Pollution Prevention Tools and Calculators
General information
Case Studies: Companies and governments apply pollution prevention approaches to purchasing and building. Databases capture best practices from companies.
Measuring Pollution Prevention: Is essential to demonstrate the effectiveness of technical assistance. Find the results from EPA's P2 grants programs.
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) collects information to track industry progress in reducing waste generation and moving towards safer waste management alternatives.
Pollution Prevention & Assistance Tracker Software: Exit a Microsoft Access-based database software application that contains sections for tracking program activities including: working one-on-one with clients; sponsoring training events; responding to information requests; and managing sector-based initiatives.
Integrating Green Purchasing into your Environmental Management System (EMS) EPA 742-R-05-001, April 2005.
An Organizational Guide to Pollution Prevention EPA-625-R-01-003, August 2001.
Guide to Industrial Assessments for Pollution Prevention and Energy Efficiency: EPA-625-R-99-003, June 2001.
Lean and Green Supply Chain: A Practical Guide for Materials Managers and Supply Chain Managers to Reduce Costs and Improve Environmental Performance: EPA-742-R-00-001, January 2000.
P2 tools
BEES 4.0: The BEES Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability software provides a powerful technique for selecting cost-effective, environmentally-preferable building products.
Green Engineering: Is the design, commercialization and use of processes and products that are feasible and economical while reducing the generation of pollution at the source and minimizing the risk to human health and the environment.
Chemical processes
Safer Choice: An EPA voluntary program that helps consumers, businesses, and institutional buyers identify cleaning and other products that perform well, are cost-effective and are safer for the environment.
Green Chemistry: Is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances. It's also the name of an EPA program through which EPA has helped to speed the adoption of this revolutionary and diverse discipline, leading to significant environmental benefits, innovation and a strengthened economy.
Sustainable Futures: Is an approach to risk screening that incorporates pollution prevention principles in the design and development of chemicals.
PBT Profiler Exit: Was developed as a voluntary screening tool to identify pollution prevention opportunities for chemicals without experimental data.
Purchasing
Greener Products: Allows users to search for EPA programs related to greener products based on the type of user and their specific product interests.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool: EPEAT is an easy-to-use resource for purchasers, manufacturers, resellers and others wanting to find or promote electronic products with positive environmental attributes.
Green Cleaners: "Green cleaning" practices can reduce these health, safety and environmental risks. Green cleaning involves selecting alternative products, using those products properly, and taking other steps to reduce risks while maintaining a satisfactory level of cleanliness and disinfection.
Calculators to measure P2 environmental outcomes
Measuring Pollution Prevention: Information on why we measure, how we measure and what is measured by P2 grantees.
P2 calculators
These spreadsheets are designed to measure the environmental and economic performance results of pollution prevention activities.
- P2 Cost Calculator(1 pg, 683 K) : Assesses cost savings associated with a variety of factors such as: reduced costs for hazardous inputs and handling hazardous waste; reductions in air permitting fees; and reduced charges for water usage and electricity.
- Gallons to Pounds Converter: Provides conversions from common business units to units reported for the P2 grant Programs. Converts gallons to pounds of hazardous materials reduced.
- P2 Greenhouse Gas Calculator(1 pg, 2 MB) : Calculates GHG emission reductions from electricity conservation, green energy, fuel and chemical substitutions, water conservation, and improved materials management. A special feature makes a direct conversion of GHG reductions to related cost savings, drawing on data in the P2 Cost Savings Calculator.
Video Training module describing the P2 calculators and the conversion spread sheets. Exit
Guidance on the P2 GHG calculator.
For more information or assistance with P2 calculators, contact Kathy Davey, davey.kathy@epa.gov, 202-564-8832 or Natalie Hummel, hummel.natalie@epa.gov.
Products and services
EPA'S ENERGY STAR portfolio manager: Is an interactive energy management tool that allows you to track and assess energy and water consumption across your entire portfolio of buildings in a secure online environment.
Waste Reduction Model (WARM): Helps solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from several different waste management practices.
Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EEBC): Was developed to assist organizations in estimating the environmental benefits of greening their purchase, use and disposal of electronics.
Green Cleaning Pollution Prevention Calculator: Quantifies the projected environmental benefits of purchasing and using "green" janitorial services and products and identifies which green cleaning measures will have the greatest reduction in hazardous chemicals.
Hospitality Environmental Benefits Calculator: Estimates the financial and environmental benefits from sustainable practices at your hotel.