Ohio Prevention First

The State of Ohio's Voluntary Pollution Prevention and Pollution Reduction Planning Initiative

INTRODUCTION

Ohio Prevention First is a voluntary planning initiative seeking a reduction in the amount of pollution generated throughout Ohio. This initiative provides a very important opportunity for Ohio business and industry to demonstrate a leadership role in environmental protection without the need for additional regulatory mandates. Your company's participation in Ohio Prevention First is essential in demonstrating the substantial environmental benefits that can be gained through non-legislative and non-regulatory approaches to pollution prevention.

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of Ohio Prevention First is to reduce pollution in Ohio by 50% by the year 2000. The initiative derives its name from the "waste management" or "pollution prevention" hierarchy established in the federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. This national policy states that pollution prevention should be the first option when deciding how pollution and/or waste is managed. Participation is open to all organizations who generate pollution throughout Ohio or have a specific interest in completing pollution prevention, pollution reduction or environmentally beneficial activities.

The second objective is to encourage facilities to initiate or expand existing pollution prevention or pollution reduction practices through development of comprehensive pollution prevention plans. By demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of pollution prevention, the facilities included in this initiative will serve as role models for other businesses throughout the state.

The third objective of this initiative is to publicize exemplary pollution prevention or pollution reduction efforts. Ohio EPA believes that positive public recognition provides an incentive and encourages other organizations to complete similar activities.

Although Governor Voinovich originally requested the "Top 100" toxic chemical reporters to participate in this initiative, Ohio Prevention First was expanded to include all business and industry, local governments, community groups, schools and schools districts, and individuals.

RECOGNITION

An important aspect of Ohio Prevention First is the recognition participants receive for outstanding environmental projects and their contributions to pollution prevention and pollution reduction. Ohio EPA will track the submittal of information by participating companies, organizations and individuals. Updates on participation will be provided on a biannual basis through an Ohio Prevention First progress report. All organizations and individuals participating in the program will be recognized in progress reports. Due to changes in the Toxic Release Inventory and other environmental databases since 1988, Ohio EPA will primarily rely on data and information submitted by participants to gauge the progress being made toward achieving reduction commitments.

CURRENT PARTICIPANTS

Over 140 Ohio facilities are currently participating in the Ohio Prevention First initiative. These facilities represent a broad range of Ohio businesses who are realizing the economic and environmental benefits of voluntary pollution prevention efforts. A list of current Ohio Prevention First participants is available upon request.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

The Ohio Prevention First has two levels of participation: "Ohio Prevention First Partnerships" and "Ohio Prevention First Industrial Leadership." Companies who wish to participate in Ohio Prevention First should send a letter to the Ohio EPA Office of Pollution Prevention indicating their level of participation.

Ohio Prevention First Partnerships

To participate at the "Partnership" level, participants are required to commit to one or more of the following pollution prevention or environmentally beneficial activities, and provide an annual progress report on activities, due one year after initially signing up for the initiative and annually thereafter. Some examples of these activities include:

• Prepare multi-media pollution prevention and/or pollution reduction plans to reduce the amount of waste generated;

• Establish water and/or energy conservation programs; Participate in U.S. EPA's "Green Lights" Program, "33/50" Program or "Energy Star" Programs;

• Conduct environmental audits to plan pollution prevention and/or pollution reduction projects to improve or maintain compliance;

• Host conferences and workshops on environmental issues and pollution prevention;

• Establish a company recycling program for paper and other materials;

• Complete a facility-wide or process-specific pollution prevention assessment;

• Support community programs involving household hazardous waste collection, ground water protection, surface water quality monitoring, environmental education;

• Promote environmental education; or provide pollution prevention technical assistance to suppliers to help them in their waste/pollution reduction activities.

Ohio Prevention First Industrial Leadership

Within Six Months:

1. Provide a reduction pledge to Ohio EPA for the types of wastes and/or pollution deemed appropriate by the company;

2. Provide a signed pollution prevention policy statement to Ohio EPA from a high ranking corporate official, preferably the CEO or an individual with authority and fiscal responsibility for the facility;

3. Provide a summary of previous and existing pollution prevention and/or pollution reduction efforts to Ohio EPA; and

4. Provide a commitment from the company to report all reductions achieved through pollution prevention activities separately from reductions made through treatment, energy recovery or other pollution control or pollution reduction methods wherever possible.

Develop a pollution prevention and pollution reduction plan and provide a non-confidential summary of this information to Ohio EPA.

Annually thereafter:

Provide an annual report to Ohio EPA on the company's progress towards meeting its reduction commitment.

An explanation of each of these items is provided in the Ohio Prevention First Implementation Strategy available from the Ohio EPA Office of Pollution Prevention at (614) 644-3469.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

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