260-3480.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
The U.S. Government is the single largest consumer of goods and services, spending over $200
billion annually on a wide variety and large quantity of products and services. OPPT's Environ-
mentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program leverages the federal government's purchasing
power to include environmental factors into federal government purchasing decisions.
In FY 1998, Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government through Waste Prevention,
Recycling and Federal Acquisition, was promulgated to strengthen the mandate for executive
agencies to purchase environmentally preferable products and services, to require EPA to
finalize the 1995 proposed guidance on environmentally preferable purchasing, and to require
integration of environmental considerations in all aspects of the federal government purchasing
practices. To make it easier for federal agencies to carry out these requirements, the EPP
Program dedicated resources in FY 1999 to developing a web-based interactive suite of tools
called "Greening Uncle Sam" (GUS). Ranging from a basic training program to a searchable
database of environmental standards and contract language, GUS is scheduled to be available
on the EPP website in early FY 2000.
Also in FY 1998. EPA and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive issued a policy
letter on how federal agencies can use the technical expertise of non-governmental entities, or
"Third Parties," to achieve the Administration's mandate of purchasing environmentally prefer-
able goods and services. Non-governmental entities are standard-setting organizations, third-
party certification programs, environmental labeling or environmental "report card" programs,
and environmental consulting organizations. The policy emphasizes the importance of pilot
projects in testing the utility of non-governmental entities in agencies' environmentally preferable
purchasing efforts. For more information about the policy letter, contact Eun-Sook Goidel,
(202) 260-3296.
In FY 1999, the EPP program has put the policy for using non-governmental entities in greening
federal procurement into action by initiating pilots with voluntary consensus standards organiza-
tions to develop environmental standards for certain product categories. As a first step, EPA
published a Federal Register Notice in January 1999 to help determine the level of interest
among non-governmental entities in developing environmental standards for specific product
categories. Numerous organizations responded to the Federal Register Notice, several
indicating their interest and experience in developing environmental standards or in participating
in the standards development process. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are establishing committees to develop consensus-based
environmental standards. For more information about the status of the third party pilot
projects, contact Julie Shannon, (202) 260-2736.
The EPP program continued work on pilot projects in collaboration with other executive
agencies and initiated new pilots to green EPA's own purchasing practices. FY 1998-99 high-
lights follow and more information on the program can be found at www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp.
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Pollution Prevention
Pi lot Projects
Copier Paper—In an effort to "green" EPA's own purchasing practices, OPPT and EPA's
print shop initiated a pilot project to evaluate additional environmental attributes beyond re-
cycled content of copier paper. The EPP Program worked with the Government Printing Office
(GPO) to determine how to fit the additional attributes into the procurement process. When
completed, the final contract language will require that bidders' products meet current GPO
performance requirements and contain a minimum 30 percent post-consumer recycled content.
Beyond that, bidders will be invited to voluntarily document their progress with regard to a
number of additional environmental attributes including percentages of post-consumer recycled
content beyond the 30 percent requirement and environment-friendly practices for producing
paper. The performance and environmental requirements and attribute preferences will be
weighed along with price in a best-value, rather than low-bid, procurement approach. For
more information, contact Russell Clark, (202) 260-4418
Conferencing — In FY 1999, EPA launched the Green Conference Initiative to develop a
web-based tool for conference planners. With this tool, EPA and other agencies of the federal
government can begin to take the lead in environmental conferencing and share what they learn
with all who sponsor, plan, or hold conferences. Waste prevention, recycling, and environmen-
tally-preferable purchasing are among the many environmental improvement opportunities
associated with holding a conference. The tool will have two tracks: the planner track, with
guidance to help conference planners identify opportunities throughout the planning and opera-
tions of a conference to affect comprehensive environmental improvement and the supplier
track, with information useful to the service sectors associated with meetings and conferences
(such as hotels, caterers, printers, and transportation services) to assist them in implementing the
green opportunities the planners will be seeking. For more information, contact Russell Clark,
(202)260-4418.
Federal Buildings—The federal government owns or leases over 500,000 buildings, including
3.1 billion square feet of office space, as well as aircraft hangars, military bases, hospitals, court
houses, prisons and tourist destinations. Because construction and maintenance of buildings is
such a large part of federal activities, the EPP program has been involved in the following pilot
projects that test how environmental preferability can be incorporated into decisions about
which building products and services to buy:
Leading by Example. To further highlight the role of the federal government in demon-
strating "green" buildings practices, EPA published a case study that compares the
Agency's own experiences developing its two largest and newest facilities, the Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina Laboratory and Office Complex and the new EPA
Headquarters in the Federal Triangle area of Washington, D.C. This case
study focuses on the features of these two campuses that contribute to
sustainability. For more information on the EPP building and construction
pilot projects, please contact Ruth Heikkinen, at (202) 260-1803.
Renovation of interior office space in the Pentagon. As a follow-
on to the parking lot project, the DOD/EPA pilot project team
developed innovative contract specifications to incorporate environ-
mental considerations into product choices in a renovation contract
for interior office space. A key element of this pilot project involved
training facility managers at the Pentagon in evaluating construction
materials such as paints, carpeting, and ceiling tiles for their environ-
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I ', illul h 'i! 1
mental attributes. Begun in FY 1997, the project will continue throughout the 10-year term
of the contract.
Renovation and repair of the parking lot at the Pentagon — the largest surface
parking lot in the world. This joint DOD/EPA pilot project used contract language to
encourage the paving contractor to search out paving products that reduce energy con-
sumption and increase the use of recycled, post-consumer materials. This project started in
FY 1996 and will continue at least through the five-year term of the contract.
The Pentagon has 227,934 square feet of
parking lots and roadways that were
repaved with products that contain positive
environmental attributes, without paying
more or sacrificing quality: Department of Defense Photo
• 3,328 tons of recycled asphalt;
• 1,031 tons of recycled concrete;
• 300 cubic yards of concrete containing recovered materials;
• 3,558 linear feet of recovered glass for reflective surfaces;
• 5,200 linear feet of rubber made of recovered tires;
• 3,558 linear feet of paint that contains less smog-promoting compounds; and other
environmentally preferable products.
Private Sector Pioneers: How Companies Are Incorporating Environmentally Preferable
Purchasing. The report highlights the efforts of the following 18 companies to "buy green":
Ben & Jerry's, Warner Bros., Public Service Electric and Gas, Collins & Aikman, Volvo,
Herman Miller, IBM, The Body Shop, McDonald's Corporation, Perrigo Company, Anheuser-
Busch Companies, Inc., Patagonia, Tokyo Gas, Sony, NEC, Dell Engineering. Inc., Canon, and
Sun Microsystems. Besides expanding the market of green products, many of the companies in
the report are preventing tremendous amounts of pollution and saving millions of dollars as a
54
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Pollution Prevention
result of adding the environment to their purchasing equation. For more information, contact
Eun-Sook Goidel, (202)260-3296.
Environmental Labeling Program
OPPT is working with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop
voluntary international standards for environmental labeling. International standards are being
developed for the following: general principles to consider when making environmental labels
and declarations; standards for making self-declared environmental claims; principles and
procedures for Type I voluntary environmental labelling programs; and a technical report on
principles and procedures for using quantified environmental product information for Type III
environmental declarations.
In addition to standards development, environmental labeling policies are being analyzed and
research is being conducted worldwide to examine the different types of environmental labeling
policies that exist, the effectiveness of the policies and programs, and how those programs
harmonize and/or correlate with other U.S. environmental policy programs. The report, Envi-
ronmental Labeling Issues, Policies, and Practices Worldwide, is available from the PPIC
and the OPPT website.
OPPT, on behalf of EPA, worked with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to publish a joint
brochure, Sorting Out Green Advertising Claims, to help consumers evaluate environmental
claims found on products. For more information, contact Julie Winters, (202) 260-4000.
In the Regions
To celebrate Earth Day 2000, Region 10 is working with the region's Department of Defense
office through the Million Solar Roof program to challenge federal facilities to use more solar
energy and conserve traditional energy. Region 8, with the National Federal Facilities Enforce-
ment Office, DOE, and the U.S. Air Force, sponsored the "Resource Efficient Federal Build-
ings Symposium" in April 1998 to encourage participants to reduce energy and water usage,
consider renewable energy, and use environmentally preferable products in new construction
and renovation. Region 8 is also working with the National Park Service to reduce the toxicity
of cleaning and janitorial products used in operations at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National
Parks.
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56
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OPPT InfonnaLion Resources
Hotlines and Clearinghouses
TSCA Assistance Information Service (TAIS)
(202)554-1404
(202) 554-5603 fax
The TSCA Assistance Information Service (TAIS) provides
information and technical assistance about programs imple-
mented under TSCA, ASHAA, AHERA, and the Lead-based
Paint Exposure Reduction Act. The hotline typically handles
questions involving the handling and disposal of PCBs, asbes-
tos in schools and public buildings, registration of new chemi-
cals (e.g., premanufacture notification), import certification, and
reporting requirements under TSCA.
OPPT Library
(202) 260-3944
(202) 260-4659 fax
www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/libacces
The OPPT Library at EPA Headquarters in Washington DC maintains a collection of books,
journals, newspapers, and government documents in support of the TSCA and EPCRA
programs. The library's collections include publications in the areas of chemistry, toxicol-
ogy, and risk assessment.
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
(800) 490-9198
www.epa.gov/ncepihom
The National Center for Environmental Publications (NCEP) is the general clearinghouse
for most of EPA's publications. At its website, users can search the most recent version
of the EPA National Publications Catalog by title and EPA number.
National Lead Information Center
(800) 424-LEAD
www.nsc.org/ehc/lead
The National Lead Information Center is a hotline and a clearinghouse that handles calls from
the general public and professionals and distributes technical documents, pamphlets for the
public, and regulations. Its website contains information on Lead Disclosure Rule, some docu-
ment request forms, and other valuable information such as educational materials, state and local
contacts for lead issues, and various other sources of information on lead.
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC)
(202)260-1023
www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/ppicdist.htm.
EPA's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) distributes documents and
information on pollution prevention. A reference and referral telephone service answers ques-
tions, takes document orders, or refers callers to appropriate contacts.
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OPPT Information Resources
Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx)
www.epa.gov/p2/p2rxfact.htm
In FY 1997, EPA launched nine regional pollution prevention information centers, the Pollution
Prevention Resource Exchange (P2RX) to improve efficiency and effectiveness of pollution
information delivery within and among states; to promote infrastructure development among
EPA regions; and to encourage cooperation among centers providing information to small
businesses. For more information contact the lead center coordinating the national effort,
Madeline Sten, (206) 223-1151 at the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center
or Beth Anderson, (202) 260-2602.
Toxics and Pesticides Enforcement Division Web Site
www.epa.gov/envirosense/oeca/ore/tped/index.html
This division of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) handles
enforcement activities for TSCA, FIFRA, and EPCRA. Users have access to enforcement
response policies, enforcement guidance, civil penalty policies and information about Supple-
mental Environmental Projects (SEPs).
OPPT Exposure Assessment Tools and Models
www.epa.gov/opptintr/exposure
This website, launched in December 1999, houses several exposure assessment methods,
databases, and predictive models developed by OPPT.
Chemical Registry System
www.epa.gov/crs
The Chemical Registry System (CRS) was developed in response to recommendations by the
Chemical Data Standard Working Group, a cross-program body seeking a common and
consistent way to identify chemical information in EPA databases. CRS is envisioned to be the
way EPA's data customers (including the federal government, states, municipalities, scientists,
industry, public interest groups and concerned citizens) search and access all EPA chemical
information, documents, and regulations.
Chemicals in Consumer Products
www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/iaq.html
The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates the use of hazardous substances in
products sold to consumers. Information is available at this web site on indoor air emissions
and health effects of chemicals that can be found in some products, such as formaldehyde,
asbestos, and lead.
National Library of Medicine
www.nlm.nih.gov
NLM tracks chemical toxicity information through biomedical articles and journals and allows
free access through the Internet to both PubMed and the Internet Grateful Med. Members of
NLM can access databases of information such as the chemical Carcinogenesis Research
Information System (CCRIS) and the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances
(RTECS).
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OPP1 Resources
OPPT Information Resources
The Trouble with Lead
Funded under the State Lead Grant, the State of New York is distributing a 30 minute video,
The Trouble with Lead, to New York State Public Libraries. County Health Offices, Block-
buster video stores, and DIY outlets (Home Depot, Builder's Square) for free use by the
public. In addition, a three minute continuous loop video to spark interest in lead-based paint
was developed to be distributed to county health departments for exhibits and health and county
fairs. For more information, contact Louis Bevilacqua, (732) 321-6671.
OECD/UNEP Toolbook
The United States, Mexico, Canada, and Germany, in collaboration with the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Devel-
opment have collected information in a "toolbook" that describes options and alternatives for
countries considering initial implementation of a new chemicals notification scheme. The
toolbook includes chemical inventories, notification requirements, approaches to assessing
notifications, and actions or activities occurring post-notification (including risk management
actions, enforcement, and compliance). For more information, contact Becky Cool, (202) 260-
8539.
TRI CD-Rom
The TRI CD-ROM is available free to educators, government agencies, and non-profit organi-
zations by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NCEPI) at (800)
490-9198 and asking for EPA 749-C-99-003. Businesses can purchase the CD-ROM from
the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling (800) 553-6847 and asking for
PB99-500-547 or from the U.S. Government Printing Office at (202) 512-1800 item 055-0-
0582-6.
TRI Information Kit
The TRI Information Kit is available from the National Center for Environmental Publications
and Information (NCEPI) by calling (800) 490-9198, and asking for EPA-749-K-98-001.
EPA/National Science Teachers Association TRI Teaching Materials
TRI Education Products are available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
by calling (800) 553-6847 and asking for PB97-502-587 or by calling the Government Printing
Office at (202) 512-1800 and asking for 055-000-0582-6.
Publications Available in FY1998-99
The following publications are available from TAIS, (202)
554-1404.
OPPT-wide Publications
OPPT Annual Report, EPA /745/R/98/003. This report is a summary
of activities and programs of OPPT for Fiscal Year 1997, available from
TAIS. (202)554-1404.
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OPPT Information Resources
Chemicals in Our Community. In FY1998, OPPT publications Chemicals in the Environ-
ment and Chemicals in Progress Bulletin were merged into a new publication, Chemicals in
Our Community. Issues can be found at www.epa.gov/opptintror by contacting the TSCA
Assistance Information Service at 202-554-1404.
OPPT Tribal News
www.epa.gov/opptintr/tribal
A quarterly newsletter containing various articles on toxics and pollution prevention and tribal
activities mailed to more than 680 Tribes and Tribal organizations. Additionally, a tribal lead
outreach brochure is available for use and adaptation by tribes and indigenous peoples.
Safer Chemicals - Publications
• "Strawman" Priority Setting Process for Endocrine Disrupter Screening and
Testing, January 1999.
• Determining the Adequacy of Existing Data in the HPV Program, February
1999.
• Development of Chemical Categories in the HPV Challenge Program, February
1999.
• The Use of Structural Activity Relationships in the High Production Volume
Challenge Program, September 1999.
• Guidance on Developing Robust Summaries, October 1999.
• Guidance on Searching for Chemical Information and Data, May 1999.
• Guidance on Confidentiality Claims Related to Company-Chemical Associa-
tions under the HPV Challenge Program, March 1999.
• HPV Chemical Human Health Testing: Animal Welfare Issues and Approaches,
February 1999.
• Guidance for Assessing Adequacy of Existing Data, February 1999.
• Guidance for Development of Chemical Categories in the HPV Challenge
Program, 1999.
• Guidance for Testing Closed System Intermediates for the HPV Challenge
Program, March 1999.
• Procedures for Removing Chemicals that are No Longer HPV and are not
Likely to Become HPV Again from the HPV List, March 1999.
• Guidance for "What to Test" for the HPV Challenge, March 1999.
• Factsheet on Animal Welfare, June 1999.
• Enforcement Response Policy for Sections 8,12, & 13, March 1999.
• Office of Regulatory Enforcement Fact Sheet. Toxic Substances Control Act:
Voluntary Audit and Disclosure of 12(b) Export Notifications (VADEN), March
1999.
6O
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OPPT Information Qesourc&s
• TSCA Summary of Regulations, [Quarterly Update] September 1999.
• Notice of Transfer Forms for TSCA Section 5 Notices, July 1999.
• Introduction to the Chemical Import Requirements of the Toxic Substances
Control Act June 1999.
• Fact Sheet: Proposed IUR Amendments. July 1999.
• Chemical Right- to - Know: HPV Challenge Program Chemical List, EPA/745/F/
98/002H, September 1998.
• HPV Challenge Program: List of HPV Chemical Additions, 1994.
• Chemical Right-to-Know Fact Sheet Series: Voluntary Participation in the
HPV Challenge Program, EPA/745/F/98/002b, October 1998
• Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study: What Do We Really Know About the
Safety of High Production Volume Chemicals?, April 1998.
• Chemical Right-to-Know Fact Sheet Series: Resources, EPA/745/F/98/002a,
October 1998.
• Chemical Right-to-Know Fact Sheet Series: The Chemical Right-to-Know
Initiative Overview, EPA/F/98/002a, October 1998.
• Chemical Right-to-Know: Frequently Asked Questions, EPA/745/F/98/002f,
October 1998.
• Chemical Right-to-Know: High Production Volume Chemicals.
• Frequently Asked Questions, EPA/745/F/09/002g, October 1998.
• Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee Final Report:
Executive Summary, August 1998.
• Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee Final Report:
Vol. I, August 1998.
• Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee Final Report:
Vol. I.- Technical Appendices and Public Comments (Appendix F thru U),
August 1998.
Reducing Risk - Publications
• Economic Analysis of the Proposed TSCA Section 402(a)(3)
Lead-based Paint Accreditation and Certification Fee Rule,
February 1999.
• Fee Sheet for Lead-Based Paint Activities, June 1999.
• Application for Firms to Conduct Lead-Based Paint Activi-
ties, February 1999.
• Instructions for Firms Programs Applying for Certification
to Conduct Lead-Based Paint Activities, February 1999.
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OPPT Information Resources
• Application for Individuals to Conduct Lead-Based Paint Activities, February
1999.
Instructions for Individuals Applying for Certification to Conduct Lead-Based
Paint Activities Accreditation Application for Firms Training Programs, February
1999.
• Instructions for Training Programs Applying for Accreditation of Lead-Based
Activity Training, February 1999.
• Fact Sheet: Proposed Rule on the Management and Disposal of Lead-Based
Paint Debris, December 1998.
• Fact Sheet: Generators' and Transporters' Responsibilities for Management
and Disposal of Lead-Based Paint Debris, December 1998.
• Questions & Answers; Proposed Rule on the Management and Disposal of
Lead-Based Paint Debris, December 1998.
• Section 406(b) Interpretive Guidance, Part II, October 1999.
• The Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Education Rule: A Handbook for
Contractors, Property Managers, and Maintenance Personnel - Interim Edi-
tion, June 1999.
• Regulatory Advisor for the Pre-Renovation Education Rule, June 1999.
• PCB Questions and Answers Manual, Part 1 and 2, July 1999.
• PCB Q&A For Natural Gas Pipelines, July 1999.
• PCB Memo Package. (Note: These are older memos recently added to T.A.I.S.
Document Inventory.)
Durler Letter: Temporary Storage of PCBs and Annual Document Log,
September 1997.
Hohman Letter: Definition of a Used Oil Marketer Under 761, March 1998.
Van Home Letter: Excluded PCB Manufacturing Processes, March 1998.
Petrilli Letter: Importation of PCBs from Excluded Manufacturing Pro-
cesses vs. Inadvertent Contamination, April 1998.
Reed Letter: Use Assumptions for Mineral Oil PCB Transformers, October
1998.
Shaw Letter: Use Assumptions for Pole Top and Pad Mount Distribution
PCB Transformers, March 1999.
Neidig Letter: Clarification of PCB Amendments, April 1999.
• Draft Mercury Action Plan, EPA/742/D/98/002, November 1998.
• Mercury Action Plan Fact Sheet, November 1998.
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[nlonikii.ion Resources
• A Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic
Pollutants (DRAFT), November 1998.
• Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT)
Pollutants (Executive Summary, DRAFT), November 1998.
• Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Pollutants (PBT) Frequently Asked
Questions, November 1998.
• Review of Studies Addressing Lead Abatement Effectiveness: Updated Edition,
December 1998.
• Risk Analysis to Support Standards for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soils: Vol. 1 &
2, EPA/747/R/97/006, July 8, 1998
• Summary and Assessment of Published Information on Determination of Lead
Exposures and Mitigating Lead Hazards Associated with Dust and Soil in
Residential Carpets, Furniture, and Forced Air Ducts, EPA/747/S/97/001,79
pages, June 1998.
• Lead in Your Home, EPA/747/B/98/002, June 1998.
• Conversion Equations for Use in Section 403 Rulemaking, EPA/747/R/96/012,
December 1997
• Draft Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic
(PBT) Pollutants, EPA/742/D/98/001, November 1998.
• Draft Mercury Action Plan, EPA/742/D/98/002, November 1998.
• Draft Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic
(PBT) Pollutants Fact Sheet, EPA/742/F/98/020, November 1998.
• Draft EPA Plan for Mercury Fact Sheet, EPA/742/F/98/023, November 1998.
• Asbestos and Your Health, EPA/910/F/98/002, December 1998.
Public Understanding - Publications
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for Chemical Distribution Facilities,
EPA/B/99/005,1999.
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for Coal Mining Facilities, EPA/B/
99/002, 1999.
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for Electricity Generating
Facilities, EPA/B/99/003,1999.
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for Metal Mining
Facilities, EPA/B/99/001,1999.
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for Petroleum
Terminals and Bulk Storage Facilities, EPA/B/99/006,1999.
• EPCRA Section 313 Industry Guidance for RCRA Subtitle
C TSD Facilities and Solvent Recovery Facilities, EPA/B/
99/004, 1999.
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OPPT Information Desourcas
• 1996 TRI Data Quality Report, December 1998.
• 1996 Toxics Release Inventory Public Data Release --10 Years of Right to
Know: Industry Sector Analyses, EPA 745/R/98/018, December 1998.
• 1997 Toxics Release Inventory Public Data Release Report, April 1999.
• TRI Questions and Answers Document, EPA 745/B/98/004, Revised Version,
December 1998.
• 1997 State Fact Sheets, March 1999.
• 1997 TRI State Fact Sheets Report, EPA 745/F/99/001, April 1999.
• 1996 Toxic Release Inventory Public Data Release - 10 Years of Right-to-
Know, EPA/745/R/98/005, May 1998.
• 1996 Toxic Release Inventory Public Data Release-10 Years of Right-to-
Know State Fact Sheets, EPA/745/F/98/001, May 1998.
• Toxic Release Inventory Reporting Forms and Instructions: Revised 1997
Version, EPA/745/K/98/001, February 1998.
Pollution Prevention - Publications
• Background Report on Fertilizer Use, Contaminants and Regulations, EPA
747/R/98/003, January 1999.
• DfE EMS Bulletin 1: Using DfE Concepts in Your EMS, EPA/744/F/98/004, July
1998.
• Computer Display Industry and Technology Profile, EPA/744/R-98/005 Decem-
ber 1998.
• Cleaner Technologies Substitute Assessment (Korean), EPA/744/F-98/011K,
May 1999.
• Cleaner Technologies Substitute Assessment (Spanish) EPA/744/F-98/01 IS,
May 1999.
• Consumer Labeling Initiative: Phase II Report, EPA/742/R-99/004, October
1999.
• Defending the Environment at the Department of Defense, EPA/742/R-99/002,
July 1999.
• Searching for the Profit in Pollution Prevention: Case Studies in the Corporate
Evaluation of Environmental Opportunities, EPA/742/R/98/005,1998.
• Voluntary Partnership with the American Hospital Association to Reduce
Hospital Waste (Fact Sheet), EPA742/F/99/016, March 1999.
• Searching for the Profit in Pollution Prevention: Case Studies in the Corporate
Evaluation of Environmental Opportunities, EPA/742/R/98/005, April 1998.
• Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Quick Reference Fact Sheet, EPA/142/
B/98/003, April 1998.
-------
OPPT Information Resources
• Update #2: Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program, EPA/742/F/98/019,
September 1998.
• Update #3: Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program, EPA/742/F/98/001,
April 1998.
• Pathway to Product Stewardship: Life Cycle Designs as a Business Decision
Support Tools, EPA/742/K/98/001, April 1998.
• The City of Santa Monica's Environmental Purchasing: A Case Study, EPA/742/
R/98/002, August 1998.
• Parking Lot Project Fact Sheet: Paving the Road to Success, EPA/742/R/98/001,
March 1998.
• Pollution Prevention in Metal Painting and Coating Operations: A Manual for
Technical Assistance Providers, EPA/742/B/98/005, April 1998.
• Pollution Prevention in the Primary Metals Industry: A Manual for Pollution
Prevention Technical Assistance Providers,EPA/742/B/98/005, April 1998.
• EPA Standards Network Fact Sheet: ISO 14000: International Environmental
Management Standards, EPA/625/F/97/004, March 1998.
• Environmental Management System Voluntary Project Evaluation Guidance,
EPA/742/B/98/002, February 1998.
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66
-------
- Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Home Page
- Aqueous and Semi-aqueous Solvent Chemicals
- Asbestos Program
- OPPT Chemical Fact Sheets
Chemical Right-to-Know Program
High Production Volume (HPV) Challenge Program
- Chemical Registry System
u&
- Children's Health Test Rule
- Community-Based Environmental Protection
-HPV Chemical List
- Chemical Spill Information
- Chemicals on Reporting Rules List
TOMggjIDg'Wffl^8!^^ [
- 40 CFR Sections 700-799
- Consumer Labeling Initiative
- Design for the Environment Program
- Electronic Products Recovery
- Environmental Reporting Requirements
- Endocrine Disrupters Screening and Testing Program
-Envirofacts
- Environmental Accounting Project
- Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
- EPP Pilot Projects-Internet Tools
- Exposure Assessment Tools and Models
- Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
- Green Chemistry Program
- Harmonized Test Guidelines
- Integrated Risk Information System
- Interagency Testing Committee
Inventory Update Rule Amendments
1998IUR Electronic Reporting
-Lead Programs
- National Lead Information Center
- National Service Center for Environmental Publications
- New Chemicals Program
- New Chemicals Program Chemical Categories Report
- New Chemicals Chemistry Assistance Manual for
PMN Submitters
,* y,,v-
67
-------
- New Chemicals Program Weekly Postings
| uAMua^iatgum^'ftr^
- The New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition
Program,
- Online Library System (OLS)
- Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxics (PBT) Initiative
-PCB Regulations
- Pollution Prevention
IvfrMJMJjfiQSiDgro^^
- Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
- Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2RX)
- P2 Integration in Regional Program Management-
Private Sector Partnerships-Region 5
- Prevention Tools-Region 5
- Recognition and Award Programs
L_P
.A.it.f.Bte.
trtfcni^Jfo^
- Risk Screening Environmental Indicators Model
- Small Business Assistance Program
- OPPT Tribal Program
- Toxic Release Inventory
- TSCA Biotechnology
wAVA'iM^j j?>g?nfli|j^Tfflrff8Wliii 11 ftefi
- TSCA Chemical Testing Program
- Master Testing List
- TSCA Federal Registers
- TSCA-related pre-1994 Federal Registers
- TSCA 8(e) Triage
- Vermont Environmental Assistance Partnership
- Voluntary Initiative for Source Reduction
68
-------
Index
Acute Exposure Guidelines 29
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 12
AHA. See American Hospital Association
AHERA. See Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
American Hospital Association 6, 27, 41
American Institute of Chemical Engineers 18
American Petroleum Institute 9
American Society of Engineering Education 17
Anderson Chemical Co. 6, 46
asbestos 29
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act 29
ATSDR. See Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
D
Best!Ware 43
Biofine Inc. 16
Business Plan Review Service 47
cathode ray tube 45
Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study 3, 9, 61
Chemical Manufacturers Association 9
Chemical Right to Know Initiative 3, 9, 10, 34, 61
ChemRTK. See Chemical Right to Know Initiative
Chicago Cumulative Risk Initiative 38
Children's Health Testing Program 10
Chlorine Institute 27
Citizen's Guide to Reducing Toxic Risks 36
Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment 44, 46
Colorado Ski Industry Project 48
Common Sense Initiative 44
Computer Display Project 45
Consumer Labeling Initiative 39
CTSA. See Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment
D
Design for the Environment 6, 44-47
dibasic esters 13
digital signatures 7
Dow Chemical Company 42, 43
Dupont 43
E
EAP. See Environmental Accounting Project
electronic submission 7, 14
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act 31
EMPACT. See Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking
Endocrine Disrupter Screening Program 4, 10
Environmental Accounting Project 6, 43
Environmental Defense Fund 9
I
-------
Index
Environmental Education Through Community
College 47
Environmental Justice Through Pollution Preven-
tion 6. 41, 42
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and
Community Tracking 37
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing 7, 52
habricare Processes 6, 44
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act 10
FFDCA. See Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics
Act
Florida State University 7
Food Quality Protection Act 10
Forum of State and Tribal Toxics Action 25, 40
FOSTTA. See Forum of State and Tribal Toxics
Action
FQPA. See Food Quality Protection Act
Geographic Information Systems 6, 41
Georgia State University 6, 48
GIS. See Geographic Information Systems
GLNPO. See Great Lakes National Program Office
Government Performance and Results Act 7
GPRA. See Government Performance and Results
Act
Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy 26
Great Lakes National Program Office 26
Green Chemistry 5, 15
Green Chemistry Challenge Awards 16
Green Conference Initiative 53
Green Engineering 17
Greening the Government through Waste Preven-
tion, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition 52
H
Harmonized Test Guidelines 12
Hazardous Air Pollutants Rule 12
High Production Volume Challenge Program 9
High Production Volume Test Rule 9
I
Industrial and Institutional Laundry Partnership 46
International Association of Business
Communicators 23
International Organization for Standardization 6,55
ISO. See International Organization for Standard-
ization
ISO 14000 6, 48
Kodak 50
Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers 36
L
lead 5, lc). 20. 22. 35
Lead In Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide
5. 22
Lead Poisoning Prevention and Lead Hazard
Awareness 22
Lead Pre-Renovation Information Rule 5. 20
Lead Renovation and Remodeling Rule 21
Lead Renovation and Remodeling Study 21
Lead-Based Paint Accreditation, Training, and
Certification 24
Lead-Based Paint Debris Rule 5, 21
lead-based standards 5, 20
Leading By Example Program 53
liquid crystal display 45
Los Alamos National Laboratory 15
M
MCAN. See Microorganism Commercial Activity
Notice
Media Association P2 Forum 50
mercury 4. 27
Michigan Technological University 50
Microorganism Commercial Activity Notice 14
Monsanto 43
Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent.
Bioaccumulative and Toxic Chemicals
(1998 Draft) 25-26
N
NACCHO. See National Association of County
and City Health Officials
NACEPT. See National Advisory Council on
Environmental Policy
NACo. See National Association of Counties
NARAP. See North American Regional Action Plan
for Mercury
National Academy of Sciences 30
National Advisory Council on Environmental Policy
34
National Association of Counties 50
National Association of County and City Health
Officials 41, 50
National Cinema Outreach Pilot Project 23
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health 29
National Latino Lead Education Campaign 24
National Lead Information Center Hotline
23, 25, 57
National Library of Medicine 58
National Pollution Prevention Roundtable 49, 50
National Pollution Prevention Roundtable Annual
Conference 51
National Research Council 30
National Safety Council 24
National Science Foundation 15
-------
Index
National Science Teachers Association 36
National Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act 48
Natural Resources Defense Council 42, 43
New Chemicals Pollution Prevention Recognition
Program 13
New Chemicals Program 13
Noramtech Corporation 46
Norchem Corporation 46
North American Regional Action Plan for Mercury
27
NRDC. See Natural Resources Defense Council
o
OECD. See Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development
Office Directors M2P2 Forum 49
Office of the Federal Environmental Executive 52
OMB Circular A-119 48
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development 10, 12, 16, 30, 35, 59
D
P2Rx. See Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange
Pacific Institute 6
Partnership for Environmental Technology Educa-
tion 47
PBTs. See persistent bioaccumulative toxic
chemicals
PCB Disposal Amendments 5, 28
PCBs. See polychlorinated biphenyls
Peachtree Inc. 43
Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center
47
persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals
4, 13, 25, 27, 31, 34
Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers 35
Pollution Prevention Act 31
Pollution Prevention Assessment Framework 49
Pollution Prevention Incentives for States 6, 51
Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse 57
Pollution Prevention, Measuring the Effects 49
Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange 58
polychlorinated biphenyls 5, 28
PPIC. See Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse
Printed Wiring Board (PWB) Project 6, 46
PYROCOOL5, 15, 16
Q
RCRA. See Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act
Refractory Ceramic Fibers 29
Region 5 Environmental Actions for Children's
Health (REACH) 38
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act
21
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 44
Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators Model 37
Runs Better Unleaded 5, 23
&
Screening Information Data Set 10
SIDs. See Screening Information Data Set
Significant New Use Rules 12
Small Auto Refinish Pilot Project in Philadelphia 46
Small Business Development Center Pilot Projects
47
Small Business Innovation Research Program 48
SNURs. See Significant New Use Rules
South Coast Air Quality Management District 42
StarTrack Program 48
Strategic Planning 7
Superfund site chemicals 12
TAIS. See TSCA Assistance Information Service
Technology for a Sustainable Environment 5, 15
Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission
51
The Trouble with Lead 5, 24, 59
Toxic Release Inventory 4, 31
Data Releases
1996 31-33
1997 31, 33
Education Product 36
Information Kit 36
Reporting
lead 4, 35
persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals
4, 34
Toxic Substances Control Act
Biotechnology Rule 6, 14
Experimental Release Application 14
Information Rules 13
Inventory Update Rule 14
Section
128
4 8, 10, 12, 13, 29
404(g) 25
5 8
5(e)4
6(e) 28
8 8
8(d) 13
-------
Index
TRI Training, Guidance, and Stakeholder Outreach 34
Tribal Program 40
TSCA Assistance Information Service 57
u
U.S. Government
Air Force 55
Consumer Product Safety Commission 13, 58
Department of Agriculture 47
Department of Defense 53, 55
Department of Energy 15, 48, 55
Environmental Protection Agency
National Exposure Research Laboratory 27
Office of Air and Quality Planning and Standards 49
Office of Air and Radiation 38
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 28,49, 50
Office of Environmental Justice 38
Office of General Counsel 48
Office of Reinvention 48
Office of Research and Development 5, 38
Office of Solid Waste 22
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response 44. 49
Office of Water 48, 49
Region 1 24, 44, 48, 50
Region 2 5, 24, 26, 36
Region 3 26, 47, 49, 51
Region 4 49
Regions 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 36, 41. 48, 49
Region 7 50, 51
Region 8 48, 55
Region 9 36, 42, 44, 47
Region 10 55
Science Advisory Board 20, 37
Federal Trade Commission 55
General Services Administration 51
Government Printing Office 53
National Park Service 55
Occupational Safety and Health Administration 29, 44
Office of the Federal Environmental Executive 7
United Nations 35
United Technologies Corporation 48
University of New Hampshire 50
Vermont Small Business Development Center 47
Voluntary Initiative for Source Reduction 42
Voluntary Standards Network 6, 48
w
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 23
WMATA. See Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
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