News-Events

EPA Kicks Off ‘Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students’

Under a new challenge launched by EPA last month, high school and college students can win up to $5,000 by telling stories about P2 using videos, written stories, infographics or story maps. These stories will illustrate how businesses identified through EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) are reducing toxic chemical releases through innovative P2 practices and positively impacting the environment and communities.

The submissions are due by Feb. 17, 2023.

Read more about the storytelling challenge.

EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator Updated

New interface, equivalency & data

Did you know that the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator⁠ is EPA’s most popular communications tool!? We have updated the calculator’s data, built a new interface, and added one new equivalency.

The calculator, available in both English and Spanish, translates emissions and energy data into real terms, like annual emissions from cars, households, or (new this year) natural gas-fired power plants. This calculator may be useful in communicating your greenhouse gas reduction strategy, reduction targets, or other initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Visit the updated calculator web page.

New Flyer Touts Benefits of Pollution Prevention

EPA has a new flyer describing the benefits of implementing pollution prevention practices for facilities and surrounding communities. The flyer includes key statistics about the cost of waste to U.S. businesses and how much these businesses can save by preventing pollution, and important links to P2 resources such as EPA’s P2 calculators.

Read the flyer on EPA’s website. [PDF]

EPA launches a new P2 resources search tool

EPA has launched a new search tool on its website to connect visitors to P2 resources such as case studies, webinars, articles about P2 solutions, practices, and technologies. The tool allows searches by keyword, sector, and even process type.

Check out the EPA P2 Resources search tool today!

Bardstown Bourbon Company presented the 2021 Douglas C. Griffin Environmental Sustainability Award

The Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBC) has been selected as the Douglas C. Griffin Environmental Sustainability Award winner for 2021 by the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC). The award recognizes Kentucky entities that have demonstrated a commitment to the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship and is presented each year in conjunction with National Pollution Prevention Week.

The Bardstown Bourbon Company team celebrate receiving the 2021 Douglas C. Griffin Environmental Sustainability Award

KPPC assisted BBC with sustainable value stream mapping to evaluate electric energy usage throughout their distillery process and to evaluate water usage. In addition, BBC has hosted engineering students from UofL’s Speed School of Engineering to evaluate thermal insulation opportunities to further conserve energy. BBC has hosted tours of their facility to demonstrate energy management in practice.

Lissa McCracken, KPPC Executive Director, presented the 2021 ES Award to Roger Henley of Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Read more about their award winning story.

EPA launches new webpage on P2 financing

EPA has published a new webpage with information on financing P2 interventions. Funding for P2 projects can be challenging because they often require upfront costs with potential savings accruing over time. The new webpage includes P2 financing tips and links to important financing resources.

Check out the EPA P2 Financing webpage.

Appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions – KPPC Board of Directors

In accordance with the provisions of Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 224.46-315 [PDF], KPPC is governed by a board of directors that represent various facets of Kentucky state and local government, industry, agriculture, higher education, environmental protection and the community at large. Members are appointed by the Kentucky Governor and serve terms as outlined in Subsection 2 of KRS 224.46-315.

During September 2021, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear made appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions. These included reappointments of four members of the current KPPC Board of Directors through 2024:

– Scott Kirkpatrick of Paducah is a technical manager at Phoenix Paper Wickliffe and shall serve for a term expiring July 15, 2024.
– David Pedigo of Elizabethtown is a senior environmental engineer at Akebono Brake Corporation and shall serve for a term expiring July 15, 2024.
– Patrick Henderson of Irvington is a farmer and shall serve for a term expiring July 15, 2024.
– Emily Sayers of Erlanger is a project manager at Gateway Community & Technical College and shall serve for a term expiring July 15, 2024.

Governor Beshear has also appointed David Pedigo as chair.

Find out more about KPPC’s Board of Directors.

U.S. EPA Region 4 is announcing a NEW P2 Awards Program!

EPA seeks to recognize excellence and innovation in P2 efforts in the Southeast Region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and R4 Tribal Lands).

Organizations (businesses, companies, facilities, etc.) currently compliant with all applicable environmental regulations are eligible to apply for this non-monetary, recognition award. Those interested in applying or nominating an organization to be considered for an award should submit a completed application describing their P2 efforts.

For information on how to apply and the application form visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z2LWSVF.

EPA Calls for 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award nominations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards. The awards will recognize the leadership contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who, over the past year, have shown achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals.

As part of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment, the Safer Choice program partners with businesses to help consumers and commercial buyers identify products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing quality or performance. In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals, EPA especially encourages submission of award applications that show how the applicant’s work in the design, manufacture, selection and use of those products promotes environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, or improves drinking water quality.

Submissions are due by May 31, 2021. Award winners will be recognized at a ceremony in the fall of 2021.

More information on the 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards, the submission process, and past winners can be found at https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-partner-year-awards.

Safer Choice is an EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) program, which includes practices that reduce, eliminate, or prevent pollution at its source, such as using safer ingredients in products. EPA’s Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s specific and rigorous human health and environmental toxicological criteria. The Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on certified products that contain safer ingredients and perform, as determined by expert evaluation.

EPA Launches New List of DfE-Certified Products

EPA allows the Design for the Environment (DfE) label on disinfectants and sanitizers that are registered and meet the Safer Choice Standard. EPA published a new DfE-certified product web page to make it easier for consumers and purchasers to identify products.

Check out the DfE-certified product web page.