We CAN Be Green

Green News: EPA Strengthens Smog Standard to Protect All Americans

CONTACT:

Cathy Milbourn

milbourn.cathy@epa.gov

202-564-7849

202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 7, 2010

EPA Strengthens Smog Standard

Proposed standards, strictest to date, will protect the health of all Americans, especially children

WASHINGTON – The United States Environmental Protection Agency today proposed the strictest health standards to date for smog. Smog, also known as ground-level ozone, is linked to a number of serious health problems, ranging from aggravation of asthma to increased risk of premature death in people with heart or lung disease. Ozone can even harm healthy people who work and play outdoors. The agency is proposing to replace the standards set by the previous administration, which many believe were not protective enough of human health.

“EPA is stepping up to protect Americans from one of the most persistent and widespread pollutants we face.  Smog in the air we breathe poses a very serious health threat, especially to children and individuals suffering from asthma and lung disease.  It dirties our air, clouds our cities, and drives up our health care costs across the country,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.  “Using the best science to strengthen these standards is a long overdue action that will help millions of Americans breathe easier and live healthier.”

The agency is proposing to set the “primary” standard, which protects public health, at a level between 0.060 and 0.070 parts per million (ppm) measured over eight hours. Children are at the greatest risk from ozone, because their lungs are still developing, they are most likely to be active outdoors, and they are more likely than adults to have asthma. Adults with asthma or other lung diseases, and older adults are also sensitive to ozone.

EPA is also proposing to set a separate “secondary” standard to protect the environment, especially plants and trees. This seasonal standard is designed to protect plants and trees from damage occurring from repeated ozone exposure, which can reduce tree growth, damage leaves, and increase susceptibility to disease.  

In September 2009 Administrator Jackson announced that EPA would reconsider the existing ozone standards, set at 0.075 ppm in March 2008. As part of its reconsideration, EPA conducted a review of the science that guided the 2008 decision, including more than 1,700 scientific studies and public comments from the 2008 rulemaking process. EPA also reviewed the findings of the independent Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, which recommended standards in the ranges proposed today.

Depending on the level of the final standard, the proposal would yield health benefits between $13 billion and $100 billion. This proposal would help reduce premature deaths, aggravated asthma, bronchitis cases, hospital and emergency room visits and days when people miss work or school because of ozone-related symptoms. Estimated costs of implementing this proposal range from $19 billion to $90 billion.

Ground-level ozone forms when emissions from industrial facilities, power plants, landfills and motor vehicles react in the sun.

EPA will take public comment for 60 days after the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register. The agency will hold three public hearings on the proposal: Feb. 2, 2010 in Arlington, Va. and in Houston; and Feb. 4, 2010 in Sacramento.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/groundlevelozone

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Green News: EPA Requests Grant Applications to Fight Climate Change

CONTACT:
Dave Ryan (News Media Only)
Ryan.dave@epa.gov
202-564-7827
202-564-4355
Technical non-press grants questions: Henry Ferland,  202-343-9330

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2010

EPA Requests Grant Applications to Fight Climate Change

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it is making up to $5 million in grants available to U.S. and international organizations to fund innovative, international methane reduction and use projects that cut global climate pollution. The grants will be issued through the Methane to Markets Partnership, a public-private partnership that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by promoting the cost-effective, near-term recovery and use of methane, a GHG that is more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Methane capture and use projects supported by the partnership through grants and other means are currently reducing emissions by more than 27.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually – equivalent to the annual emissions from 5 million passenger vehicles.

Non-profit or government organizations in any country may apply for grant funding, but projects should take place in the following Methane to Markets Partner countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam.  If an organization wishes to submit an application for a project in a developing country or a country with an economy in transition that is not listed above, the country must first apply to the Methane to Markets Partnership before the project can be considered for funding. 

Grant proposals should support feasibility studies, technology transfer, deployment of technology, training, methane emissions inventories, and other activities that promote methane capture and use.  The agency expects to award up to 35 cooperative assistance agreements ranging from approximately $100,000 to $750,000.

Proposals are due by April 15, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. EST.  EPA estimates that awards would be made at the end of 2010.

Since the launch of the partnership in 2004, EPA has provided almost $13 million for nearly 70 grants to build capacity and promote international capture and use of methane. This work will be highlighted in 2010 when EPA, the Government of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry host the 2^nd Methane to Markets Partnership Expo on March 2-5, 2010 in Delhi, India. The expo will bring together approximately 1,000 partners and methane experts from around the world to showcase project opportunities and technologies related to the capture and use of methane.


More grant information: http://www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets/grants.htm

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Green News: EPA Strengthens Transboundary Hazardous Waste Shipment Regulations

CONTACT:

Skip Anderson
anderson.skip@epa.gov
202-564-9551
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 28, 2009

 

EPA Strengthens Transboundary Hazardous Waste Shipment Regulations

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is strengthening the regulations that govern the shipping of hazardous waste for recycling between the United States and other countries. The new measures are meant to increase the level of regulatory oversight, provide stricter controls, and greater transparency. The final rule announced today aligns EPA’s hazardous waste import/export/transit shipment regulations with the procedures of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an international consortium that comprises 30 countries including the United States.

 

EPA’s new measures bolster regulations regarding hazardous waste shipments into or out of the United States and strengthen the extensive set of regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) governing the shipment of hazardous waste within the United States.

Specifically, this rule revises:

 

·      Existing RCRA regulation regarding the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes for recovery among countries belonging to the OECD to conform to legally required revisions made by the OECD, such as:

 

-     requiring U.S. recovery facilities to submit a certificate after recovery of the waste has been completed,

-     adding provisions to ensure that hazardous wastes are returned to the country of export in a more timely and documented manner when it is necessary to do so, and

-     adding new procedures for imported hazardous wastes that are initially managed at U.S. accumulation and transfer facilities to better track and document that subsequent recovery by a separate recycling facility is completed in an environmentally sound manner.

 

·      RCRA regulations for spent lead-acid batteries (SLAB) to add export notification and consent requirements to provide stricter controls and greater transparency for exports of SLABs to any country, and should ensure that the batteries are sent to countries and reclamation facilities in those countries that can manage the SLABs in an environmentally sound manner.    

 

·      Hazardous waste import-related requirements for U.S. hazardous waste management facilities to confirm individual import shipments comply with the terms of EPA’s consent.

 

·      The address to which export exception reports are to be sent.

 

The United States participates in a number of bilateral waste agreements between countries and in the multilateral waste agreement controlling the shipment of hazardous waste for recovery between OECD member countries.

 

More information on the final rule: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/international/oecd-slab-rule.htm

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Green News: EPA Seeks Small Business Input on Air Toxics Rule for Brick Production

CONTACT:
Dave Ryan (News Media Only)
Ryan.dave@epa.gov
202-564-7827
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2009


EPA Seeks Small Business Input on Air Toxics Rule for Brick Production

WASHINGTON --The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants recommendations from small businesses on the best way to regulate air toxics from the production of bricks and structural clay products such as roof tiles.  

EPA is inviting small businesses to nominate representatives to participate in a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel that will provide input into the development of the agency’s 2010 proposed rule for brick and structural clay products. This is a change from the past, when EPA selected panel members in consultation with the U.S. Small Business Administration, but did not invite small businesses to nominate representatives.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires EPA to convene such a panel if a rule may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses.

Under a separate statute, the Clean Air Act, EPA must issue national emissions standards for new and existing major sources of air toxics from a wide variety of industries, including brick and structural clay products manufacturing. Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health problems.

EPA issued air toxics regulations for brick and structural clay products manufacturing facilities in 2003, but they were nullified by a federal court; therefore, EPA is beginning the process of developing a new rule. An estimated 82 percent of the companies operating brick kilns are small businesses.

More information about participating in the panel:

http://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/brickclayproducts.htm

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Green News: New EPA Web Site Provides Tools to Cut Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Homes

CONTACT:
Dave Ryan
Ryan.dave@epa.gov
202-564-7827
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 16, 2009

New EPA Web Site Provides Tools to Cut Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Homes

WASHINGTON – Home owners, buyers and renters have a new resource for going green indoors and outdoors. EPA’s new Green Homes Web site will help people make their homes greener with tips on reducing energy consumption, carbon footprints, waste generation and water usage, as well as improving indoor air quality. 

The latest federal survey of American housing (2007) reported 128 million housing units across the U.S.,   accounting for nearly 54 percent of national energy use and nearly 31 percent of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, the most common greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. 

Many green building practices and technologies have yet to make a dent in the existing residential market, in part because it is hard for people to find clear, consolidated, readily accessible, and credible information. The Green Homes Web site addresses that need by providing guidance on approaches to greening each room of the home as well as the surrounding yard.  Information also is available on building new homes and finding an energy efficient mortgage, which takes into account the savings derived from energy efficient homes to enable the applicant to qualify for better terms. Renters will find information to help them identify a green property before moving in and tips for working with their landlord to add green features to an existing property. Users can also find references, such as a list of common green home terms, and links to dozens of EPA Web sites with more specific information on a wide variety of green home topics.

For more information: http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes

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Green News: EPA Funding Stimulates Clean Energy

CONTACT:
Dave Ryan
ryan.dave@epa.gov
202-564-7827
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2009


More Than $3 Million in EPA Funding Stimulates Clean Energy Production and Greenhouse Gas Reductions

EPA international clean energy partnership program grants funding to 11 countries

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is supporting the international Methane to Markets Partnership (M2M) by funding 21 new projects that will help 11 countries capture and use methane emissions from landfill, coal, agriculture, oil and natural gas operations. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, traps over 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide, making it a significant contributor to climate change.

The Methane to Markets Partnership is a public-private partnership that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by promoting the cost-effective, near-term recovery and use of methane, while providing clean energy to markets around the world.  The M2M Partnership has grown to include 31 partner governments and more than 900 private sector entities, financial institutions, non-governmental agencies and other organizations.

Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, and Russia are receiving grants ranging from $20,000 to $700,000. These projects, totaling nearly $3.3 million, will stimulate clean energy production while achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions. They will support a wide variety of activities, including development of databases on potential project sites, feasibility studies, and technology transfer.  In Bulgaria, for example, EPA will fund (1) a resource assessment of several landfills; (2) the development of business plans for each one; and (3) implementation of a pilot methane capture and use project at the most promising landfill.

Since the launch of the partnership in 2004, EPA has provided almost $13 million for nearly 70 grants to build capacity and promote international capture and use of methane.  This work will be highlighted in 2010 when EPA, the Government of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry host the 2^nd Methane to Markets Partnership Expo on March 2-5, 2010 in Delhi, India. The expo will bring together approximately 1,000 partners and methane experts from around the world to showcase project opportunities and technologies related to the capture and use of methane. 

List of 2009 grant awardees and their projects:
http://www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets/grants.htm


More Information about the Methane to Markets Partnership:
http://www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets
 

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Green News: EPA Announces Winner of the TV Recycling Challenge in Celebration of America Recycles Day

CONTACT:

Latisha Petteway

petteway.latisha@epa.gov

202-564-3191

202-564-4355

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nov. 9, 2009

 

EPA Announces Winner of the TV Recycling Challenge in Celebration of America Recycles Day

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM) as the winner of the National TV Recycling Challenge for responsibly recycling approximately 3 million pounds of TVs.  MRM, a joint venture between Panasonic, Sharp, and Toshiba, developed a TV collection network that uses a variety of collection approaches, including establishing collection points with charities and self-storage units.

 

EPA evaluated challenge participants’ efforts based on innovation, longevity, cooperative partnerships, consumer outreach, accessibility, pounds of TVs collected from January through August 2009, and ability to ensure that responsible recycling practices were followed. 

 

EPA launched the TV Recycling Challenge to spur manufacturers and retailers to increase the collection and responsible recycling of TVs discarded by consumers as they replaced analog TVs with digital flat-screen TVs.  To date, TV Recycling Challenge participants have recycled approximately 8.2 million pounds of materials.  As America Recycle Day approaches on November 15, 2009, EPA encourages everyone to step up their recycling efforts to conserve resources and save energy.

 

The TV Recycling Challenge is part of EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling program, which is a partnership between EPA and leading consumer electronics companies. The program seeks to increase public awareness of the importance of donating and recycling used electronics, and fostering opportunities for individuals to eCycle. 

 

More information on the TV Recycling Challenge and recycling electronics:  http://www.epa.gov/plugin

 

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Green News: Massachusetts Grocery Store Sets New National Environmental Benchmark

CONTACT:
Dave Ryan
Ryan.dave@epa.gov
202-564-7827
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2009

Massachusetts Grocery Store Sets New National Environmental Benchmark

WASHINGTON – Star Market at Chestnut Hill in Newton, Mass. is the first grocery store in the nation to receive the EPA’s GreenChill Partnership platinum store award. The advanced refrigeration technology in the new store, which is part of the Shaw’s line of supermarkets, significantly reduces its impact on climate change and the stratospheric ozone layer by cutting the use of refrigerants by 85 percent compared with the typical supermarket.

“Supermarkets and their customers know that it’s cool to earn the EPA’s GreenChill Store certification, but the only way to describe the first platinum-level GreenChill supermarket in the nation is, ‘wicked cool,’“ said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “This store shows that smart design and advanced technologies help us right now to better protect our climate, the ozone layer, and our health.”

The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is an EPA cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry to promote advanced technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce refrigerant charges and emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.

GreenChill partners emit about 50 percent less emissions than the industry average, and have pledged to continually lower them as part of the program. EPA estimates that if every supermarket in the nation joined GreenChill and reduced emissions to the current GreenChill average, the U.S. would prevent 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 240 tons of ozone-depleting substances annually, and save $108 million in refrigerant costs each year. GreenChill has 46 partners, with more than 6,500 retail food stores in 47 states.

More information on the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership:
http://www.epa.gov/greenchill

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Green Quick Tips: 5 Ways to Save Printer Ink

Be Green: 5 easy ways to save ink

1. Print Preview all documents before printing to ensure everything is laid out correctly
2. Set your printer to print black and white and use color for professional presentations only
3. Print in draft mode as it uses the least ink and also shortens the printing time
4. Use both black and color cartridges once a week to help prevent them from drying out
5. Print only what you really need to print

Thank you for reading and here's to Being Green!

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Additional resources:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/133384/save_money_on_inkjet_printer_ink.html
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-make-printer-ink-and-toner-last-longer/

Green News: EPA's Energy Star Label Now Available for Four Types of Glass and Food Processing Plants

CONTACT:

Enesta Jones

jones.enesta@epa.gov

202-564-7873

202-236-2426

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2009

EPA’s Energy Star Label Now Available for Four Types of Glass and Food Processing Plants

Savings of Nearly $900 Million Possible

WASHINGTON - From strawberry jam jars to frozen french fries, the manufacturing plants that make several well-known container and food items in the United States can now earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star for superior energy efficiency. The new Energy Performance Indicators (EPIs) for flat and container glass manufacturing plants and juice and frozen fried potato processing plants are the first of their kind for these industries.

The U.S. glass industry spends more than $2 billion annually on energy while the food processing sector spends nearly $7 billion per year. Improving the energy efficiency of these industries by just 10 percent would save nearly $900 million in energy costs and more than 150 trillion btu while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from the electricity use of more than 1 million homes for a year.

The new Energy Star EPIs were developed in partnership with the glass and food industries. The indicators will help companies objectively assess energy performance, set competitive goals for improvement and, over time, shift the energy performance of the entire industry.

More information on Energy Star Food Processing EPIs:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=in_focus.bus_food_proc_focus

More information about Energy Satr Glass Manufacturing EPIs:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=in_focus.bus_glass_manuf_focus

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