Program Overview

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established a national policy that pollution should be prevented or reduced at its source. Under the act, pollution that cannot be prevented should be recycled or treated in a safe manner; disposal or other releases should be used only as a last resort. The act also directed EPA to develop and implement a strategy promoting source reduction, which it defined as any practice that reduces (1) the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant from entering any waste stream or being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal, and (2) the hazards to public health and the environment associated with the release. These measures can range from simple techniques, such as covering exposed containers of volatile organic compounds or tightening loose pipe connections, to completely redesigning a production process or reformulating a product.

Each year American industry generates billions of pounds of toxic waste, which can pose risks to the health of workers, consumers, and the public. Traditionally, efforts to control pollution have focused on the treatment or disposal of pollutants after they are created, often with “end-of-pipe” pollution control technologies. In recent years, however, federal and state regulators have given greater attention to controlling pollution at the source by avoiding the creation of pollutants in the first place—an approach commonly referred to as pollution prevention.

The Sustainable Technology Division is a component of the National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). The Division Director is Gordon K. Evans. The mission of the Division is to advance the scientific understanding, development and application of technologies and methods for prevention, removal and control of environmental risks to human health and ecology.

Program Overview

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