2024 National Pollution Prevention Training and Conference

2024 National Pollution Prevention Training and Conference

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held its 2024 National Pollution Prevention Training and Conference in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 10-11. The event convened representatives from EPA grantees, academia, industry, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal agencies. Participants had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of pollution prevention (P2) while leveraging and strengthening their connections to other practitioners.  P2, which is also known as source reduction, is any practice that reduces, eliminates or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment or disposal. Many of the practices and goals of P2 overlap significantly with those of sustainability and zero waste.

Sessions included panel discussions and presentations by P2 experts that examined best practices and examples of how EPA's P2 grants have delivered technical assistance to help businesses develop and adopt P2 practices. Participants learned more about topics such as reducing pollution and finding alternatives, including for some chemicals EPA has regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act. For example, participants learned about efforts to find alternatives to methylene chloride and how businesses are preventing pollution by transitioning away from the use of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene. In addition, sessions discussed identifying sustainable food services and using products with safe ingredients in salons.

Agenda

Read the  final agenda (pdf) (184.44 KB) .

Presentations

Session Presentation Moderator/Panelists/Presenters
Drivers for Safer Chemistry Throughout the Supply Chain (pdf) (143.29 MB)
A panel discussion on the drivers for safer chemistry across supply chains that can spur innovation and increase the competitiveness of American businesses.

Moderator:  Margaret (Meg) Whittaker, ToxServices LLC.

Panelists:

  • Mike Schade, Toxic-Free Future
  • Michael Eknoian, Church and Dwight Co., Inc.
  • Katherine Fussell, Novonesis
Pollution Prevention for Toxic Chemicals (pdf) (5.88 MB)
A series of presentations about how green chemistry addresses toxic chemicals and how the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) will increasingly drive opportunities for P2 in finding and implementing alternative chemicals and technologies.

Moderator: Jeff Kohn, EPA, Pollution Prevention Grants Branch

Presenters:

  • Edmond Lam, American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Predrag Petrovic, Yale Center for Green Science and Green Engineering
  • Sarah Au, EPA, Data Gathering and Policy Management Division
  • Joel Wolf, EPA, Existing Chemicals Risk Management Division

Exploring Alternatives to Methylene Chloride: Paint Stripping, Furniture Refinishing, and More (pdf) (7.02 MB)
A panel discussion about the final methylene chloride rule under TSCA and specific examples of external efforts to find alternatives.

Moderator: Joel Tickner, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, University of Massachusetts at Lowell

Panelists: 

  • Joel Tickner
  • Greg Morose, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Katy Wolf ,  Consultant and Former Director of the Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA)
State Actions Assisting Businesses Transitioning From Perchloroethylene (PCE) And Trichloroethylene (TCE) (pdf) (4.81 MB)
A panel discussion on the P2 techniques and strategies that have been successful to move towards safer alternatives using PCE and TCE as case studies.

Moderator: John Katz, EPA Region 9

Panelists: 

  • Greg Harris, California Air Resources Board
  • Sean Smith, Washington State Department of Ecology
  • Baskut Tuncak, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of Massachusetts at Lowell
  • Laura Sevcik, Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP)
P2 Within Tribal Nations (pdf) (6.49 MB)
A panel discussion about successful approaches and opportunities to increase P2 awareness and collaboration with Tribal Nations.

Moderator: Charles Kovatch, EPA

Panelists:

  • Lisa Lone Fight, Montana State University
  • Tanner Johnson, Alaska Forum
  • Les Benedict, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
P2 Never Looked So Good: Beauty and Nail Salons (pdf) (6.3 MB)
A panel discussion on the challenges of working in beauty salons, P2 work that has been done in this area, and available resources.

Moderator: Jennifer McPartland, Beautycounter

Panelists: 

  • Liz Hitchcock, Toxic Free Future
  • Mary Nguyen, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative
  • Nathalie Pham, Department of Toxic Substances
P2 Tools for Success (pdf) (4.54 MB)
A series of presenters demonstrate the process of changing from toxic products to safer alternatives with the focus of using P2 Tools.

Moderator: Sarah Swenson, EPA

Presenters: 

  • Charlotte (Charlie) Snyder, EPA, Data Analysis and Right to Know Branch
  • Jason Marshall, Toxics Use Reduction Institute
  • Dr. Chris Brazil, Kansas State University
Supporting the American Food Service Industry With Reusable Food Ware Procurement (pdf) (5.98 MB)
A panel discussion about best practices and cost-saving benefits of reusable food service ware and other tools for identifying preferred food service ware options.

Moderator:  Allison Thompson, EPA, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Branch

Panelists: 

  • Allison Thompson
  • Mark Rossi, Clean Production Action
  • Will Grassle, Product Stewardship Institute
  • Marie Davis, Aramark
Reducing PFAS in Consumer and Other Products (pdf) (4.46 MB)
A panel discussion on how to identify products containing PFAS and learn about potential P2 opportunities.

Moderator: John Schierlmann, IndSpyre Solutions, Inc.

Panelists: 

  • Kim Hazard, California Department of Toxic Substances Control
  • Megan Arnett, University of California at Berkley, Center for Green Chemistry
  • Donna Walden, greenUP!
  • John Schierlmann
Making the P2 Connection: Grant Partnership Models and Examples of P2 Projects (pdf) (2.03 MB)
An overview of EPA’s P2 grant program approach, examples of successful partnership models, and key themes from the conference. 		Rob Guillemin, EPA Region 1

Updates

Sign up for the P2 mailing list to receive updates about this meeting and other P2 news.

Event Contact

Please email David Norris at norris.david.l@epa.gov with questions.

Pollution Prevention (P2)

Contact Us About Pollution Prevention
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 15, 2025