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Pollution Prevention (P2) means reducing or eliminating pollution at the source so that it never enters the environment in the first place. Instead of managing pollution after it has been created or at the "end of the pipe," P2 focuses on first eliminating waste; then if the waste can't be eliminated, try to find ways to reduce either the amount or toxicity of the waste. If the waste can't be eliminated or reduced, then try to identify a way to reuse the waste in your process. Lastly, after trying to eliminate, reduce, or reuse the waste, the next option is recycling.

Rio Tinto |
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A total of 18 light- and medium-duty vehicles and 10 large heavy mobile equipment vehicles were included in the pilot project. By the end of the pilot project, idling was reduced, on average, by 59%, resulting in a reduction of 423 tons of CO2, 14,871 pounds of NOx, and 1.71 pounds of SO2. |
Every company generates waste. For some companies, it may be cardboard or waste paper or using energy, water, and raw materials inefficiently; in other cases it may be hazardous or toxic wastes that require expensive handling and disposal.
Regardless of the type of waste, it all affects your company's bottom line. Any company, regardless of size or type, can benefit from pollution prevention by:
Step 1: Determine what your wastes are, including hazardous wastes, non-hazardous wastes, solid wastes, and office wastes. Take a look at your energy and water consumption and look for high and low usage periods in your bills.
Step 2: Characterize your waste streams by determining where the waste comes from, what processes generate it, and how much is being discarded.
Step 3: Evaluate all or some wastes for possible elimination or reduction using the following pollution prevention methods:
Step 4: Identify one or two pollution prevention opportunities that are easy to implement, have low capital investment, save you money, and reduce significant amounts of waste. Build on your initial successes little by little over a period of time once you gain support and credibility.
Step 5: Provide information on your company's successes to staff and with your community. Your pollution prevention projects can be an effective marketing opportunity.
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) can provide resources, such as fact sheets, case studies, and on-site visits to Utah companies that are interested in improving their overall environmental performance.
For more information contact Paul Harding: 801-536-4108.
Revised: November 3, 2009