Region 10: The Pacific Northwest Serving the people of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and 270 Native Tribes Recent Additions | Contact Us | Print Version Search: EPA Home > Region 10 >

First Time Visitors Index A - Z Air Quality Cleanup Waste and Toxics Water Quality Innovative Solutions Business & Industry Concerned Citizens Compliance &      Enforcement Information Resources

Pollution Prevention & Waste Minimization Preventing Pollution Source Reduction and Recycling = Waste Minimization (changes in materials, practices, processes, or design) Technical assistance for businesses and the general public 2) Recycling Reducing Waste at its Source: "Waste Minimization", which combines the top two steps of the hierarchy, is defined as reducing waste at its source -- before it is even generated (called source reduction) and environmentally sound recycling. EPA worked with representatives from numerous stakeholder organizations to develop the Waste Minimization National Plan (WMNP), which focuses on reducing the generation and subsequent release to the environment of the most persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals in hazardous wastes. The EPA Office of Solid Waste is putting special emphasis on source reduction of PBT chemicals since they readily cross media boundaries and are often difficult to treat and dispose. Pollution prevention (P2) is reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and re-using materials rather than putting them into the waste stream. Since Pollution Prevention is a key policy in national environmental protection activities, a number of Partnership Programs and other EPA initiatives utilize this approach in their work. Basic information about pollution prevention. Northwest Product Stewardship Council The Northwest Product Stewardship Council is a group of government organizations that works with businesses and nonprofit groups to integrate product stewardship principles into the policy and economic structures of the Pacific Northwest. Recycling in the Pacific Northwest Regional Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals Initiatives EPA has helped develop and implement new initiatives and programs that aid businesses, states, local governments, and tribes in implementing effective pollution prevention and source reduction programs. Each year, EPA Headquarters provides grant funding to a limited number of proposals based on an open, competitive process. Listed below are some of the Region 10 area grant proposals that have successfully received funding for PBT chemical reduction or study: Alaska Traditional Knowledge and Native Foods Project - 1999 Reducing Emissions from Cereal Grain Burning (PDF) - 2000 (2pp, 1K) Community Exposure to B(a)P and other PBTs from Agricultural Burning (PDF) - 2000 (1pp, 1K) National Information Pollution Prevention (P2) Waste Minimization Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals Treatment and Disposal of PBTs You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more. Regional PBT Reports Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), EPA is required to set environmental goals and continually measure progress towards achieving these goals. As stipulated by GPRA Subobjective 4a, EPA must: "By 2005, reduce the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals in our nation’s hazardous waste streams by 50% as compared with a baseline year of 1991" The reports listed below show ongoing Region 10 progress in meeting this goal. 5/01 - Region 10: Inventory of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals Reported to the Toxic Release Inventory 1991-1998 (PDF) (36pp, 102K) 8/00 - Region 10: Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals at High Priority Corrective Action and Permitting Universe Facilities (PDF) - draft (54pp, 1.7K) 10/99 - US EPA Region 10 PBT Chemical Summary Report - Toxic Release Inventory Trends 1991-1997 (PDF) (42pp, 154K) Unit: Solid Waste & Toxics Unit Domenic Calabro E-Mail: calabro.domenic@epa.gov (206) 553-6640 Phone Number: (206) 553-6640 Last Updated (mm/dd/yy): 04/26/2007 Prevention http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/OWCM.NSF/prevent/prvntrec