What EPA is Doing in P2
Our Pollution Prevention grant program reduces millions of pounds of pollution, a million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents and nearly a billion gallons of water use every year.
EPA promotes source reduction to eliminate or reduce pollution at its source. Pollution prevention is the preferred alternative to pollution control and waste disposal.
Implements the Law and Policies
EPA implements the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
EPA implements Executive Orders and EPA P2 policies. Presidential Executive Orders (EOs) charge EPA with the responsibility to take actions to protect human health and the environment using P2 strategies.
Supports State Technical Assistance Programs Through Grants
One section in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 asks EPA to establish a grant program for states in order to support programs that:
- Make specific technical assistance available to businesses seeking information about source reduction opportunities, including funding for experts to provide onsite technical advice to businesses seeking assistance and to assist in the development of source reduction plans.
- Target assistance to businesses for whom lack of information is an impediment to source reduction.
- Provide training in source reduction techniques. Such training may be provided through local engineering schools or any other appropriate means.
Measures Prevention
Strategic measures are reported by P2 grantees. Measuring results is one way to determine the success of a technical assistance or training effort.
Promotes P2 Awareness
EPA established the P2 Hub Helpline dedicated to reducing and eliminating industrial pollutants through education and public awareness.
EPA participates in P2 Week to highlight the efforts of EPA, its partners, and the public in making pollution prevention a cornerstone of sustainability.
The EPA Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards Program aims to recognize accomplishments and best practices while encouraging other organizations to consider implementing P2 approaches.
Promotes Related Voluntary EPA Programs
- E3: Economy, Energy and Environment: is a federal technical assistance framework helping communities, manufacturers and manufacturing supply chains adapt and thrive in today's green economy.
- Environmental Management Systems: a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing: helps the federal government "buy green."
- Green Chemistry: is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances.
- Safer Choice: helps consumers, businesses and institutional buyers identify products that are safer for human health and the environment.
- Voluntary standards development for green products and standards: EPA works with a variety of non-governmental standards developers to promote the development of voluntary consensus standards for environmentally preferable goods and services.