&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics
Washington, DC 20460
August - September 1996
EPA 742-N-96-005
Pollution
Prevention
News
EPA AND INDUSTRY AWARDS RECOGNIZE
INNOVATIONS IN SOURCE REDUCTION
2 International
Standards
... Plus reports on recycling
and Russian technology
transfer.
Bock to School
New tools for students
and teachers.
If Electric Vehkles
They're rolling out - will
consumers hop in?
Q} Watersheds
EPA's new trading policy;
resources for watershed
management.
Af\ A Competitive
'•V Edge
Guest author Sue Hall
describes how environmental
leaders come out ahead in the
marketplace.
EPA recently honored organizations in
national and regional competitions
for developing new industrial
processes that reduce pollution. Mean-
while, a major chemical company and
industry organization also made awards
for innovative ideas and provided funding
for further development.
GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE
A panel of experts convened by the Ameri-
can Chemical Society reviewed more than
70 nominations before EPA selected five
recipients of the first Green Chemistry
Challenge Awards. The Green Chemistry
Challenge was established in 1995 to
recognize and promote chemical methods
that accomplish pollution prevention
through source reduction and have broad
applicability in industry.
Green chemistry encompasses all
aspects and types of chemical processes-
including synthesis, catalysis, analysis,
monitoring, separations and reaction
conditions—that reduce impacts on human
health and the environment relative to the
current state of the art. The Green Chem-
istry Challenge is part of the Clinton
Administration's Reinventing Environ-
mental Regulations initiative to promote
pollution prevention and industrial
ecology.
The first winners are: Monsanto
Company, Dow Chemical Company, Rohm
and Haas Corporation, Donlar Corpora-
tion, and Texas A&M University. They
received a crystal award as well as certifi-
cates for key contributing individuals.
(For details on projects, see page 9.)
Continued on pogo I
FIRST XL PROJECT APPROVED
CITRUS COMPANY SIGNS AGREEMENT; INTEL EXPECTS TO BE NEXT
Jack M. Berry, Inc., a citrus company
located in LaBelle, FL, received EPA
approval in July to proceed with plans
to implement Project XL (Excellence and
Leadership) in which Berry will get regula-
tory relief in exchange for innovative efforts
to solve environmental problems.
Project XL is aimed at providing more
environmental and public health protec-
tion at lower cost. Berry's was one of eight
pilot projects announced in December
1995; up to 50 will be implemented in
total. Under Project XL, regulated entities
will test creative strategies intended to
achieve cleaner, cheaper, smarter results
than conventional regulatory approaches.
At the Berry facility, a comprehensive
operating permit will be prepared by EPA
and the company and made available for
public comment. This new multi-media
permit will encompass requirements
previously included in several permits. It
will not expire automatically and will
consolidate federal, state, and local facility
permits. In return, Berry promises to
reinvest the cost savings in environmental
enhancement efforts, such as use of
process wastewaters for irrigation and use
of non-hazardous pest controls.
The Berry company project was initi-
ated by EPA in partnership with the
Continued en |»g» 5
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2 Fblluticn P e 1ti(w News
August—September 1996
NEWS & NOTES
U.S. REACHES
RECYCLING GOAL
EPA announced in June that the
United States has achieved the
national goal of recycling 25% of
the municipal solid waste. In
1995, the U.S. recovered over 53
million tons of materials from the
solid waste stream, up 120% from
1988. EPA is now setting its sights
on a target of 35% recycling by
2005. Th achieve this more
ambitious target, EPA predicts
that increases will be needed in
recycling of durable woods, wood,
yard trimmings, and food scraps,
as well as in collection of paper,
glass, metal, and plastics at multi-
family dwellings.
GLOBAL STANDARDS
ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
T he International Organization for
Standardization expects to publish
final standards for environmental
management systems this fall. The stan-
dards are intended to assist companies in
adopting sound environmental manage-
ment practices in all aspects of product
development, including design. manufac-
ture, marketing, raw materials, and
- _ —_ - gathering and communication of
environmental data.
ISO 14000, a series of volun-
tary environmental management
standards, was developed by a
team of representatives from over
100 countries. About 300 U.S.
companies participated as mem-
bers of the U.S. Technical Advi-
sory Group.
Following the publication of
environmental management
systems standards, standards for
environmental auditing will also be
published this fall with standards
for environmental labeling, life
cycle assessment, and environmen-
tal aspects of product standards to
be published over the next year.
“In a global marketplace,
standards provide a way of stimu-
lating the quest for excellence,
including environmental excel-
lence,” said Dr. Jack Gibbons,
Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology. For copies of the standards, call
610-832-9585.
VIDEOCONFERENCE
The American Society for Testing & Materi-
als (ASTM), the American National Stan-
dards Institute (ANSI), and the University of
Missouri will sponsor an ISO 14000 satellite
videoconference on October 24, 12-3 p.m.
EST. Conference speakers will include
Joseph Cascio, head of the American
delegation to the international committee
that developed ISO 14000; Mary Saunders,
Assistant to the Director, National Institute
of Standards and Technology; James Tho-
mas, President of ASTM; Sergio Mazza,
President of ANSI; and Mary McKiel,
Director, U.S. EPA Voluntary Standards
Network. For more information, call the
University of Missouri, 800-358-9821.
CONFERENCE
International Standards Initiative, a non-
profit organization that helps organiza-
tions implement ISO standards, will
present a conference entitled “ISO Stan-
dards: Business Management for the 21st
Century” on October 8-9 in Bellevue, WA.
Speakers will include Chuck Clarke,
Region 10 EPA Administrator, and
Dorothy Bowers, a vice president of Merck
and Co., Inc. For more information, call
206-392-7610, or access http://www.isi.
standards - org.
MULTINATIONALS HOST
WORKSHOP IN RUSSIA
The International Cooperative for Envi-
ronmental Leadership (ICEL), a non-profit
organization which encourages partner-
ship among multinationals to promote
innovative environmental solutions,
recently sponsored a technology transfer
workshop in St. Petersburg, Russia, to
accelerate the international phaseout of
ozone-depleting solvents. Speakers from
Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and Texas
Instruments presented alternative tech-
nologies to replace CFCs in electronic,
precision, and metal cleaning applications.
Established in 1989 to exchange
information on the phaseout of ozone-
depleting solvents, ICEL now addresses
numerous environmental and pollution
prevention issues through its member
organizations. Members serve as project
leaders on critical environmental technolo-
gies and work in partnership with govern-
ment agencies and universities.
ICEL recently set up a new office, headed
by Jane McGuire, managing director. For
information on ICEL projects, call 202-986-
5656, or access httpJ/www.icel.org.
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3 Fbllution Prewntxm News
August-September 1996
BACK TO SCHOOL
P2 SAVES MONEY
5 chool districts face constant budget
pressure, but the Los Angeles Unified
School District found a way to reduce
compliance costs of meeting pollution
control standards for about 300 school
boilers. Working with the South Coast Air
Quality Management District, school
planners intend to install fuel flow meters
to avoid retrofitting boilers, restrict fuel
usage to limit emissions, and request free
annual boiler tuneups from the gas
company. Expected savings: $8.4 million
over five years.
NEW TEACHING TOOLS
Free Energy Video (for High School
Teachers Only!). It’s been 20 years
since the energy crisis. What’s hap-
pened since then? Find out the latest
information on alternative energy
sources and energy saving technologies
in a video produced for the U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy by the National Renew-
able Energy Laboratory. The video
includes two programs: “Tomorrow’s
Energy Today” and “Tomorrow’s Energy
Today the Energy Efficiency Option.”
Appropriate for high school age and
above, the video (VHS format) is
available by calling the Energy Effi-
ciency and Renewable Energy Clearing-
house (EREC) at 1-800-363-3732.
Laboratory Waste Minimization
and Pollution Prevention. A guide
for teachers who supervise laboratory
experiments, to minimize wastes and
pollution. Developed by Battelle Pacific
Northwest Laboratory and Battelle
Seattle Research Center. Contact: Kate
Lynch, 206-528-3218.
EE-Link. Gopher and Web site created
by the National Consortium for Envi-
ronmental Education and Training
intended for teachers, curriculum
developers, and others. The Web site is:
httpJ/nceet.snre.umich.eduluse.html.
Overview of Environmental Prob-
lems. An educational resource devel-
oped by the National Pollution Preven-
o
tion Center. The 125-page document
presents a comprehensive view of
environmental issues such as energy,
climate change, resource depletion,
waste, and air quality. $19. For ordering
information, call 313-764-1412.
LESSONS FROM CAMPUS
Ecodemia, subtitled “Lessons in Smart
Management from Adminis-
trators, Staff and Students,”
has been published by
the National Wildlife Federa-
tion. The 222-page book
($14.95) is illustrated,
indexed, and abundantly
annotated, with a bibliogra-
phy at the end of each
chapter. Written by Julian
Kenny, National Coordinator
of the Campus Ecology
Program, Ecodemia covers
the full range of pollution
prevention opportunities ____
available to colleges and
universities—and most other institutions as
well—including purchasing, landscaping,
transportation, energy, food services, office
equipment and printing, solid waste man-
agement and hazardous waste minimization.
To order, call 1-800432-6564 and ask for
item # 79866.
kIT EARNS AN “A”
Learning to be Water Wise and Energy
Efficient, a program of the non-profit
National Energy Foundation for grades 4
through 8, was featured in P2 News
(Internet version) last fall. A water man-
agement consultant study for the City of
Houston recently concluded that the City’s
$200,000 investment in students’ take-
home water conservation kits was highly
cost-beneficial, returning $5.60 for every
$1 spent by saving 22.9 gallons of water,
and a corresponding amount of wastewa-
ter, per household per day. To access the
program’s interactive Web site, go to http:I/
www.rof.netlyp/getwise, or call 1-888-
GETWISE.
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4 1 llutioii Pre itiori News
August-September 1996
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
AUTOMAKERS BUILD THEM,
BUT WILL ANYONE COME?
L ater this year, major automobile
manufacturers will introduce electric
vehicles employing new technologies in
batteries, sound systems, heating and air
conditioning. Automakers say they are
prepared for continued growth
in state requirements for
emission-free cars and trucks,
but also have enough produc-
tion flexibility to cut back if
consumers say “no thanks.”
General Motors’ EV1 will
be available this fall through
Saturn retailers. The first to
carry a GM designation, EV1
will be offered initially for
leasing in four markets: Los Angeles, San
Diego, Phoenix, and Tucson. GM also
plans to market an electric pickup truck,
the Chevrolet S-10, for use in
commercial fleets in 1997.
Chrysler, which began
marketing the TEVan
electric minivan in 1994, will
replace it with the EPIC
(Electric Powered Interurban
Commuter) in 1997. Look for
the Honda EV in spring
1997. Initially, 300 EVs will
be leased to fleets and
consumers in California.
LISTENING TO CONSUMERS
The new models reflect
manufacturers’ responses to
criticisms that consumers
voiced about earlier electric
cars.
The major criticism was
insufficient range—that is,
the distance that can be
travelled between battery
recharges. This year’s
models will have improved
batteries and lighter, more aerodynamic
frames. Honda uses nickel-metal hydride
batteries in place of lead acid batteries to
increase driving range to 100-125 miles,
up from 80 miles in earlier versions.
0(
With an all-aluminum structure, the GM
EV1 weighs 2,970 pounds and has a
range of 70-90 miles.
Chrysler is using lead acid batteries in
place of nickel cadmium in order to reduce
the cost of its minivan. Lead acid batteries
also make it unnecessary to fill the batteries
with deionized water with every recharge.
“Our customers told us it was an inconve-
nience,” said Doran Samples, program
management executive with Chrysler.
Electric vehicles may face one unlikely
hurdle in the marketplace: they’re so quiet
that drivers think their engine has stopped,
or they worry about ordinary mechanical
noises they never heard before.
READY FOR ANYThING
Although short-term demand is uncertain,
manufacturers are gearing up for mass
production of electric vehicles. At the
Lansing Craft Center, where the EV1 is
produced, GM can accommodate a wide
range of production volumes. “We’ll
produce as many as the market tells us to
build,” said Dick Thompson, director of
manufacturing for the EV1.
Demand is certain to increase in
California over the next few years as
requirements for Zero Emission Vehicles
(ZEV) go into effect. The state’s Air
Resources Board is developing a memoran-
dum of understanding with the seven
automobile manufacturers subject to ZEV
requirements to place as many as 3,750
ZEVs in California beginning in 1998.
Ten percent of all new cars and light duty
trucks sold in California in 2003 and beyond
must have zero emissions. By 2010, these
rules would translate into 800,000 ZEVs in
California. Massachusetts and New York are
developing similar guidelines.
ZEVs sold in California will be equipped
with advanced batteries to allow driving
ranges of 125 miles between charges.
STRETCHING THE LIMITS
The feasibility of this range was amply
demonstrated earlier this year, when a
new electric vehicle range record of 373
miles on a single charge was set during
the NESEA American Tour de Sol. The
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S 1 llutkm Prev itim News
August-September 1996
ELECTRIC VEHICLES, CONTINUED
New York-to-Washington competition was
organized by the Northeast Sustainable
Energy Association (NESEA).
Solectria built the range champion
Sunrise, a pre-production prototype. Other
Solectna vehicles also turned in record
performances, including a fleet vehicle
driven 244 miles before needing to be
recharged and three standard sedans using
lead acid batteries which tied for the range
prize in their category after 132 miles.
In September, NESEA hosts its eighth
annual symposium on sustainable trans-
portation, solar and electric vehicles at
Madison Square Garden, with an exten-
sive trade show featuring road-ready
electric and hybrid electric sedans, pick-
ups, vans and buses.
VIRGINIA TECH WINS
FUTURECAR CHALLENGE
College students dreaming of the perfect
car of the future had a chance to test their
dreams in reality in the 1996 FutureCar
Challenge, billed as “the next generation of
engineering design competitions.” Spon-
sored by the Department of Energy and the
U.S. Council for Automotive Research
(USCAR), the FutureCar Challenge is a
two-year student competition and showcase
of industry, government and academic
cooperation. Under USCAR, the three
domestic automakers—
Chrysler, Ford, and GM—
work together on shared
technological and environ-
mental concerns.
A team of engineering
students from Virginia
Tech earned the top spot,
out of 12 competing engi-
neering colleges. Students
were challenged to design
“super” fuel-efficient cars
without sacrificing comfort,
safety, affordability and ______
consumer acceptability.
The winning vehicle
scored high in fuel economy (49.2 mpg
city) and in emissions testing. It uses two
power sources: a battery-powered electric
motor combined with a propane-fueled,
three-cylinder engine. Runner-up was
Lawrence Technological University in
Southfield, MI, and third place went to the
University of Wisconsin at Madison.
In 1996-97, competitors will continue to
improve the powertrain, incorporate an
HVAC system and power electronics, and
continue to develop a control strategy for
the vehicle. Each team was given a Dodge
Intrepid, Chevrolet Lumina or Ford
Taurus on which to make whatever
changes were necessary.
XL PROJECTS
C..$...d frs p.,. 1
Florida Department of Environmental
Protection and the South Florida Water
Management District.
Final approval of Project XL plans for
an Arizona facility of Intel Corp., the
silicon chip manufacturer, is expected by
the end of September. The Intel project is
in the last stages of negotiations among
EPA, Intel, and state and local govern-
ment agencies and other stakeholders. XL
planning for a 3M plant has stalled in
Minnesota, where state officials accused
EPA of not being sufficiently flexible.
EPA’s Project XL has come under
criticism by some in the environmental
o
community for being insufficiently protec-
tive of the environment. In Massachusetts,
a state program similar to Project XL
recently attracted public attention when
60% of the corporate participants were
found to be violating regulations.
However, Jon Kessler, Director of the
Emerging Sectors and Strategies Division
in EPA’s Office of Policy, Planning &
Evaluation, was optimistic that EPA’s
program would be successful on both
environmental and economic grounds.
“Project XL allows EPA to do what it does
best, which is to apply multi-media
technical expertise to reduce pollution
from a facility,” said Kessler.
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I Hut1im Pre itioii News
Auguat-Septeniber 1996
WATERSHEDS
EPA EXPLAINS HOW
WATERSHED-BASED
TRADING WORKS
A draft EPA framework issued in May
explains how dischargers of pollut-
ants into water sources can engage
in trading related to watersheds. EPA is
strongly promoting the use of environmen-
tal trading in response to President
Clinton’s regulatory reinvention initiative.
The framework, which supplements a
policy statement issued by EPA in Janu-
ary, is expected to become final in April
1997. Informational meetings are being
planned for this fall to discuss implemen-
tation issues.
The policy will allow a pollution source,
such as an industrial discharger or sewage
treatment plant, to sell or barter credits
for pollution reduction to another source
unable to reduce its own pollutants as
cheaply. For example, selected publically-
owned treatment works in North
Carolina’s Tar-Pamlico Basin pay into a
state fund that supports implementation
of best management practices on farms.
Several categories of trades are possible:
Trading among point and nonpoint
sources. Point sources discharge
pollutants directly into water. Nonpoint
sources are more diffuse, conveying
pollution via erosion, runoff, and
snowmelt to surface waters or via
infiltration to groundwater.
Intra-plant trading. A point source will
be allowed to allocate pollutant dis-
charges among its outfalls in a cost-
effective manner, provided that the
combined permitted discharge with
trading is no greater than the combined
permitted discharge without trading.
Also, discharge from each outfall must
meet minimum standards.
Pretreatment trading. An industrial
source(s) that discharge8 to a publicly
owned treatment works (POTW) will be
allowed to arrange for greater-than-
required reductions in pollution dis-
charge by other so-called “indirect”
sources in lieu of upgrading its own
treatment beyond minimum standards.
o
“Regardless of who trades and how, the
common goal of trading is achieving water
quality objectives, including water quality
standards, more cost effectively,” EPA
states in the draft framework. The Agency
believes that trading will provide sources
with greater flexibility to achieve pollution
reductions at least cost; create economic
incentives to go beyond minimum environ-
mental requirements; encourage more
widespread adoption of pollution preven-
tion and innovative technologies; and
address broader environmental goals
within an ecosystem.
To order a copy of the draft framework,
fax NCEPI at 513-569-7186, and request
EPA 800R96001; specify hard copy or
WordPerfect 6.1 diskette. Summary
information and the complete framework
are also accessible via the Internet at
httpi/www.epa.gov/ow/watershed. For
more information, call Theresa Tuano,
202-260-7059.
RESOURCES,
RESOURCES EVERYWHERE
Know Your Watershed pi y
is a national effort to WATEI%*Hto
encourage the forma-
tion of local, voluntary
partnerships to
protect watersheds,
and to help partnerships meet their goals.
EPA and more than 70 other corporations,
government agencies, and non-profit
organizations sponsor the effort.
Through Know Your Watershed, indi-
viduals and organizations interested in
forming partnerships can tap into a wealth
of resources, including:
“What is a Watershed Partnership?” a
short introductory brochure.
Guides entitled “Getting to Know Your
Local Watershed,” “Building Local Part-
nerships,” “Loading and Communicating,”
“Managing Conflict,” “Putting Together a
Watershed Management Plan,” and
“Reflecting on Lakes” ($2 each).
A starter video entitled “Partnerships
for Watersheds” ($7).
Watershed Management Kit in a Box,
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7 1k llution Prevention News
Augu8t-September 1996
WATERSHEDS, CONTINUED
which includes all of the above for $15.
National Watershed Exchange, a
database which describes nearly 1,000
brochures, videos, guides, manuals,
proceedings, technical materials,
workshop materials, slide shows,
annual reports, and newsletters.
National Watershed Network, a data-
base of more than 1,000 watershed
groups which enables watershed part-
ners to locate partnerships that faced
similar challenges. Both databases are
available on Windows compatible disk
($12.50) and the World Wide Web.
Focus, a monthly newsletter for water-
shed groups.
Know Your Watershed is coordinated by
the Conservation Technology Information
Center (CTIC), a non-profit public/private
partnership which provides information
about agricultural and natural resource
management systems, practices, and
technologies. For more information,
contact CTIC at 1220 Potter Drive, Room
170, W Lafayette, IN 47906, phone 317-
494-9555, fax 317-494-5969, Internet
location http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw-
kyw.html, or e-mail kyw@ctic.purdue.edu.
WATERSHED INFORMATION
RESOURCE SYSTEM (WIRS)
WIRS is a resource center for bibliographic
information maintained by the Terrene
Institute. Formerly known as the Clean
Lakes Clearinghouse, it contains informa-
tion on technical reports, conference
proceedings, government documents,
journal articles, and other publications.
WIRS abstracts and indexes approxi-
mately 5,000 watershed-related documents,
more than a quarter of them less than 5
years old. The database is updated annu-
ally and is available on the World Wide Web
at http://www.terrene.org under Thrrene’s
Nonpoint Source Projects Database.
For more information, contact the
Terrene Institute at 4 Herbert Street,
Alexandria,VA 22305. Tel: 800-726-LAKE.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
“A Watershed Approach to Urban
Runoff: Handbook for Decisionmakers,” a
new publication from the
Terrine Institute developed
in conjunction with EPA
Region 5 ($20.95). Call
CTIC at 317-494-9555.
“Nonpoint Pointers,” a
new fact sheet series
developed for non-technical
audiences by EPA’s Office of
Water. Contact Kristen
Martin at 202-260-7108 or
martin,kristen@epamail.
epa.gov. View or download
them from http://www.epa.
gov/OWOW/NPS/facts/.
“Wild on Watersheds”
planning kit for developing
a watershed tour. Call Julie
Spezia at the California
Association of Resource
Conservation Districts,
916-447-7237.
New publications from
the U.S. Geological
Survey’s National Water-
Quality Assessment
Program: “Occurrence of
Gasoline Additive MTBE in
Shallow Ground Water in
Urban & Agricultural
Areas,” “Pesticides in
Ground Water,” “Pesticides
in the Atmosphere,” and
“USGS Tracks Acid Rain.”
Call USGS, 800-426-9000.
“BMPs to Reduce Runoff
of Pesticides into Surface
Water: A Review and
‘A River Reborn’
Excerpt from a speech by the Hon. Bruce
Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior, at
Watershed ‘96, sponsored in June by the
Water Environment Federation and 14
federal agencies:
“One spring day, I thought what I’ll do is
go to Cleveland and see if I can find the
exact place where the river burned in
1969—the burning Cuyahoga River...
What I saw before my eyes was really
extraordinary. I saw a river reborn. I
saw businesses, restaurants, walks along
the river, fishing boats. A blue heron flew
down out of the sky, looking for its
breakfast. And I subsequently went out
to Lake Erie, and I saw a lake—pro-
nounced dead in the 1960s—reborn. I
began listening to the people in that
community explaining how it had
happened. And I began to see that as the
waters were restored, the waters were
restoring the community. Cleveland was
again moving back to the waterfront that
it had abandoned at the beginning of the
Industrial Revolution ... the public
places were being re-created. As I
progressed up the Cuyahoga River, I
began meeting citizen groups who were
explaining to me, it’s not just enough to
clean up Lake Erie, and it’s not enough
to have an effort at the mouth of the.
Cuyahoga River This is a watershed.”
Analysis of Supporting Research,” developed
by researchers and EPA Region 5 ($2.50).
Call 317-494-9555.
INFORMATION UPDATE
The e-mail newsletter about environmen-
tal sites on the Internet that was listed in
the June-July issue has ceased publica-
tion. However, information about free
environmental information resources can
be obtained through Mark Couhig of
Environmental Compliance Reporter, Inc.,
tel: 505-377-1225, or mcouhig@ix.
netcom .com.
o
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$ 1 llution Preventim News
August-September 1996
AWARDS, CONTINUED
EPA GRANTS
ENCOURAGE REDUCTION
IN PESTICIDE USE, RISK
EPA has awarded grants totaling almost
$740,000 to encourage the development
and implementation of strategies for
reducing the use and risk of pesticides.
Under EPA’s Pesticide Environmental
Stewardship Program (PESP), a voluntary
public-private partnership and EPA’s
major pollution prevention initiative for
pesticides, eight awards totalling $240,000
were made to organizations that use
pesticides or represent pesticide users.
Another $500,000 was awarded to 14
organizations, including several universi-
ties, in the form of EPA Regional Pollution
Prevention Initiative Grants.
Many of the grant pro ects emphasize
Integrated Pest Management, the carefully
managed use of a variety of pest control
methods such as use of natural pest enemies,
crop rotation, and judicious pesticide use, to
achieve the best results with the least harm
to the environment and public health.
AWARDS
fr.. ,. 1
EVERGREEN AWARD
EPA unveiled a new regional award recog-
nizing corporate achievements in pollution
prevention in the Pacific Northwest. The
first winner of the Evergreen Award was
Wacker Siltronic Corporation,
a state-of-the-art silicon wafer
production facility near Portland,
OR, which has achieved an 86%
reduction in Thxics Release
Inventory emissions since 1990.
The company completely elimi-
nated the use of tnchloroethylene
(TCE) and ozone-depleting chlorof-
luorocarbons (CFCs) from its production
process. It was formerly Oregon’s second
largest user of TCE and third largest user of
CFCs. Overall hazardous waste generation
was reduced by 99%, air pollution by 89%,
and solid waste by 30%.
Wacker Siltronic designed alternative
processes to eliminate TCE and CFCs,
replacing its solvent-based cleaning
system with water-based cleaning. An-
other major component of the company’s
hazardous waste stream was chromic acid,
which now is used in smaller quantities
than in 1985, when the reduction program
began, and is made safer through im-
proved waste treatment procedures.
“The Evergreen Award showcases compa-
nies that are demonstrating how to build an
environmentally sustainable economy in the
Northwest,” said Chuck Clarke, EPA Re-
gional Administrator in Seattle.
“Few firms have better demonstrated
how environmental protection and eco-
nomic prosperity can go hand in hand,”
said Clarke. “We hope to find many more
companies like Wacker. We’re looking for
companies that deserve credit for going
beyond simply complying with the law.
And we know they’re out there.”
For nomination information, call
Carolyn Gangmark at EPA Regional
Headquarters in Seattle at 206-553-4072
or via e-mail at gangmark.carolyn@
epamail.epa.gov.
$1 MILLION CHALLENGE
SRI International was named the
winner of Monsanto’s Second $1 Mil-
lion Challenge in July for a proposed
waste recovery technology.
SRI proposed to recover high-purity
amino acids and phosphoric and phospho-
rous acids from certain waste streams,
leaving behind clean sodium chloride. SRI
will receive $500,000 to develop and
demonstrate its technology in a laboratory
setting. If the work indicates successful
commercial application, SRI will receive
another $500,000.
The winner was selected by a panel
assembled by the Center for Waste Reduc-
tion Thchnologies, an affiliate of the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Earlier this year, AIChE announced plans
to fund a research proposal that was a
finalist in last year’s $1 Million Challenge.
The proposal is to separate and recover
ammonia from a complex mixed aqueous
wastestream containing various organic
chemicals and inorganic salts.
“Few firms have
better demonstrated
how environmental
prote(tion and
economic prosperity
can go hand in hand.”
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Fbllution Pre entioii News
August—September 1996
AWARDS, CONTINUED
INNOVATIONS IN GREEN CHEMISTRY
The five winners in EPA’s Green Chemistry
Challenge made a variety of contributions to
source reduction:
Monsanto Company created a new
process for manufacturing a key intermedi-
ate in the popular herbicide Roundup.® The
new, “zero-waste” process relies on the
copper-catalyzed dehydrogenation of
diethanolamine. The basic process has been
known since 1945. However, it was only
applied commercially when Monsanto
developed proprietary catalysts that make
the chemistry economically feasible.
Monsanto’s older process uses extremely
hazardous substances including formalde-
hyde, ammonia and cyanide-based chemicals.
Dow Chemical Company found a replace-
ment for chiorofluorocarbons and other volatile
organic compounds used in the manufacture of
foam products. Dow now uses 100% carbon
dioxide, which does not deplete the ozone layer
or contribute to ground level smog since it
comes from existing by-product commercial and
natural sources. Dow has made the technology
available to other companies through a com-
mercial license.
Rohm and Haas Corporation designed a
marine antifoulant called Sea NineTM to prevent
the accumulation of marine life on boats and
ship hulls with much less risk to humans and
the environment than previous antifoulants. The
main compounds used worldwide to control
fouling are the organotin antifoulants, which
cause widespread environmental problems due
to their persistence in the environment, includ-
ing acute toxicity, bioaccumulation, decreased
reproductive viability, and increased shell
thickness in shellfish.
The Organotin Antifoulant Paint Control Act of
1988 mandated restrictions on the use of tin in the
U.S. Sea-Nine 1M , which is based on a compound
from the 3-isothiazolone class, is the first new EPA
registration of an antifoulant in over a decade.
Donlar Corporation, a small business in
Bedford Park, IL, invented two processes to
manufacture a class of polymer products that
can be used in fertilizer and other applications
as substitutes for more toxic chemicals. The
o
alternative, thermal polyaspartate (TPA), is
derived from naturally occurring aspartic acid
and is biodegradable.
TPA increases the efficiency of nutrient uptake
of plants and, therefore, benefits the ecology of
the land while increasing crop yields. It is also a
candidate for use in water treatment and deter-
gent manufacturing and as a scale and corrosion
inhibitor in oil and gas production.
Texas A&M University’s Professor Mark
Holtzapple, in the Department of Chemical
Engineering, developed a family of technologies
that converts waste biomass into animal feed,
industrial chemicals, and fuels. Waste biomass
includes such resources as municipal solid waste,
sewage sludge, manure, and agricultural residues.
Lime-treated agricultural residues can be used
as ruminant animal feeds, or can be converted to
chemical and fuels. Producing chemicals and fuels
from biomass conserves nonrenewable resources
such as petroleum and natural gas. Fuels derived
from biomass are also cleaner burning and do not
add net carbon dioxide to the environment.
NOMINATIONS FOR 1997 AWARDS
Nominations for the 1997 Green Chemistry
Challenge Awards must exemplify one or more of
the following three focus areas: the use of alter-
native synthetic pathways for green chemistry;
the use of alternative reaction conditions for
green chemistry; or the design of chemicals that
are, for example, less toxic than current alterna-
tives, or inherently safer with regard to accident
potential. Deadline for entries is November 30.
To order a nomination package, call the Toxic
Substance Control Act Assistance Information
Service at 202-554-1404 or 202-554-0551 (TDD);
or EPA’s Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse at 202-260-1023; or EPA’s Indus-
trial Chemistry Branch at 202-260-2659. Addi-
tional information is available on the Internet at
httpi/www.epa.gov/docs/gcc or through EPA’s
homepage httpi/www.epa.gov; select “Offices,”
then “Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Sub-
stances,” then “Toxic Substances,” then “OPPT
Programs and Initiatives,” and then “Design for
the Environment (DIE).”
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10 I A1uticm Prevention News
August-September 1996
P2 IN THE MARKETPLACE
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
GIVE CHANGE LEADERS
A COMPETITIVE EDGE
by Sue Hall
I n a growing number of industries,
innovators are gaining a competitive
business advantage from becoming
what I call environmental “change lead-
ers” — companies that are adding share-
holder value as they make the
transition to more sustainable
practices in ways that transcend
regulatory compliance.
While many businesses
pursue pollution prevention
for its cost savings, change
leaders are redesigning entire
products and services to achieve greater
sustainability. Some have even changed
their industry’s rules of the game,
forcing competitors to adopt similarly
sustainable practices.
THE PAYOFF: MARKET SHARE... AND MORE
Innovators in sustainable business prac-
tices often reap rewards in the form of
increased market share. In addition, many
find their investments in sustainable
practices yield higher margins. Beyond
market share and higher overall profitabil-
ity, this kind of leadership is being found
to add value on every line of the profit and
loss statement.
For example, as lead was phased out of
gasoline, sales of tetraethyl lead declined
to virtually zero by the early 1990s. When
Arco first noticed the likely shift towards
lead-free gasoline, it moved early into
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether),
ending up with the largest worldwide
share of this expanding market. Arco led
the industry again with a decision, in
August 1991, to replace all of its leaded
gasoline sales in California with a new
reformulated product, EC’. EC’ is a
substitute designed to run on pre-1975
cars, which accounted for only 15 percent
of gasoline sales but 30 percent of the
California auto pollution problem. Arco’s
share of the unleaded market rose dra-
matically from under 17 percent to over 25
percent in just nine months.
In the plastics industry, Weliman, Inc.
of Shrewsbury, NJ, preceded its competi-
tors by almost a decade when it began
creating a market for the recycled plastic
PET in the 1980s. Weilman, the world’s
largest plastics recycler, teamed up with a
set of non-traditional allies, including
Coke and Pepsi bottlers who were recover-
ing their used PET bottles from bottle-bill
states. This leadership helped PET become
one of the most heavily recycled plastics—
which in turn enabled PET to gain market
share over rival resins, further enhancing
Weliman’s sales. Weliman went on to
sustain a 40 percent growth rate and 21
percent return on equity over a period of
six years.
As competitors began to invade
Weilman’s niche, it expanded its recycled
product range downstream into the fibers
business, helping to catalyze yet another
high-value recycled materials market by
selling Coke and Pepsi bottles to the
clothing company Patagoma to manufac-
ture a new line of “recycled” fleecy outdoor
clothing. The polymer used to make some
of the fleecy jackets is derived from used
bottles and converted to pellets, which are
then extruded into fibers.
LEARNING FROM STAKEHOLDERS
Change leaders often take their cues from
stakeholders whose interests in environ-
mentally sound practices converge with
the firm’s business interests. Shaman
Pharmaceuticals was formed six years ago
to develop pharmaceutical drugs by
learning from traditional indigenous
healers which plants they use to treat
various diseases. When these plants are
tested for effectiveness in treating those
diseases, half the plants test positive—a hit
rate over 50 times that of most drug
companies.
Two Shaman drugs now in phase II and
beginning phase III testing may complete
their FDA trials within 7-8 years of their
initial plant screening, compared to an
average of 10-12 years for conventional
“Change leaders often take
their cues from stakeholders
whose interests in
environmentally sound
practices converge with the
firm’s business interests.”
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11 Fbllution Prevention News
August-September 1996
P2 IN THE MARKETPLACE, CONTINUED
drug companies. Since FDA grants patent
protection—and thus exclusive “monopoly”
profits—to drug companies for up to 17
years after initial screening, this could
provide Shaman with up to 4 years’
additional protected revenues and profits.
Outstanding leadership can be found
even in products as humble as baking
soda. Members of two Canadian environ-
mental groups were the ones who first
knocked on Bryan Thomlison’s door at
Ann & Hammer to ask why the company
was not educating consumers about
baking soda’s use as an alternative, non-
toxic cleaner. Thirty-six months later,
baking soda sales had risen 30 percent—in
an industry in which sales had been
stagnant for decades.
Thomlison began to deepen his relation-
ships with other environmental stakehold-
ers— environmental groups, educators, the
media, regulators, and beyond. Further
innovations followed. One of the founders
of Earth Day USA asked if baking soda
had ever been used to clean printed circuit
boards, where traditional solvent cleaners
were creating major CFC and VOC
problems. Thomlison put them in touch
with the head of Arm & Hammer’s Re-
search and Development department.
Several weeks later a prototype product
was developed, which now forms the basis
for a full line of patented industrial
cleaners.
SECRETS OF SUCCESS
What do successful companies do right?
They:
Make a clear up-front commitment to
become a part of the solution;
Learn how to predict and lead their
markets as they restructure towards
more sustainable products and services
by developing a stakeholder learning
process;
‘ Explicitly invest in long-term, learning-
oriented relationships with environ-
mental stakeholders to envision and
discover new solutions.
On the last “secret of success,” we recently
measured how much incremental value
the stakeholder approach created for Arm
& Hammer. While 15 percent of company
revenues are derived from the “green”
market, the company’s stakeholder
approach alone contributes an incremental
5 percent. Furthermore, Arm & Hammer
has found that its stakeholder strategy is
twice as cost-effective as traditional
marketing approaches, generating $10 for
every $1 invested, compared to $4 for the
company’s traditional marketing ap-
proach.
Sue Hall founded Strategic Environmental
Associates (SEA) in 1992 to assist compa-
flies and other stakeholders in creating
business-based solutions to environmental
problems. She is currently also Executive
Director of the Institute for Sustainable
Technology. You can reach Sue at SEA, 4
Chenowith Road, Underwood, WA 98651,
tel: 509-538-2500, fax: 509-538-2550, or via
e-mail suehsea@aol.com.
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Editorial Staff.
Ruth Heikkinen, Editor
Suzanne Harris
Gilah Langner
Brian Blackstone
Free Hand Press, Layout
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12 Pollution Prevention News
August-September 1996
CALENDAR
DATE
Oct. 5-9
Oct.8
Oct. 8-9,
Oct. 22-23,
Nov. 13-14
Oct. 16
Oct. 19
Oct. 23-24
Oct. 26
Nov. 1-3
and 15-17
Nov. 2-4
Nov. 5-7
Nov. 13-15
EVENT
WEFTEC '96: Annual
Conference and Exposition
Reducing Wastes and Preventing
Pollution in Marinas and
Boatyards Satellite Broadcast
Pollution Prevention Workshops
Annual Conference
Fertilizer Research and
Education Program
ISO 14000: Achieving Implementation
and Alternatives to Certification
Food Scrap Composting Workshop
Eighth International Seminar on
Battery Waste Management
Microscale Chemistry Workshops for
High School Teachers
Roundtable Fall National Meeting
HazMat West '96
Chemical Emergency Preparedness
and Prevention Conference
SITE
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SPONSOR
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Management Institute
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No. Andover, MA Chemistry Center
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Assistance
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