rQ% National Partnership for Environmental
MS^ Priorities (NPEP) Bulletin
Winter, 2006
Welcome to the latest edition
of the NPEP Bulletin. The
NPEP Bulletin is distributed quarterly
to keep you informed of the latest
NPEP and waste minimization (waste
min) news and events. Each issue will
have a different theme. This Issue:
State and Regional Waste Min
Programs. We distribute the Bulletin
electronically to minimize waste,
conserve resources, and promote the
Paperless Office.
Join NPEP Today
Interested in waste min? Want to
improve your bottom line while
helping the environment? NPEP
encourages public and private
organizations to form voluntary
partnerships with EPA to reduce the
use and/or release of priority chemicals
(PCs). Enroll today:
www.epa.gov/minimize/partnership.htm
Read more about PCs at
www.epa.gov/minimize/chemlist.htm
** Breaking News **
EPA Releases Lean Toolkit
Offering practical strategies and
techniques to help specialists at your
shopfloor deliver lean solutions.
Read more about the Lean Toolkit
and all the latest waste min news at
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimi
ze/latestnews
«1
^'Information Exchange
Contact the editors with your ideas,
questions, events, articles, comments,
and suggestions. We want to hear
from you. Send us your thoughts and
contributions today via email or our
comments and questions form at
www.epa.gov/minimize/contactus.htm
Upcoming Events:
March 26 - 29: Int'l Conference on
Solid Waste Technology and Mgmt.
March 29 -31: GLOBE 2006
Conference
April 5-7, 2006: WasteExpo 2006
Send us your event today. View the
Waste Min Calendar at
www. epa.gov/calendar/minimize. htm
Volume 1
4^^J2^ Attention Partners: NPEP Can Help
^R^5^^^ You Meet Performance Track Goals
In an important new development for both current and future NPEP partners, NPEP and the
National Environmental Performance Track announce a new National Challenge Commitment to
reduce priority chemicals. This new Challenge offers NPEP partners the potential benefit of
considering their pledges to reduce priority chemicals as satisfying two of the four commitments
necessary to join Performance Track.
Performance Track is a voluntary partnership program that acknowledges top environmental
performance. Benefits of Performance Track membership can include: reduced reporting
frequency, expedited permit reviews, and collaboration with state programs to offer state- specific
incentives. Being an NPEP partner is a solid first step toward Performance Track membership.
Visit Performance Track at www.epa.gov/performancetrack
tjjti Trends Report Shows Impressive Reductions
|j^ On December 20, EPA published the latest National Priority Chemicals Trends Report
as part of the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC), a national effort to find more
flexible yet protective ways to conserve natural resources and energy. One of the goals of the
RCC is to reduce priority chemicals (PCs) in our environment and the Trends Report tracks
progress toward meeting this goal as well as trends in the generation and management of PCs in
industrial waste.
This year's report evaluates the progress made in reducing the presence of 23 PCs in waste
between 2001 and 2003 using the most recent data in the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), a
publicly available database containing information on the use, release, and management of more
than 650 toxic chemicals at industrial and federal facilities. The Trends Report shows that the use
of PCs in waste has decreased by nearly six percent since 2001 and that about half of the 23 PCs
tracked showed decreases in use. This means that we are more than halfway toward meeting our
goal of a 10 percent reduction in PC wastes by 2008.
Read the Trends Report at www.epa.gov/minimize/trends.htm
Visit the RCC at www.epa.gov/rcc and view the TRI at www.epa.gov/iri
Region 3 Develops Productive Relationships with Generators
Tad Radzinski, Region 3 Waste Minimization Program Team Leader, and Greg Gemgnani,
National Coil Coalers Association, at the Region 3 Villanova Conference on Naphthalene Reductions.
EPA Region 3 is also known as the Mid-Atlantic Region and serves Delaware, the District of
Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Twenty -three NPEP partners are
found in Region 3, more than in any other region. Region 3 partners include three GE facilities,
DuPont (Edgemoor, Delaware), and U.S. Steel Mon Valley Works (Dravosburg, Pennsylvania).
These partners have committed to chemical reductions of about 542,500 pounds.
The Region 3 recruiting process begins with the identification of potential partners as soon as new
TRI data become available. The staff keeps a list of potential partners and sectors that was ranked
by volume but is now ranked by waste min potential. As Tad Radzinski, Region 3 NPEP
Coordinator, reports, "Just because a facility has PC waste doesn't mean it has waste min
potential." NPEP staff has worked with almost all of the top generators in the region and usually
performs site visits and prepares waste min reports as part of the recruiting process. He adds, "A
national focus on sectors is going to produce good results in every region. "
Mr Radzinski believes that Region 3's success stems from effectively Continued on page 2
NPEP Bulletin page 1 Issue 3
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New Partner Spotlight
Region 1
Partner: Benchmark Electronics
Location: Hudson, New Hampshire
Region 2
Partner: Crystex Composites, LLC
Location: Clifton, New Jersey
Partner: Durand Glass Manufacturing
Company, Inc.
Location: Millville, New Jersey
Partner: GGB, LLC
Location: Thorofare, New Jersey
Partner: PR Sun Microsystems
Location: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Region 4
Partner: Modine Manufacturing Co.
Location: Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Partner: Modine Manufacturing Co.
Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Partner: Precoat Metals division Sequa
Coatings Corporation: Jackson Plant
Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Region 5
Partner: Honeywell International
Location: Freeport, Illinois
Partner: Modine Manufacturing Co.
Location: Pemberville, Ohio
Partner: Precoat Metals division Sequa
Coatings Corporation
Location: Portage, Indiana
Region 6
Partner: Rubicon, LLC
Location: Geismar, Louisiana
Partner: Stemco LP
Location: Longview, Texas
Region 7
Partner: Modine Manufacturing Co.
Location: Jefferson City, Missouri
Partner: Precoat Metals division Sequa
Coatings Corporation
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Region 9
Partner: Exide Technologies
Location: Los Angeles, California
Read about all of our NPEP partners:
www.epa.gov/minimize/partners.htm
Continued from page 1: Region 3
identifying generators, developing good
relationships with them, and being persistent.
He also says that past successes lead to future
success. In other words, the staffs record of
helping facilities reduce waste and save
money gives them credibility when they
present NPEP to potential partners.
Region 3 staff recently compiled efficiency
measures using data collected from
participants in its Site Visit Program. The
results of this program are impressive -
waste reduced totals 91,922,558 pounds,
water savings total 1,641,540,000 gallons,
and cost savings total $42, 602,178. The cost
to EPA was $330,000, meaning that for every
dollar EPA invested, 279 pounds of waste
were reduced, 4,974 gallons of water were
saved, and $129 was saved by facilities.
Region 3 has provided technical assistance to
about half of its NPEP partners. Facility
representatives often request technical
assistance to help them establish waste min
goals. For example, Region 3 helped the
Baldwin Hardware Corporation find an off-
site recovery facility to take the copper, zinc,
and lead polishing waste separated from
brass fines during the manufacturing process.
Visit the Region 3 NPEP website at
www. epa.gov/reg3wcmd/wasteminimization. htm
Pennsylvania Home
to 12 NPEP Partners
Pennsylvania, a Region 3 state, is home to 12
NPEP partners, more than any other state.
GE Bridgeville, Sylvin Technologies, and the
U.S. Steel Mon Valley Works are all found
here. Pennsylvania's NPEP partners have
committed to reducing over 283,000 pounds
of chemical waste. Pennsylvania NPEP staff
identifies potential partners by using Region
3's list of priority chemical generators and
researching other large quantity generators
and sectors.
Glenn Mitzel, Waste Minimization
Coordinator, says that establishing trust with
facilities and past successes are both crucial
elements to successful recruiting. He
believes that Pennsylvania's waste min
program is successful because outreach
efforts are focused using the latest TRI data
and because the Region 3 program uses a
team concept that allows the states and the
region to work cooperatively. He adds,
"NPEP is a very effective program and
helping companies focus on priorities has
been productive."
Pennsylvania has provided technical
assistance to most of its NPEP partners. This
usually entails identifying waste min
opportunities while conducting site visits at
their facilities. Recommendations to reduce
waste, wastewater, and energy usage along
with potential cost savings are documented
and sent to the facility after the visit. Mr.
Mitzel reports that the site visit report has
proven a useful tool in helping partners
prioritize their waste minimization efforts.
Visit Pennsylvania's NPEP website at
www.depweb.state.pa.us, DEP Keyword:
Waste Minimization.
Virginia Values Relationship
with Region 3
Nine NPEP partners, including two GE
facilities, Moog Components, and the
Williamsburg Community Hospital, can be
found in Virginia, a Region 3 state. Chemical
reduction commitments total almost 229,000
pounds. Virginia staff reaches out to
facilities identified by Region 3 and facilities
participating in programs such as the Virginia
Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP)
and Virginia Hospitals for a Healthy
Environment (VH2E). Sharon Baxter, NPEP
Coordinator, reports that the good
relationship that Region 3 staff has fostered
with its states and the data analyses provided
by Region 3 contribute a great deal to the
success of Virginia's NPEP program.
Virginia NPEP staff has provided technical
assistance to about half of its partners,
usually by researching and distributing
technical information. NPEP Staff has also
advocated for partners in regulatory issues.
Visit Virginia's NPEP website at
www.deq.virgima.gov/p2/wastemin.html
Region 2 Describes Successful
Recruiting Program
EPA Region 2 serves New Jersey, New
York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and seven tribal nations. Joseph Malki,
Region 2 NPEP Coordinator, has recruited 14
NPEP partners including Comus
International, Hewlett Packard (Aguadilla),
and the U.S. Postal Service (Albany).
Chemical reduction commitments in Region
2 exceed 677,000 pounds.
Mr. Malki believes patience and persistence
are the keys to successful recruiting. He adds
that NPEP appeals to facilities because of
cost savings, recognition, and reduced
liability. "More often than not it is a win-win
situation for the facility; partnering with
NPEP improves their public image while at
the same time they are saving money."
Mr. Malki says that an endorsement from the
state often reinforces the importance of the
NPEP message. He believes that NPEP is
effective because it reduces TRI emissions,
looks at lifecycle analysis of the final
NPEP Bulletin page 2
Issue 3
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product, and reduces liability. Visit the
Region 2 NPEP website at
www. epa.gov/region02/p2/wastemin. htm
NPEP Affects Great
Lakes in Region 5
EPA Region 5 serves Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and
35 Tribes. This region is also home to the
largest surface freshwater system on earth,
the Great Lakes, which provide water for
consumption, power, and other uses to more
than 35 million people living in the area. The
Great Lakes are vulnerable to many
pollutants, including priority chemicals,
because of the industry and agriculture in the
region. Janet Haff and Ann Wentz, NPEP
Region 5 coordinators, believe that NPEP is
an important program because it reduces the
impact of priority and other toxic chemicals
on human health and the Great Lakes.
Priority chemicals targeted for reduction by
Region 5 include lead, mercury, and
naphthalene.
NPEP has 12 partners in Region 5, including
GE (Circleville, Ohio), International Truck
and Engine Corporation (Springfield, Ohio),
and Toyota (Princeton, Indiana). Chemical
reduction commitments in Region 5 total
almost 2.3 million pounds.
Ms. Haff reports that site meetings and
continued follow-up with facilities are
critical for successful recruiting. For
example, Region 5 staff met with Modine
Manufacturing Company (Pemberville, Ohio)
to discuss Modine's waste min plans and
NPEP. Modine was interested in eliminating
lead from their product line and, after
continued contact with Region 5 staff, agreed
to join NPEP with a lead reduction goal of
670,000 pounds. As a result of Region 5's
efforts, Modine facilities in Missouri and
Kentucky also joined NPEP. Visit the
Region 5 NPEP website at
www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/wastemin/
Region 6 Secures
First NPEP MOA
EPA Region 6 serves the south central part of
the country: Arkansas, Louisiana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 65 Tribes.
Industries in Region 6 generate more priority
chemical-containing waste than any other
region but have a good record of successfully
managing this waste.
Nine NPEP partners have been recruited
from Region 6, including BP (Texas City),
GM (Shreveport), and Shell Chemical
(Norco, Louisiana). Chemical reduction
commitments exceed 1.8 million pounds.
Lisa Price, Region 6 NPEP Coordinator,
reports that persistence in communicating
with facilities leads to NPEP recruiting
successes. Recruiting starts with researching
TRI data to determine which facilities are
generating priority chemicals and learning as
much as possible about those facilities before
contacting them.
Staff also pursues companies participating in
Performance Track and similar state
programs such as Clean Texas and the
Louisiana Environmental Leadership
Program. Ms. Price reports that most facility
representatives are very open to having
discussions about partnering with NPEP once
they understand that our efforts are not
driven by regulations.
Region 6 recently secured the first NPEP
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a
state. Through this MOA, EPA and the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality agreed to coordinate the efforts of
NPEP and the recently initiated Oklahoma
Star Incentive Program. The MOA addresses
nine points such as developing incentives and
coordinating the application processes.
Other efforts by Region 6 led to the City of
Dallas (Love Field Airport) partnering with
NPEP. Region 6 staff was invited to an EMS
site visit at Love Field Airport by the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality and
subsequently initiated a series of meetings
with city departments to promote NPEP as a
partner for some of their environmental
projects. After reviewing the projects for
priority chemical activity and waste min
potential, the effort at Love Field Airport to
replace PCB-containing ballasts was deemed
a good fit for NPEP.
Visit the Region 6 NPEP website at
www. epa.gov/earthl r6/6pd/rcra_c/wastemin/
wastemin.html
NPEP Partner Update
Norco Receives Illinois
Governor's Award
Norco Cleaners, Inc. has been an NPEP
partner in Region 5 since October, 2003.
Norco received an NPEP achievement award
in October, 2005 for avoiding emissions of
almost 5,500 pounds of naphthalene by
reducing the consumption of dry cleaning
solvents. Recently, Norco received a 2005
Illinois Governor's Continuous Improvement
Award, presented to organizations that
continuously build on previous successes in
pollution prevention.
Norco successfully reduced consumption of
dry cleaning solvents and solvent emissions
by replacing its water cooling system with
refrigeration for maximum recycling of
naphthalene. Read more about Norco at
www.epa.gov/minimize/latestnews.htm
Director's Corner
tor
Environment!
Prioriliot
Jim Berlow,
Director, Hazardous Waste Minimization
and Management Division
NPEP is a successful program because of the
hard work of many people. The NPEP Team
here at EPA Headquarters continues to be
impressed by the efforts of our state and
regional partners in recruiting facilities into
the program. The NPEP program should be
implemented by state and regional staff
because they are so engaged with facilities in
their area. They are able to forge productive
relationships with facility representatives that
lead to big waste min successes and large
priority chemical reductions through NPEP.
In 2006, we hope to get state staff more
involved by integrating their voluntary
programs with NPEP. We would also like to
see more national companies like GE,
Modine, and Precoat join NPEP and enroll
facilities in multiple regions. Our future
success is dependent on the continued active
and enthusiastic participation of our local
partners. I think we have an enthusiastic
supporter in Susan Bodine, our new Assistant
Administrator. Ms. Bodine came on board in
January and started her duties with a speech
highlighting the RCC. We welcome Ms.
Bodine as an NPEP supporter.
Contact Us to Subscribe
to the NPEP Bulletin:
www.epa.gov/minimize/contactus. htm
This Bulletin is sponsored by the
National Waste Minimization Website at
www. epa.gov/wastemin
Updated regularly - visit today.
Contact the Editors:
Linda Malcolm, 301-865-1454
malcolm.linda@epa.gov
Shayla Workman, 703-308-0319
workman, shayla@epa.gov
EPA530-N-06-001
Volume 1
NPEP Bulletin page 3
Issue 3
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