The EPA has a long-standing interest in promoting improved environmental management practices by the regulated community. The EPA encourages the development of environmentally-friendly voluntary standards by industry, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, and others non-governmental bodies. On a large scale, these developments have led to collaborative international efforts to address environmental problems and in the global recognition of trade-related environmental issues. On a local scale, they have resulted in the creation of incentives such as the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program which helps businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies prevent waste and pollution by considering environmental impacts along with price and performance and other traditional factors when deciding what to buy.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• Pollution Prevention (P2): Voluntary Standards Network
  This page provides information about the Voluntary Standards Network.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing: Information on Standards for Green Products and Services
  Agencies are encouraged to use all of the options available to them to determine the environmentally preferable attributes of products and services.

Compliance Assistance

Compliance Incentives
Audit Policy

Compliance Monitoring
Audit, Inspection, Investigation

Criminal Enforcement

Delegation
Oversight

Environmental Liability

Multi-Media Compliance

Reporting

Settlement
Maximum Achievable Control Technology Emission Standards (MACTs), Mediation, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs), Penalty, Recertification, Reportable Quantity, Supplemental Environmental Project

Violation

Voluntary Standards
Consensus Standards, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Voluntary Standards Network