The Virtual Elimination Project

States and Canada Move to Eliminate Toxics in the Great Lakes The Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy is Finalized

One of USEPA's approaches for addressing persistent, bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBT's) in the environment refers to programs designed to "virtually eliminate" selected pollutants; in other words, to prevent any new releases into the environment from all pathways (land, air, and water) and to eliminate the use of these target compounds wherever possible to minimize future releases. This approach creates opportunities for immediate reductions, without the need for additional research or regulatory action. 

The idea of virtual elimination is not a new one; it has been endorsed by the governments of Canada and the United States. In the Seventh Biennial Report of the International Joint Commission (1994), three stages of virtual elimination were suggested:

• Controlling releases
• Preventing use or generation, and
• Developing sustainable industry and product/material use. 

To see these principles in action, consider the use of mercury in disposable batteries: 

Before the effects of mercury in the environment were fully understood, few precautions were taken to prevent mercury releases from discarded batteries into the environment. As the dangers of mercury became known, steps to limit the release of mercury to the environment were devised, such as removing batteries from the waste stream of garbage to be incinerated. Another increasingly common practice to limit mercury releases is the manufacture of mercury-free batteries.  The process of stopping the release of harmful compounds by limiting their creation and use is called pollution prevention. The third step of the IJC process calls for creation of products and processes that conserve the environment for future generations. Use of rechargeable batteries and recycling of used batteries are good examples of limiting the use of natural resources and protecting the health of the ecosystems (and their human inhabitants) of the Great Lakes. The recommendations listed in the IJC report represent a challenge to both USEPA and the sources responsible for emissions of PBTs. Cooperation between government, industry, and other concerned groups is required for the concept of virtual elimination to become a reality. 

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