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In this issue:
Happy New Year from EPA’s Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Branch. We look forward to continuing to advance pollution prevention with you in 2022!
Program Updates
New P2 Grant Opportunities Are Coming!
EPA intends to solicit applications within the next few weeks for grants to states, state entities (e.g., colleges and universities), federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia to provide pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to businesses. EPA is encouraging state and tribal entities that are eligible to apply for these grants to consider partnering with others in the P2 stakeholder community on these grants to strengthen their ability to provide P2 technical assistance to businesses and to facilitate the development, adoption and dissemination of P2 solutions.
The Agency expects to post two separate Requests for Applications (RFAs) on Grants.gov this year, one for the regular P2 grant program which will award approximately $9.38 million (issued over two years), and one to award approximately $14 million in additional funding for P2 grants to be distributed under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that was recently signed into law by President Biden. Look for more information on each of these P2 grant programs in the next few weeks.
New Executive Order and Federal Sustainability Plan Help Advance Federal Sustainable Purchasing
On December 8, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14057 on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs through Federal Sustainability and the accompanying Federal Sustainability Plan which outline an ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from federal procurement by 2050 and increase the sustainability of federal supply chains, among other provisions. In addition, major federal contractors will be required to disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adopt science-based emissions reduction targets.
The plan builds on existing legal mandates for federal agencies to procure products and services identified by EPA programs such as ENERGY STAR® by requiring agencies to now maximize purchasing of sustainable products and services identified or recommended by the following EPA programs:
The Plan also establishes a Buy Clean task force to guide the federal government in reducing the embodied carbon of construction materials and directs agencies to avoid the procurement of products containing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
New Video: Why Choose Safer Cleaning Products?
EPA Region 5 has released a new video that highlights the importance of cleaning products with safer ingredients and a great tool for finding them: EPA’s Safer Choice label. The video also addresses common questions about safer cleaning products and helps viewers choose these products for homes or workplaces. EPA Region 5 partnered with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community on the video with the goal of increasing awareness about the human health and environmental benefits of using products with safer ingredients.
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New EPA Challenge Offers Prizes for Videos on P2 Innovation
EPA has launched the ‘Companies Crushing Pollution’ Video Challenge which invites students and others to create videos illustrating how U.S. businesses found on the TRI P2 Search Tool are reducing toxic chemical releases through innovative pollution prevention practices, as well as having a positive impact on local communities and the environment. Participants can win up to $5,000!
Listen to the December 15th webinar recording to learn more about the Challenge and get tips on identifying facilities using the TRI P2 Search Tool.
Grantee Updates
EPA P2 Grant Helps Eastern North Carolina Businesses Cut Costs and Protect the Environment
Through a grant from the EPA P2 and Source Reduction Assistance programs, the East Carolina University Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering (CSE3) is providing energy audits for companies under its Greening of Food and Beverage Industries in North Carolina program. One of the companies helped by CSE3, Shortway Brewing, based in Newport, NC, received an energy audit at its production warehouse. The audit included input from a P2 team, a lean team that focused on manufacturing process and an economic analysis team. “Any time you can save a little bit and have less waste, whether it be energy or be able to make more product in the same amount of space, that’s good for business and good for the environment,” said Shortway’s founder Matt Shortway.
Courtesy East Carolina University College of Engineering and Technology
Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program Launched in New Hampshire
In December 2021, the New Hampshire Pollution Prevention Program launched a state-based Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program. Supported by P2 grant funds, the recognition program is a partnership between the New Hampshire P2 program and the New Hampshire Brewers Association to recognize environmental leaders in the craft beverage industry for making sustainable choices, preventing pollution and conserving resources.
The New Hampshire P2 program also offers educational and technical support to the craft beverage industry through videos, webinars, guidance documents and on-site visits, and helps participating businesses publicize their efforts by providing a sustainable craft beverage certificate, a window sticker, and representation on the online New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Map and New Hampshire Brewers Association Beer Trail Map.
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P2 Helpline
The P2 Hub Helpline offers information and resources about pollution prevention. Please contact the Helpline at p2hub@epa.gov or (202) 566-0799.
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