U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program
What is ETV?
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) established the
Environmental Technology
Verification (ETV) Program
in 1995 to verify the performance
of innovative technical solutions to
problems that threaten human health
or the environment.
ETV's mission is to accelerate
the use of new environmental
technologies in the domestic and
international marketplace. ETV
provides third-party, quality-assured
performance data so buyers and
users of environmental technologies
can make informed purchase
and application decisions. ETV
operates through public/private
testing partnerships (called centers)
to evaluate the performance of
environmental technologies for
monitoring, pollution control, and
pollution prevention.
Various groups are actively involved
in ETV, including stakeholders,
technology buyers and users,
vendors, permitters, technology
experts, consulting engineers, and
investment companies.
All test protocols, test plans, and
verification reports and statements
are on the ETV Web Site at
http:// www.epa.gov/etv.
December 2008
Materials Management and Remediation Center
The Materials Management and Remediation (MMR) Center is a new
ETV center in 2008. The MMR Center will verify materials management
technologies, including recycling, beneficial use of waste materials,
recovery of useful components of wastes, and treatments to minimize
disposal requirements (e.g., containment, volume, cost). The center will also
verify technologies to remediate contaminated land and ground water,
such as is found at Superfund sites and other properties where industrial or
commercial activities resulted in a legacy of hazardous constituents that
limits future use of the property. Potential verification areas may include:
- Technology types in active development and
technology segments in stable or growth phase
- Materials stream volume, risks, and suitability for
secondary use
- Waste and/or site types for which cost-effective
options are lacking
- Known client needs where verification would help in
decision-making
- Absence of existing certification/verification/
demonstration opportunities
The MMR Verification Center is operated in cooperation with Battelle, and
will conduct verification testing at its facilities and/or conduct or oversee
testing performed at field sites. Vendors interested in learning more about
the verification process should complete a MMR Center Vendor Application
(http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/etv/howtoapply.html).
Useful Marketing Tool
Vendors have realized the value of having independent verification data for
use in marketing their technologies. In a survey of vendors who participated
in ETV verification tests, nearly all reported that ETV's verification statements
were useful in marketing and that they would consider submitting another
technology for verification.
Other vendors said the process was valuable because of the credibility
of independent testing under EPA oversight, the assurance of verification
statements and reports given to potential customers, and the marketing
visibility of the ETV logo.
Baitelle
Husitiess
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program
Potential Benefits of ETV
For technology
developers
and vendors:
For technology
users and
purchasers:
For regulators
and permitters:
For everyone:
Increased credibility due to independent, third-party testing,
providing high-quality, consistent, and widely accepted data
Access to expertise in developing, verifying, and applying materials
management and remediation technologies
Reduced technology verifications required for the technology's
acceptance by multiple states and localities
Enhanced acceptance of environmental technologies by
regulators and permitters
A sound, science-based marketing tool
Increased public awareness due to ETV's outreach efforts, e.g.,
publications, Web site, conferences
Increased markets and business opportunities
Added confidence for investors, stockholders, and lenders
Aid in evaluating a variety of materials management and
remediation technologies
Access to credible performance data
Assurance that the technology's performance is independently
verified
Increased availability of technologies that meet users' needs
Confidence that the technology's performance has been verified
by an independent third party
Validation by colleagues who are ETV stakeholder committee
members
Test data addressing realistic requirements but not limited to any
single state's regulations
Technological basis for streamlining the regulatory process and/or
simplifying and revising regulations
Increased ability to make informed decisions
More rapid deployment of technologies to meet an agency's
requirements
Cost-effective and efficient solutions to environmental challenges
Growth of the environmental technology sector.
How the MMR Center Works
Vendors interested in obtaining objective
third-party performance data on their
product, and a competitive advantage
in the marketplace can submit their
technology for verification. Battelle staff
will evaluate the vendor applications that
are submitted. Additional information
about the technology may be requested
from the vendor to complete this
evaluation. Members of the ETV MMR
Center's stakeholder committees—
including representatives from regulatory
agencies, industry, trade associations,
and environmental groups—will assist
Battelle in prioritizing the technologies
submitted. Battelle notifies vendors when a
verification test of their technology is being
considered and invites additional vendors
to participate.
Once a technology or group of
technologies has been identified for
verification testing, Battelle will draft a
vendor agreement to be signed by the
participating vendors, Battelle will then
develop a draft test/quality assurance
plan (TQAP). Participating vendors
and representative stakeholders will
provide advice and suggestions in
developing the plan. The draft plan will be
reviewed by the participating vendor(s),
stakeholder committee members, U.S.
EPA representatives, and additional peer
reviewers as necessary. Then the plan is
revised by Battelle and sent to participating
vendors, EPA ETV MMR Center Project
Officer, and EPA ETV MMR Center Quality
Manager for approval. The verification
test will be conducted according to the
approved TQAP. Individual verification
reports and verification statements will
be prepared for each participating
technology.
Contact the MMR Center
Amy Dindal
Battelle
Phone: (561) 422-0113
Fax: (614) 458-6697
Email: dindala@battelle.org
Teri Richardson
U.S. EPA Project Officer
Phone: (513) 569-7949
Fax: (513) 569-7676
Email: richardson.teri@epa.gov
Web: www.epa.gov/etv
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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