EPA Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Program
On this page:
- Overview of the Recognition Program
- Application and Selection
- Eligible Applicants
- Non-Eligible Applicants
- Eligible Projects
Overview of the Recognition Program
The Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Program aims to recognize accomplishments and best practices of companies that have implemented pollution prevention (P2) projects and/or process improvements at their facilities. By recognizing businesses, we hope to encourage other organizations to consider implementing P2 approaches.
Application and Selection
EPA will open nominations for the 2025 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards in spring of 2025.
Eligible Applicants
Nonprofit, for-profit, and Tribal companies located in participating EPA Regions are eligible to apply for the Regional P2 Recognition program.
| EPA Region | States |
|---|---|
| Region 4 | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee and companies located within federally recognized tribes in these boundaries. |
| Region 5 | Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 35 federally recognized Tribes within these boundaries. |
| Region 8 | Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and companies located within federally recognized Tribes in these boundaries. |
| Region 9 | Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, and companies located within 148 federally recognized Tribes in these boundaries. |
| Region 10 | Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and companies located within 271 federally recognized Tribes in these boundaries. |
Non-Eligible Applicants
Governmental organizations including state governments, Tribal governments and local governments, EPA P2 grant and cooperative agreement recipients, and EPA P2 contractors are not eligible for this recognition program; however, they may encourage eligible applicants to apply and/or they may nominate an eligible company.
If you have questions about eligibility, please contact your Regional P2 Coordinator.
Eligible Projects
Projects eligible for the recognition must have taken place within the past three years within the relevant EPA Region. Eligible projects must also meet the goals of EPA's P2 program, which include but are not limited to:
- Eliminate or reduce toxic chemical generation and release
- Eliminate or reduce greenhouse gas generation
- Conserve natural resources and materials, including water and energy
- Prevent spills and accidental releases to air, land, and water
- Reduce hazardous materials use
- Promote the purchasing and use of less hazardous or more efficient products and equipment
- Implement green chemistry practices
- Increase a business’s efficiency while increasing sustainable practices
Projects that are not eligible include recycling of discarded materials, waste cleanup or disposal activities, composting, processing non-hazardous solid waste (e.g., paper, aluminum, etc.), or activities that do not reduce the use or release of hazardous substances, greenhouse gases, energy or water.
Examples of P2 activities or projects:
- Substituting hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives
- Conserving water and/or energy
- Equipment or technology modifications, process or procedure modifications, reformulation, or redesign of products
- Reducing use of raw or virgin materials
- Reducing toxic chemical use
Learn more about the 2023 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition winners and winners from 2018 - 2022 .
The goals of P2 are to:
- Eliminate or reduce waste generation, for instance by reducing chemical use
- Conserve natural resources and materials, including water and energy
- Prevent spills and accidental releases
- Prevent product losses, such as through process efficiencies
- Reduce hazardous materials use
- Promote the purchasing and use of less hazardous or more efficient products and equipment
- Implement green chemistry practices, for example by substituting hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives
- Examples of P2 activities are listed on EPA's P2 Resources Search
If you have any questions or need additional information, please email: [email protected] or your EPA Regional P2 Coordinator.