Protecting the Environment
and Our Employees
PERFORMANCE
2005
HIGHLIGHTS
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA Office of Administration and Resources Management
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INTRODUCTION
More than 35 years ago, the White House and Congress established
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect human
health and safeguard the natural environment. Such a mandate
gives EPA the authority to establish environmental and health-
based policies and programs that industry and other Federal agen-
cies must follow. In an effort to lead by example, EPA strives to
ensure that its own offices and laboratories operate in a manner
that minimizes environmental impacts, fosters environmental
stewardship, and protects EPA employees. To meet this goal, the
Agency works toward continually improving upon its safety, health,
and environmental performance. This report summarizes EPA's
accomplishments in these areas for calendar year 2005 and, where
applicable, explains what the Agency plans to do in the future to
further improve its performance. The report provides information
on EPA's efforts to:
Implement, integrate, and utilize environmental management
systems and safety and health management systems;
Use audits as a tool for achieving optimal safety, health, and
environmental performance;
Reduce energy use and promote the use of renewable energy;
Ensure that EPA's buildings are safe and that they incorporate
sustainable features;
Promote pollution prevention activities;
Protect the safety of EPA employees who respond to emergencies
and natural disasters; and
Reduce work-related injuries and illnesses, save lives, and pro-
mote employee wellness.
We are proud of the progress we made in 2005 and we look forward
to ongoing progress in 2006 that will allow us to continue improv-
ing upon our safety, health, and environmental performance.
Assistant Administrator
Office of Administration and Resources Management
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Introduction
Management Systems Pave the Way for
Improved Performance
Audits Help EPA Achieve Optimal Safety,
Health, and Environmental Performance
1
EPA Promotes Energy Efficiency
and Green Power
Sustainable and Safe Buildings Showcase
EPA Priorities .
6
10
EPA Strengthens Its Pollution
Prevention Initiatives .
13
-J
EPA Keeps Its Responders Safe During
Emergencies and Natural Disasters
EPA Takes Steps to Reduce Injuries,
Save Lives, and Promote Employee Wellness
Acknowledgements
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19
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Management Systems Pave the
Way for Improved Performance
t EPA, we strive to accomplish the
Agency's mission in the most effective,
safe, and environmentally responsible
manner possible. To support this goal, EPA
is committed to developing management
systems that foster continuous improve-
ment in the way that the Agency carries out its activities.
Toward that end, EPA is integrating and utilizing environmen-
tal management systems (EMS) and has begun developing
safety and health management systems (SHMS).
EMS—EPA Stands Out Among Its Peers
An EMS is a set of management tools that promotes the integration of
environmental accountability into all levels of an organization's opera-
tional, planning, and management decisions. As such, it provides a frame-
work that enables organizations to reduce their environmental footprint
and demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship. As a benefit to
taxpayers, EMS makes good business sense because it has the potential to
improve the efficiency of operations, reduce waste, and save money.
Recognizing the benefits associated with EMS, Executive Order 13148
mandated Federal agencies to implement EMS at all appropriate facilities
by December 31, 2005. In response, EPA's major offices and laboratories
launched aggressive EMS implementation programs. To support them, the
Agency created a 12-step EMS implementation framework, established a
tracking system to monitor each location's progress, developed guidance
and EMS-related training materials, and provided on-site technical sup-
port to locations that required assistance. The Agency's commitment has
paid off. In fact, EPA succeeded in implementing EMS at all of its major
offices and laboratories by the December 31, 2005, deadline—an accom-
plishment that only 15 percent of the Federal sector was able to achieve.
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The Agency's position as a leader in the
Federal community has attracted recent
attention from outside organizations. For
example, in the most recent version of the
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's)
Environmental Stewardship Scorecard, the
section of the scorecard that addresses EPA's
EMS implementation effort earned a green
rating—the highest rating offered. Moreover,
EPA consistently receives high marks on an
EMS report card that the Office of the
Federal Environmental Executive uses to
evaluate progress that is being made toward
implementing and integrating EMS through-
out the Federal family.
In addition to focusing on EMS implementa-
tion, the Agency initiated activities in 2005
to promote the continued use and improve-
ment of established EMS programs. For
example, EPA is developing a document that
explains how to maintain and improve EMS
and how to ensure broad employee participa-
tion. Also in 2005, EPA launched an effort to
identify Agencywide EMS objectives and tar-
gets that (1) capture common environmental
priorities identified across the Agency's EMS
reporting locations, (2) address regulatory
and Executive Order requirements, and (3) encompass Agencywide strate-
gic goals. By implementing Agencywide EMS objectives and targets, EPA
will ensure that all of the EMS programs deployed across the Agency are
aligned with EPA's broader mission and strategic direction.
EPA will continue to support EMS implementation and post-implementa-
tion activities in the coming years. For example, in 2006, the Agency is
committed to developing EMS at three new locations that were not
included in the original list of EPA's "official EMS reporting locations."
EPA also plans to provide training on EMS integration and utilization in
2006 to EPA locations that already have an EMS in place.
ERA'S EQUATION FOR SUCCESS
EMS + SHMS = Optimal Performance
EPA wants its managers and employees to realize the
value of integrating safety, health, and environmental
management considerations into all aspects of their
work. EMS enables EPA to achieve this vision with
regard to environmental management, and SHMS
will do the same for safety and health.
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EMS REDUCES THE
AGENCY'S
ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOTPRINT
During the EMS implementa-
tion process, EPA locations
were instructed to examine
their operations, identify activ-
ities with potentially signifi-
cant environmental aspects,
and set objectives and targets
to address those aspects. Some
of EPA's facilities have started
tracking their progress, and in
some cases, the results are
impressive. For example, the
Region 10 Office set a target to
reduce its paper consumption
by 15 percent each year. In
keeping with this goal, the
facility was expected to reduce
the number of paper cartons it
used from 1,440 to 1,224
between 2004 and 2005, but it
surpassed its target and used
only 1,015 cartons. As another
example, the Region 8 Office
identified tailpipe emission
reductions as an EMS-related
objective. In an effort to meet
that objective, the office held
numerous videoconferences in
2005 to reduce the need for
travel and added a hybrid vehi-
cle to its fleet.
SHMS—Coming Soon to an EPA
Facility Near You
Given EPA's commitment to EMS, it should come as no surprise that the
Agency has now embraced the idea of implementing SHMS—a framework
that integrates safety and health considerations into all levels of a
facility's decision-making processes. SHMS promises to improve EPA's
safety and health performance, advance EPA's "safety culture," help
EPA identify and manage existing and emerging safety risks, and
reduce costs associated with employee accidents. EPA expressed its
commitment to SHMS in 2005 and announced that it plans to imple-
ment SHMS at 35 locations by the end of 2008. To achieve this goal,
EPA will launch SHMS at a minimum of four pilot sites (including
office and laboratory locations in Region 1 and Region 7) in 2006 and
use the experience gained from these pilots to develop formal SHMS
implementation guidance.
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Audits Help EPA Achieve Optimal
Safety, Health, and Environmental
Performance
n a regular basis, industrial hygienists, fire and life safety specialists, and
environmental engineers—who support the Agency's Safety, Health and
Environmental Management Division (SHEMD)—visit EPA facilities to eval-
uate their safety, health, and environmental management (SHEM) perform-
ance. The audits serve a dual purpose. First, they determine whether EPA is
complying with applicable SHEM-related laws and regulations. Second, they
examine whether the Agency's facilities are adequately promoting environmental stewardship,
maintaining safe and healthful workplaces, and implementing best management practices. The
audits help EPA identify deficiencies so that they can be resolved, a process that dovetails with the
Agency's management system paradigm.
The Agency's SHEM Audit and Evaluation Program has been in place since
1988. Under this program, auditors are sent to EPA offices and laborato-
ries once every 3 to 5 years and to research vessels periodically to perform
a compliance review and evaluate the maturity of facility management
systems. Compliance infractions are documented as "audit findings" and
entered into an automated database. The findings are tracked until they
are resolved. Local managers are required to develop formal Corrective
Action Plans and to track findings to closure.
In 2005,14 EPA facilities were audited (including four regional offices,
three field offices, and seven EPA laboratories). Audit findings were iden-
tified during these visits, but the majority of them were considered minor
regulatory discrepancies that were unlikely to pose a serious risk to
employees or the environment. Also in 2005, EPA launched an initiative
to enhance the SHEM Audit and Evaluation Program. The enhancements,
which will be completed in 2008, involve the following activities:
Using
an integrated approach, in 2005 the Office of Administrative Services
(OAS) initiated a campaign to resolve all of the Agency's backlogged open
audit findings. OAS will continue to pursue this goal throughout 2006 and
will take steps to ensure that any newly identified findings are addressed
expeditiously. For example, an Agencywide system will be launched in
2006 that sends automatic e-mails to senior managers to remind them of
the status of their open audit findings and to prompt them to indicate
when corrective actions will be completed.
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OAS has also established a work group of SHEMD and Facilities Manage-
ment and Services Division (FMSD) professionals whose objective is to
assist facility senior managers and their staff with closing longstanding
and/or complex audit findings. Services/support include: negotiating with
the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), providing technical
experts, supporting/initiating system design changes, and assisting with
resolution of budgeting issues.
1. In 2006 and 2007, the
audit program will transition more fully from a regulatory-based compli-
ance program to a performance-based program. Compliance will remain
an integral component of the audit process, but heightened emphasis will
be placed on management systems review.
Developing Self-assessment tools. Self-assessment tools are
being developed for local managers to use. These assessments will aug-
ment the formal audits that occur once every 3 to 5 years under the
SHEM Audit and Evaluation Program. The tools will be launched through-
out 2007 and 2008, at which time performing an annual self-assessment
will be considered a mandatory activity at all EPA facilities.
EPA Promotes Energy Efficiency
and Green Power
PA strives to manage its energy use in a man-
ner that both enables and reflects the
Agency's mission. It does so by promoting
energy conservation at its facilities, assess-
ing and improving the efficiency of its
mechanical systems, purchasing green and
renewable power, and demonstrating emerging technologies.
EPA's overall energy performance in fiscal year (FY) 2005 was measured
against the energy efficiency target established by Executive Order 13123,
Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management, which
requires the Agency to reduce its energy intensity by 20 percent compared
to an FY 1990 baseline. Through a combination of green power purchases,
commissioning efforts, mechanical system upgrades, and sustainable
building design, EPA reduced its energy intensity in FY 2005 by 40 per-
cent compared to FY 1990, far exceeding its goal and earning the Agency
a green rating on OMB's Energy Management Scorecard. As shown in the
graph on page 7, the reduction was due in large part to the Agency's
strong green power purchasing program. (The U.S. Department of
Energy's reporting guidelines allow agencies to deduct or "net out" green
power purchases from reported energy use).
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Enhancing Energy Efficiency at EPA
EPA is constantly working to improve energy performance at all of its
offices and laboratories. Below are just a few highlights of what the
Agency achieved in this regard in 2005.
EPA implemented recommissioning projects to evaluate energy perform-
ance and implement energy savings efforts at its main laboratory complex
in Research Triangle Park (RTF), North Carolina—the Agency's largest
energy consumer. In other words, EPA performed an evaluation to ensure
that these laboratory building systems are still functioning as originally
planned and to identify where periodic operating procedure changes or
drifts in control calibrations have affected building mechanical system
performance in a previously commissioned building. More specifically, as
part of the Laboratory Controls Optimization Project and the Vivarium
Controls Optimization Project, EPA made careful adjustments to ventila-
tion control set points in RTF's laboratories and vivariums (animal hold-
ing areas), which reduced energy use while ensuring performance and
employee safety. These adjustments also reduced overall demands on air
handling units (AHUs), which paved the way for implementing a static
pressure optimization/reduction test to adjust AHU controls and further
improve energy efficiency. Together, these efforts helped reduce the facili-
ty's energy use in 2005 by more than 10 percent compared to 2004.
Additional savings are expected in 2006. Based on the success of these
projects, the Agency plans to initiate similar recommissioning efforts at
other EPA laboratories across the country.
EPA completed an energy savings project at its Environmental Research
Center in Ada, Oklahoma, which included the installation of a ground-
source heat pump (GHP) that uses the Earth's subsurface temperature to
heat the facility in the winter and cool the facility in the summer. Thanks
to the GHP (which eliminated the laboratory's need for natural gas) and a
green power contract signed in May 2005 (which offsets 100 percent of
the carbon emissions related to the laboratory's electricity use), the
Environmental Research Center has become EPA's first "carbon-neutral"
facility.
EPA ANSWERS THE
PRESIDENT'S CALL
FOR ENERGY
CONSERVATION
On September 26, 2005,
President Bush issued a memo-
randum asking Federal agencies
to conserve natural gas, electrici-
ty, and oil in the wake of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
EPA offices and laboratories
across the country responded by
participating in energy-saving
activities and developing plans to
conserve energy during the ensu-
ing winter months. Facilities
reduced electricity and natural
gas demands by installing
ENERGY STAR® appliances and
other energy-efficient products,
upgrading mechanical equip-
ment, adjusting heating and
cooling set points, and where
appropriate, shifting energy-
intensive activities to non-peak
periods. EPA also curtailed non-
essential travel; encouraged car-
pooling, mass transit, and
telecommuting; and used alter-
native fuel vehicles to conserve
gasoline and diesel fuel.
Energy Intensity at EPA Laboratories
In June 2005, EPA's Region 9 Laboratory
completed several mechanical upgrades
that are anticipated to reduce the facility's
energy demands by approximately 15 per-
cent. The project, funded by utility savings
through an agreement with the building
owner, included installation of a natural gas
co-generation unit for electricity and hot
water; replacement of a single, oversized
boiler with two smaller ones; and a heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning upgrade.
I
I
375,000
350,000
325,000 .
300,000
275,000
250,000 .
225,000
200,000
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SUPPORTING
EMERGING CLEAN
FUEL TECHNOLOGY
EPA is helping to advance clean fuel
technology as part of both its daily
operations and its ongoing research
initiatives. In FY 2005, the Agency
used 30,000 gallons of soy ester
biodiesel fuel at its laboratories in
Narragansett, Rhode Island, and
Manchester, Washington, and
alternative fuel vehicles or other
advanced technology vehicles, such
as hybrid-electrics, accounted for
approximately one-third of EPA's
national fleet.
In addition, EPA Headquarters in
Washington, D.C., partnered with
General Motors (GM) to demon-
strate emerging fuel cell technolo-
gy. It did so by leasing a GM
HydroGenS vehicle for a 6-month
trial and evaluating fueling and
operations challenges associated
with such vehicles. EPA's National
Vehicle and Fuel Emission
Laboratory in Ann Arbor,
Michigan, is testing the fuel econo-
my and emissions of fuel cell vehi-
cles in an effort to accelerate the
deployment of commercial fuel cell
technologies.
8
In April 2005, the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, in which EPA's
Region 4 Office is the main tenant, was awarded an ENERGY STAR® label
for having achieved energy performance that ranks it in the top 25 per-
cent of all office buildings. The achievement was the result of a two-year
joint effort between EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S.
General Services Administration (GSA). The project included installation
of lighting occupancy sensors and energy-efficient power strips, as well as
improvements to building energy controls. These efforts resulted in a 12
percent decrease in energy consumption and utility cost savings of
approximately $200,000.
EPA installed a Web-based comprehensive energy management and real-
time metering system at two facilities within its Research Triangle Park
complex and installed an advanced metering system at the National
Enforcement Investigation Center in Denver, Colorado.
Green Power Purchases and
Demonstrations
EPA's renewable energy portfolio has grown tremendously since the
Agency first started purchasing green power for its Region 9 Laboratory
in 1999. Since then, EPA has continued to support the development of
renewable energy sources, such as wind, geothermal, biomass, and landfill
gas, by arranging contracts either to buy direct electricity from these
sources or to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs). (The latter
are tradable credits that offset the emissions associated with traditional
electricity sources by supporting wind farms, biomass, and landfill gas
generation.)
In FY 2005, EPA's green power contracts covered 30 offices and laborato-
ries around the country, including new contracts for eight facilities and
replacement or renewal contracts for nine facilities.
Manchester.WA
Richmond, CA
San Francisco,CA
R9 Office
Las Vegas, NV
i r »»-
Denver CO FT Cincinnati,OH
R8 Office Kansas City, KS - R7 Office (3 facilities)
and Kansas City,KS- R7 Lab
Existing Contract
Chelmsford,MA
Narragansett, Rl
New York, NY-R2 Office
Edison, NJ
FortMeade,MD
rWashington,DC- Headquarters
(2 locations)
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EPA's green power
purchases in FY 2005
\
represent enough energy
to power 8,300 homes
for an entire year
offset 460 million
pounds of carbon dioxide
are equivalent to
taking 40,000 cars off
the road in 2005
In all, the Agency purchased 225 million kilowatt hours of green power in FY
2005, a figure equivalent to nearly 76 percent of EPA's total annual electricity
use at all of its offices and laboratories. In addition to its green power con-
tracts, EPA installed renewable energy technology at some of its facilities in
2005, including a rooftop solar array at its laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon
(pictured below).
Future Energy
Management Goals
On August 8, 2005, President Bush signed the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), which
included new mandatory energy efficiency goals
for Federal facilities. EPAct 2005 requires that
EPA and other Federal agencies reduce their ener-
gy intensity by 2 percent each year (compared to a
FY 2003 baseline) beginning in FY 2006 and con-
tinuing through FY 2015. To meet these reduc-
tion targets, the Agency developed the
"ConservE" program, an energy conservation ini-
tiative to reduce energy use at EPA facilities.
Launched in late 2005, the ConservE program
involves short, medium, and long-term actions to
improve the Agency's energy performance, such as operation and maintenance
best practices, energy audits, recommissioning, mechanical system upgrades,
and long-range mechanical systems master planning.
In addition to enhancing energy reporting, measurement, and efficiency, EPA
also plans to expand its green power portfolio, ultimately seeking to become
the first Federal agency to reach 100 percent green power. By supporting
renewable energy sources and implementing extensive energy conservation
projects, EPA plans to continue to show leadership among Federal agencies in
energy management in 2006.
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Sustainable and Safe Buildings
Showcase EPA Priorities
PA is committed to ensuring that its build-
ings minimize the amount of resources used
and that they serve as safe, healthy, and pro-
ductive work environments. To do this, the
Agency proactively incorporates environmen-
tally sustainable features, such as green
building materials, water-saving devices, and stormwater
management plans, and addresses building-related safety and
health concerns.
EPA's National Computer
Center in Research Triangle
Park, North Carolina, is
LEED™ Silver Certified.
Embracing Sustainability—"LEEDing" By
Example
The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmen-
tal Design (LEED®) rating system—a voluntary, consensus-based national
standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings—pro-
vides a framework for meeting sustainability goals. There is no Federal
mandate stating that agencies must achieve LEED ratings, but for several
years, EPA has required its newly constructed facilities to achieve a mini-
mum of LEED Silver certification. Meeting that goal, the National
Computer Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, achieved
LEED Silver certification in January 2005. EPA's commitment to the
LEED program continues to strengthen, and in 2006, the Agency plans to
elevate its expectations by indicating that all new construction projects
must meet the LEED Gold certification standard.
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if l! !! H
:
Getting It Right Upfront
For new construction projects, such as EPA's new Potomac Yard Office
building in Virginia, the best way to ensure that environmentally sustain-
able features and sound safety and health practices take root is to start
with the acquisition phase and work with partners, such as GSA, and
building developers throughout design and construction. To accomplish
this, EPA incorporates green features and environmental provisions as a
requirement in the solicitation for offers (SFOs) for all of its new and ren-
ovated facilities. For example, the Potomac Yard facility's SFO requested
that energy efficiency, water efficiency, and environmentally preferable
materials be accounted for in facility design.
EPA has made a concerted effort to address safety and health at the
Potomac Yard facility. For example, early in the design phase, EPA
reviewed facility plans to determine whether any of the design features
might create safety and health hazards. In addition, all of the Material
Safety Data Sheets for chemicals that were used in the facility's construc-
tion materials (such as paints, caulks, and sealants) were reviewed to con-
firm that they met low-volatile organic compound requirements. Also, the
builder was required to submit an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management
Plan and EPA ensured that an Integrated Pest Management Plan was
developed to promote non-toxic pest control methods whenever possible.
Green cleaning products and services were also coordinated in accordance
with safety and health regulations.
EPA's new offices in
Arlington, Virginia.
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ERA'S WATER
CONSERVATION
EFFORTS
Water conservation initiatives are
underway at a variety of EPA loca-
tions. For example, EPA's laboratory
in Corvallis, Oregon, achieved sig-
nificant water savings in 2005 by
replacing an air conditioning unit
that was cooled by a continuous
flow of water with a unit that uses
recirculated chilled glycol for cool-
ing, a change that will save the
facility more than 3 million gallons
of water per year. As another exam-
ple, at EPA's Region 10 Laboratory,
employee-driven suggestions have
led to tremendous water and cost
savings. At that location, employees
noticed that the facility's autoclave
stand-by function, which allows the
equipment to temporarily shut
down while not in use, was not
operational. Autoclaves—devices
that use steam to sterilize equip-
ment and inactivate bacteria, virus-
es, fungi, and spores—typically use
a tremendous amount of water and
energy. By simply using the stand-
by function, the laboratory will save
nearly 60,000 gallons of water per
year. Inspired by these savings, the
facility installed water reducing
valves on each autoclave, reducing
the amount of cooling water each
autoclave uses by 50 to 90 percent.
At EPA's new Region 8 Office, which is under construction in Denver,
Colorado, a Safety and Health Move Action Team accounted for IAQ con-
siderations when making recommendations about which building materi-
als to use and addressed ergonomic-related issues when recommending
which type of furniture to purchase.
Fostering Smart Stormwater
Management
EPA also demonstrated its
commitment to green
building principles in
2005 by embracing envi-
ronmentally sound
stormwater management
strategies. For example,
EPA's new Potomac Yard
facility and the new
Region 8 Office both fea-
ture green roofs that con-
sist of vegetation planted
over a waterproof mem-
brane. These roofs will
help manage stormwater,
save energy, and provide
aesthetic benefits. While
the Potomac Yard facility
contains a small green
roof, the Region 8 facility—currently under construction—will include a
larger, more elaborate green roof. This three-level green roof will be added
to the upper levels of the building incorporating an extensive planting
scheme consisting of grasses, perennials, and groundcovers selected in
accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's hardiness zone clas-
sification. The roof is estimated to reduce stormwater runoff by nearly 27
percent.
EPA is also demonstrating an innovative low impact development (LID)
project at its Federal Triangle Headquarters facility in Washington, D.C.
This multi-phased project—conducted in collaboration with GSA—aims
to reduce the volume and pollution levels of stormwater runoff as well as
demonstrate that sustainable design and LID are suitable for use in high-
profile urban sites that have rigorous aesthetic design requirements. The
project includes construction of rain gardens or bio-retention cells, porous
paving, native species planting, and a cistern to capture rainwater runoff.
Construction of this project began in January 2005.
EPA's new Region 8 Office in Denver,
Colorado, will include a green roof.
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EPA Strengthens Its
Pollution Prevention
Initiatives
s an agency that employs nearly 18,000
people and supports a variety of office,
laboratory, and field activities, EPA has
the potential to generate substantial pollu-
tion and waste. In 2005, to minimize its
environmental impact, the Agency pur-
chased environmentally preferable products, reduced its use
of materials whenever possible, and promoted reuse and
recycling practices.
Greening the Agency's Acquisition
Practices
From large acquisitions to micro-purchases, EPA has
taken the lead among Federal agencies in greening its
acquisitions. In May 2005, EPA stated that all of the
Agency's purchase card holders must use EPA's
Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for green office
supplies. The BPA provides a one-stop online shop for
office supplies and offers easy access to more than
1,000 items that fulfill the Federal Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines for recycled-content and
other environmentally preferable attributes. By using
the BPA, the Agency has already realized an increase
in the number of remanufactured toner cartridges
purchased and an increase in the amount of sanitary
paper products purchased with recovered materials.
While the existing BPA does not currently cover elec-
tronic products, efforts are underway to ensure that a greater percent-
age of the Agency's newly purchased electronics include environmental-
ly preferable attributes (see below for details). In addition, EPA plans to
expand its affirmative procurement program to include ENERGY
STAR® products, alternative fuel vehicles, chemicals, and other pur-
chase areas in 2006. The Agency also plans to publish purchasing
guidelines on green procurement for all Agency purchasers in 2006.
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Computer monitors can be recycled
for their components or safely dis-
posed of through the READ contract.
EPA Answers the Federal Electronics
Challenge
EPA is committed to mitigating the environmental impact of its electronic
products, such as laptops, desktop computers, printers, and servers made
with components that affect the environment throughout their life cycles.
The Agency's commitment to this endeavor was confirmed when EPA
signed a Memorandum of Understanding entitled Promoting Sustainable
Environmental Stewardship of Federal Electronic Assets on November 15,
2004. Additionally, throughout 2005, the Agency actively participated in
the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC), a voluntary partnership program
that encourages Federal agencies to purchase greener electronic products,
reduce the amount of energy consumed by electronic products while they
are in use, and manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe
way. In fact, by the close of 2005,17 of EPA's targeted organizations had
already signed on to the FEC.
During 2005, EPA made an effort to purchase electronic equipment that
contains fewer toxic components and is equipped with energy conserva-
tion settings and designed for easier end-of-life recycling. Toward that
end, EPA began incorporating language requiring these attributes into its
electronics acquisition contracts, and in 2006, EPA plans to develop a
green BPA for desktop and laptop computers. These items will soon be
required to feature the sustainable attributes found in the Electronic
Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) in order to be sold to
EPA through the BPA. Also in 2006, EPA plans to extend the "refresh
cycle," or length of time before electronic items are replaced, as well as
ensure that the "power down" function and other ENERGY STAR® fea-
tures are enabled on employees' personal computers and monitors.
As far as managing electronics that the Agency no longer needs, EPA
strives to reuse or recycle these products. For example, in an effort to give
a second life to electronics that are still in good condition, EPA donates
many of them to Computers for Learning, a program that redistributes
surplus government computers and related equipment to schools. In fact,
in 2005, EPA offices donated 2,061 pieces of electronic equipment, such
as desktops, laptops, monitors, keyboards and printers, to schools across
the United States.
When equipment is no longer reusable, EPA relies upon its Recycling
Electronics and Asset Disposition (READ) contract to ensure that each
piece is properly recycled. READ is a government-wide recycling contract
that enables Federal agencies to properly manage excess or obsolete elec-
tronic equipment in an environmentally responsible manner, whether by
reuse, recycling, or safe disposal for toxic components. To date, EPA has
processed more than 300,000 pounds of EPA's electronic equipment
through the READ contract.
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EPA Supports Innovative Recycling
Efforts
In 2005, EPA conducted recycling assessments at three of its regional
offices to examine each facility's recycling practices, identify ways to
enhance the amount of recycling that occurs, and identify best practices
that can be shared with the entire Agency. The assessments revealed sev-
eral innovative and effective ways that EPA's regional offices are boosting
recycling efforts.
The Region 1 Office has upgraded its computer software to enable paper-
free faxing. This system allows employees to send faxes from their com-
puters rather than having to print paper copies first, and allows them to
view incoming faxes as e-mail attachments. The office has also installed
new "eScan" copy machines. These machines convert scanned paper docu-
ments into electronic files, which can then be distributed throughout the
office without wasting paper. Region 1, which has an office recycling rate
of 63.6 percent, also holds an annual office "Clean-Up Day" to encourage
recycling and reuse of office equipment and supplies.
The Region 2 Office, working with its local READ contractor, recycled 668
computers, 330 monitors, three pallets of printers, and two bins of key-
boards, plus other assorted office electronic equipment in October 2005.
In addition, the office accepted books and office supply materials from a
Region 2 library that closed earlier in the year, preventing the supplies
from being discarded in the trash. The Region 2 Office added the books to
its own library and donated the extra office supply materials to other
organizations instead of throwing them away.
The Region 5 Office has implemented a unique closed-loop paper recy-
cling system that turns used office paper into tissues and towels for the
office's facilities. Currently, the office recycles 81 percent of all mixed
paper it generates. In addition to paper recycling, the office recycles 98
percent of all cans and 95 percent of all bottles generated in the building.
CUTTING BACK ON
CHEMICALS
Executive Order 13148 chal-
lenges Federal agencies to reduce
the amount of chemicals they use
and the quantity of hazardous
waste they generate. To meet this
challenge, EPA laboratories are
strengthening their chemical
management systems and green-
ing their analytical procedures.
For example, in 2005, the
Agency's laboratories continued
implementing chemical manage-
ment software that improves
chemical tracking, reduces the
likelihood of chemical purchase
duplications, and encourages per-
sonnel to use up (or "adopt out")
existing chemical stocks before
the chemicals exceed their useful
shelf lives and become hazardous
waste.
To improve analytical proce-
dures, some EPA laboratories
purchased new equipment in
2005 that will allow them to
reduce the amount of solvent or
acid they use to support sample
analysis. Others continued to
refine their analytical method-
ologies. For example, late in
2005, the Region 5 Laboratory
developed an analytical method
that reduces the amount of sulfu-
ric acid required per sample. Also
in 2005, the Region 10 Laborato-
ry worked on improving its
micro-extraction technique, a
change that is expected to result
in significant reductions in meth-
ylene chloride use.
r
15
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EPA Keeps Its Responders Safe
During Emergencies and
Natural Disasters
PA plays a vital role in helping the nation
respond to natural and man-made emergen-
cies and disasters. For example, in 2005,
when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged
the Gulf Coast, the Agency sent more than
1,100 EPA employees (such as those pictured
above) to the region to assist in response and cleanup efforts.
These employees, who came from all over the country, per-
formed a variety of tasks, while avoiding potential safety and
health hazards.
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For example, while in the field, EPA employees conducted the following:
• Facilitated the removal and management of millions of cubic yards of
debris;
• Disposed of more than 3.2 million unsecured or abandoned containers
of potentially hazardous wastes;
• Collected samples of floodwater, sediment, soil, surface water, and
groundwater;
• Delivered emergency supplies to water and wastewater utilities;
• Assisted with community outreach; and
• Handled oil and hazardous substance spills along the Gulf Coast,
including a cleanup effort at the Murphy Oil refinery that involved a 1-
million gallon release of mixed crude oil.
While performing these activities, EPA employees had the potential to be
exposed to harmful chemicals or biological agents. Therefore, the Agency
mobilized quickly to ensure that its employees would be adequately pro-
tected against such risks. For example, within days of Katrina's landfall,
EPA had established a mechanism with Federal Occupational Health
(FOH) to ensure that deployed employees could obtain tetanus/diphthe-
ria, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines. EPA also posted important hurri-
cane-response safety and health information on its intranet site, including
(1) health advisories; (2) fact sheets explaining how to protect oneself
from exposure to water-borne illnesses, infectious diseases, and mold; and
(3) training materials that the National Institute of Environmental Health
Science produced under its Hurricane Response Initiative.
Additionally, EPA posted job hazard analyses on its intranet site that
described tasks that employees might encounter (e.g., removing debris
from hurricane-damaged areas) and explained how to reduce the hazards
associated with these tasks. EPA also developed a pre- and post-deploy-
ment medical questionnaire for employees who volunteered to go to the
Gulf Region even though their normal job descriptions did not include
field work.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita served as a solemn reminder of how impor-
tant it is for the Agency to maintain a mission-ready workforce, meaning
that individuals from different EPA Regions should share the same level of
safety and health preparedness and be ready to respond to national disas-
ters on a moment's notice. This realization is hardly new to the Agency. In
fact, one month before Hurricane Katrina hit, EPA announced the avail-
ability of its Emergency Responder Health and Safety Manual, a document
that promotes consistency in (1) the way EPA emergency responders are
trained and monitored, and (2) the type of protective equipment they use
Murphy Oil refinery spill.
Employees conduct sampling on Lake
Ponchartrain.
An EPA employee monitors
hazardous waste in Jefferson Parish,
Louisiana.
17
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in the field. The manual consists of multiple chapters, each of which
addresses a specific health and safety topic and outlines steps that must
be taken to protect EPA's emergency responders from job-related acci-
dents, injuries, and exposures to hazardous materials. The first three
chapters of the manual were released in 2005: they address radiation safe-
ty, medical surveillance, and respiratory protection. Seven additional
chapters have been slated for development by the end of 2008.
An EPA employee at the
National Enforcement
Investigation Center in
Denver, Colorado, performs
field work.
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EPA Takes Steps to Reduce Injuries,
Save Lives, and Promote Employee
Wellness
ostering healthful working conditions and
promoting employee wellness makes sense:
not only is it the right thing to do, hut it also
makes good business sense since a happier,
healthier workforce is typically a more pro-
ductive one. While EPA has always placed a
high premium on safeguarding employee health, the Agency
ramped up these efforts in 2005 by (1) committing to reduce
its injury and illness rate, (2) promoting Automated External
Defibrillator (AED) access and training, and (3) implementing
an employee Wellness Pilot Program.
Preventing Injuries and Illnesses
Compared to other Federal agencies, EPA has low injury and illness rates,
with relatively few employees injured on the job. Nevertheless, EPA
believes that any employee injury is one too many and that it is important
to bring the injury and illness rate as close to zero as
possible. In 2005, EPA identified injury and illness
rate reduction as an objective that it must pursue.
This effort involves enhancing EPA's existing injury
and illness data collection system, identifying the
Agency's top hazards, promoting operational changes,
and launching an Injury and Illness Prevention
Program Awareness Campaign. The goals of the pre-
vention program are to (1) educate employees about
the importance of reporting injuries and work-related
illnesses, (2) teach them how to take preventative
measures, and (3) ensure that they are aware of EPA's
emergency medical procedures.
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Creating Life Savers
One of the most dramatic ways that EPA can influ-
ence an employee's well being is to provide access to
AEDs—devices that can save the lives of cardiac
arrest victims and minimize the severity of physio-
logical injuries caused by cardiac arrest. In 2005,
EPA Headquarters employees were given the oppor-
tunity to attend an 8-hour instructor-led AED/CPR
class to become certified as trained first respon-
ders. This class was offered 10 times across the
Washington, D.C., metro area in 2005, and by the
end of the year, about 300 Headquarters employees
had become certified. AED training was also offered
in 2005 at the majority of EPA's main offices and
laboratories. EPA will expand its AED Program in
2006 and increase the number of employees who
are certified as first responders. Toward this end,
the Agency has agreed to deliver additional AED/CPR classes at EPA
Headquarters locations in 2006 and is in the process of assessing a variety
of training schemes and learning strategies in order to maximize the num-
ber of employees that can be trained. Also in 2006, EPA will analyze the
AED programs deployed at individual EPA locations across the Agency to
determine whether it would be beneficial to develop Agencywide guide-
lines for operating and optimizing an AED Program.
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A Holistic Approach to Health
EPA encourages its employees to engage in personal fitness and weight
management programs and to make healthy lifestyle choices. In 2005, EPA
piloted a Wellness Program at six EPA locations across the Agency. Pilot
participants had access to a confidential employee health-assessment data-
base and an interactive Web site that offered health information. In addi-
tion, lifestyle counseling was made available and participants were invited
to participate in an 8-week nutrition and weight management program
called "Lighten Up! With FOH" (Federal Occupational Health). Health pro-
motion activities, such as "Annual Walks to Wellness," were also included as
components of the pilot program. The activities undertaken at the six pilot
sites were not the only wellness-related efforts that took place across EPA
in 2005. In fact, an additional 21 EPA locations were involved in activities
that promote healthier lifestyles, such as providing access to fitness centers
and/or sponsoring educational series on health topics. In 2006, EPA will
evaluate the results from its Wellness Pilot Program, assess other ongoing
wellness initiatives, and use the information collected to determine if
launching a formal Wellness Program across the entire Agency makes sense.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management would
like to acknowledge the following staff for their contributions to
this report and their tireless commitment to improving the
Agency's safety, health, and environmental performance:
• Assistant and Regional Administrators;
• Safety, health, environmental management, real estate, architecture,
engineering, and sustainable facilities personnel;
• Energy, facility, fleet, and laboratory managers;
• Pollution prevention, EMS, and recycling coordinators; and
• Purchasing and contract officials.
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
(3204R)
Washington, DC 20460
www.epa.gov
Official Business
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EPA200-R-06-001
October 2006
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