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National Partnership for Environmental Priorities. David Langston EPA Region 4 RCRA Programs Branch. So Far, the Story has been. Focused on hazardous waste Built the cradle-to-grave system Permits for facilities largely issued Corrective action focused on high priority sites
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National Partnership for Environmental Priorities David Langston EPA Region 4 RCRA Programs Branch
So Far, the Story has been • Focused on hazardous waste • Built the cradle-to-grave system • Permits for facilities largely issued • Corrective action focused on high priority sites • Next, moving to the 2020 Vision: The Unfinished Business of RCRA • Prevent pollution and promote recycling and reuse of materials • Reduce the use of priority chemicals at all life cycle stages • Cradle to Cradle
The Resource Conservation Challenge is the right direction for the Agency RCC is a major cross media environmental stewardship effort It gives us the opportunity to: 1. Work on national problems 2. Leverage outside partnerships 3. Create sustainable projects 4. Provide measurable environmental outcomes
RCC Goals Three goals: • Prevent pollution and promote recycling and reuse of materials • Reduce the use of priority chemicals at all life cycle stages • Increase energy and materials conservation
The Four National Priority Areas • 35% Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste • Beneficial Use of Secondary Materials • Priority and Toxic Chemical Reduction • Green Initiatives - Electronics
Cradle to GraveInefficient Materials Management Design, Manufacturing Material Processing Material Inputs Material Outputs Safe Disposal Stocks Releases Emissions Wood Coal Oil Buildings Roads Bridges
Pollution Prevention Material Processing Material Inputs Material Outputs Stocks Waste Minimization Recycle Cradle to CradleEfficient Materials Management Reuse Safe Disposal
A Vision of the Future Materials that are persistently dangerous when released are eliminated or completely contained in a use cycle Uses are found for materials that were once considered wastes suitable only for disposal/discharge Evolution from waste management to materials management
Priority Chemical Focus ? • Do we need to focus on targeted chemical reduction? • Yes • Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) shows approximately 69,000,000 lbs of priority chemicals reported released in the U.S.
Anthracene Benzo(g,h,i)perylene Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds Dibenzofuran Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds Heptachlor Hexachloro-1,3 butadiene Hexachlorobenzene Hexachloroethane Lead and Lead Compounds Lindane Mercury and Mercury Compounds Methoxychlor Napthalene Pendimethalin Pentachlorobenzene Pentachlorophenol Phenanthrene Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds Quintozene 1,2,4– Trichlorobenzene 2,4,5- Trichlorophenol Trifluralin Of the 31 Chemicals, 23 Are Reported to TRI
Of the 31 Chemicals, 8 Are Not Reported to TRI • Acenaphthene • Acenaphthylene • 4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether • Endosulfan,beta- , Endosulfan,alpha • Fluorene • Heptachlor epoxide • Pyrene • 1,2,4,5- Tetrachlorobenzene
Priority Chemical Reduction Goals 1. Substituting for priority chemicals with safer alternatives whenever possible; 2. Minimizing the amount used whenever substitution is not possible; 3. Maximizing recycling whenever minimization or substitution is not possible; 4. Minimizing exposures to toxics, and the volume and toxicity of wastethrough product design.
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities • Voluntary partnerships between EPA, States, Tribes, industrial and commercial entities, including Federal agencies • Enrollment program in which partners provide pollution prevention activities and chemical reduction goals plus a timetable for achieving them
What is Required for Membership • Assess a facility or installation’s use of priority chemicals • Identify one or more priority chemicals for reduction • Select an ongoing or future proposed project and develop a framework and timeline • Establish a non-binding goal • Fill out the on-line enrollment form
Incentives to Participate Focus on Recognition • Awards • Recognition through web sites • Publicity based on case studies • Technical and Training Assistance
Additional Incentives • Companies focusing on moving “beyond compliance” are finding significant cost savings involved in the effort • Moving “beyond compliance” can make achieving compliance far easier, compliance inspections routine events
Program Accomplishments • 47 enrollees from 40 companies • Only 4 DoD Facilities have pledged. • Over 2,500,000 total pounds of chemicals (including PCs) in hazardous waste pledged to be reduced
Does this program offer benefits to you?? • Is there a reason for your installation to go beyond the mandated reductions • Are you already working on reductions that go beyond the mandated reductions • We can assist by supplying some resources.
Related EO 13148 Components • With a required EMS you have looked at • Environmental aspects and impacts • Chemicals that affect aspects and impacts • You are aware of a list at least five chemicals you should targeting for reduction • Aware of the 2006 deadline for those reductions
Relation of PCR to EO 13148 • Currently, five chemicals have been identified for reduction by 2006 • Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Naphthalene, and PCBs • This list is a subset of the Waste Min. Priority Chemical List • The goal is to reduce use of these five by 50%, in specific processes
Benefits Associated with PCR • Positive recognition for mandated reductions • Positive recognition for additional reductions that make “budget sense” • Positive recognition for reductions that may already be component of your EMS
Program Information • Web-Based Information • http://www.epa.gov/wastemin/ • Enrollment Information • http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm • Resources to use and references • http://wrrc.p2pays.org/
Contact Information • David Langston • (404) 562-8478 • Langston.david@epa.gov