National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
What is EPA’s NPEP Program?
• NPEP is a voluntary partnership to reduce potentially hazardous chemicals that otherwise might be released into the environment.
– The objective is to reduce or eliminate any of 31 particularly persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals called Priority Chemicals (PCs).
• NPEP is a practical way to prevent pollution by identifying, implementing and sharing technical and administrative solutions to achieve common goals.
– Through the development of a relationship between partner organizations and EPA, opportunities for product substitutions, process changes, and recycling are identified.
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
Why Focus on Priority Chemicals?
• Once released, they can cause long-term toxic effects to human health and the environment. • Eliminating the release of these chemicals reduces environmental risks. • Many are present in hazardous waste in large volumes.
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
WASTE = LO$T PROFITS
Benefits
Possibilities include: • Reduce unnecessary raw material use • Reduce overall waste • Reduce the toxicity of product components • Reduce worker exposure • Reduce waste management recordkeeping • Reduce disposal costs • Reduce permitting costs
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
Benefits
Recognition and Awards
– – – – – – – – – Enrollment plaque Achievement awards Use of NPEP logo Publication of success story Press events (if desired) Waste minimization site visits Source reduction strategy development Technical information/resources Education/workshops
NPEP Team Support Services
National Environmental Performance Track
– Source reduction of PCs qualify as two of the four commitments necessary to join Performance Track
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
Opportunities to reduce PCs
Some ideas to get you started!
• Switch to higher efficiency, low mercury bulbs and recycle your spent fluorescent lamps. • Recycle your lead tire weights, and replace them with steel alternatives. • Only use pesticides as needed and switch to safer alternatives. • Many meters, pumps, and gauges have mercury-containing switches. Retire them early and replace them with the mercury-free alternatives.
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
How to participate?
• Each NPEP partner is formally enrolled in the program and pledges a specific reduction in wastes by a completion date. • Facility managers then document their achievements in a “success story” which is posted on the Agency’s website. • Cumulatively, these success stories show fundamental and sustained improvements in environmental protection and show why NPEP has adopted the slogan: Better Environment, Better Neighbor, Better Business.
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
Thank You
For more information please visit
http://www.epa.gov/npep
or contact
Shayla Powell powell.shayla@epa.gov (703) 308-0319