EPA selects Michigan to receive $178,810 in Pollution Prevention funding
LANSING, Mich. (September 24, 2020) - Today, during Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the selection of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to receive a $178,810 P2 Grant to promote pollution prevention in the manufacturing sector. P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.
“The EPA’s pollution prevention grants provide businesses with more incentives and opportunities to reduce waste and save money. It’s much cheaper to prevent pollution than to clean it up, and continuing to work together with our partners across Michigan will ensure we’re successful in what is a primary objective of this agency under the Trump administration, ” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede. “These grants can also align with our ongoing efforts to engage with industry through our Smart Sectors initiative and the EnergyStar program.”
EGLE will assess manufacturing operations and identify opportunities to reduce solid and hazardous wastes, reduce energy usage and water consumption, and reduce air emissions and water discharge through on-site technical assistance and web-based tools. Training and offsite technical assistance will be provided to encourage industries, commercial businesses, and other institutions to implement P2 best practices via webinars, local workshops or conferences.
“This EPA grant will support our ongoing work with state partners, industry and citizens in promoting sustainable practices,” EGLE Director Liesl Clark said. “Pollution prevention remains a critical activity in Michigan, and this funding will help provide additional tools to reduce pollution impacts in the state and protect Great Lakes resources.”
EGLE is one of 42 organizations across 39 states to receive grant funding totaling $9.3 million, supporting pollution prevention across the country. For these grants, EPA emphasizes the importance of grantees documenting and sharing P2 best practices that are identified and developed through these grants, so that others can replicate these practices and outcomes. Each grantee will be required to develop at least one case study during the grant period on P2 practices that are new or not widely known or adopted, or where detailed information on the P2 practices could benefit other businesses or P2 technical assistance providers.
The work done under these grants will focus on at least one of the five P2 priority areas, also referred to as National Emphasis Areas and support several of the agency’s Smart Sectors. These areas include food and beverage manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, aerospace product/part manufacturing, and metal manufacturing.
This year marks 30 years since the passage of the Pollution Prevention Act, which focuses industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. This week is also P2 Week, a time to celebrate the diverse and creative ways businesses, academic institutes, local governments, and other organizations are working to prevent pollution. In support of the Pollution Prevention Act and P2 Week, these grant awards encourage businesses and other stakeholders to find ways to prevent pollution from entering any waste stream, furthering EPA’s mission to protect public health and the environment.
Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.
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