MVP2 Overall Award:  3M  (Brownwood, TX)

The 3M Brownwood Plant has a successful history of proactive environmental management and stewardship.  3M Brownwood has significantly reduced air emissions through the development of solventless and water-based technologies.  The plant has developed very successful energy conservation and recycling programs that emphasize the plant’s commitment to conserve natural resources.  Since 1990, the plant has reduced VOC and TRI air emissions by 95%.  In 2002, the plant estimates that it saved approximately $1.5 million as part of its energy conservation program.

MVP2 Overall Award:  City of Fort Collins  (Fort Collins, CO)

The City of Fort Collins Climate Wise Program is a business outreach program that encourages greenhouse gas reductions by promoting pollution prevention, including energy efficiency and transportation reduction, on a voluntary basis.  With 26 businesses representing 40% of total commercial/industrial electric usage, participation levels far exceed program goals. Climate Wise provides an innovative and united venue for marketing a number of related city pollution prevention services in the areas of solid waste reduction, energy efficiency, green power, and transportation demand reduction to local business.  In addition to the primary greenhouse gas reductions, the program is tracking savings in electric use and demand, natural gas use, solid waste reduction and recycling, and water use.  https://www.fcgov.com/climatewise/index.php

MVP2 Overall Award:  Iowa Department of Natural Resources  (Des Moines, IA)

Iowa Department of Natural Resources' 12-week summer Pollution Prevention Intern Program places college graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in businesses and agencies to assist in identifying, evaluating, and implementing ecological, environmental, and economical solutions. Through a competitive process for both businesses and the interns, students are matched with pollution prevention projects submitted by host companies. The program has grown from fourteen company-intern-government partnerships to twenty-two in two years. Companies involved in the first two years saved over $3 million, with projected savings approaching $50 million over the next five years.   https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Land-Quality/Waste-Planning-Recycling/Pollution-Prevention-P2/P2-Intern-Program

MVP2 Overall Award:  KSL  (Los Alamos, NM)

As part of the Auto Shop Pollution Prevention Improvements Project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, auto shop employees identified the root cause of the majority of oil leaks was when aluminum fittings failed.  Replacing them with sturdier, although more expensive, steel ferrules resulted in over 70% fewer spills.  The amount of contaminated soil that resulted was significantly reduced and able to be treated on-site using innovative approaches developed by the auto shop employees.  Labor savings are estimated at $40,000 annually and avoided costs exceed $80,000 per year.

MVP2 Overall Award:  Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Pollution Prevention Program  (Livonia, MI)

The Retired Engineer Technical Assistance Program (RETAP) is a pollution prevention program operated by the State of Michigan to provide on-site technical assistance to public institutions and small businesses, focusing on reducing the amount and toxicity of hazardous waste. The program includes technology demonstrations and a student intern program. One example of a successful project was a 50% reduction in water use and 20% reduction in chemical use at a small electroplating facility, resulting in $15,000 per year in cost savings.

MVP2 Overall Award:  Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center  (Port Hueneme, CA)

The Cost-Effective Protection of Ground Water Resources from MTBE and Other Fuel-related Water Pollutants Project focuses on preventing pollution associated with the use of underground storage tanks.  This nationally recognized and award-winning technology is the product of five years of collaboration between the Federal government, academia, and industry.  At one site, application of this technology led to documented cost savings of over $30 million.

MVP2 Overall Award:  Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement  (Toronto, ON)

The Toronto Region Sustainability Program is a multi-year program for small-to-medium enterprises and healthcare facilities in the City of Toronto for improving sustainable practices through pollution prevention planning and eco-efficiency.  Based on 16 completed pollution prevention assessments and 77 projects that clients have committed to implementing, the annualized P2/source reduction results are as follows:  380 tonnes of VOCs; 2.5 tonnes of particulates; 740 tonnes of process waste; and 8610 tonnes of water.  The average project payback is one year.

MVP2 Overall Award:  Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical  (Spring House, PA)

Ortho-McNeil installed a 75-kilowatt solar electric system, which covers 17,500 square feet of rooftop space and produces over 78,000 kilowatt hours per year.  Power from the system is fed directly into the main electrical system and satisfies 1.4% of the total peak demand at the facility.  It is estimated that over the 25-year lifetime of the system, the solar energy generated electricity will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by 8,150 pounds, sulfur dioxide by 18 tons, and carbon dioxide by 1,583 tons.  The average annual cost savings is about $35,000.

MVP2 Overall Award:  Sanmina-SCI Plant 432  (Colorado Springs, CO)

Several pollution prevention initiatives associated with less hazardous chemicals and chemical enhancements were implemented for Production, Maintenance, and Janitorial operations at the Sanmina-SCI Plant 432 resulting in the following improvements: 

• 90% reduction in VOCs (from 25 – 27 tons/month down to 5-6 tons/month); 
• no spill pouring devices saved 10,000 square feet/year in total absorbent purchases and hazardous waste disposal is virtually eliminated;
• hazardous waste was reduced 95%.

MVP2 Overall Award:  US Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District and Jacobs Engineering  (Kodiak, AK)

By using recycled contaminated material as a base course for road paving, this win-win solution minimized waste streams and provided a remote Alaskan community with a paved road while decreasing remediation costs.  Transporting the 31,500 tons of material by truck and barge to the nearest suitable landfill in the state of Washington would result in substantial fuel consumption and air emissions, as well as increasing ecological risk.  By not using thermal treatment, the Expanded/Foamed Asphalt Recycling Project in Kodiak, AK avoided the consumption of 504,000 gallons of fuel,  emissions of 450 pounds of carbon monoxide, and emissions of 1,850 pounds of particulates.  The cost savings are estimated to be upwards of $1.5 million. 

MVP2 Overall Award:  West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC)  (Grand Rapids, MI)

The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum is a unique and innovative partnership between WMEAC and any business in West Michigan interested in continuously improving environmental performance by implementing sustainable development principles.  Forum members commit to surpass conformance to the law using compliance as a minimum standard, minimize total waste, develop and promote environmental awareness programs, and continuously improve.  Forum members purchased more than 4 million kilowatt hours of alternative energy.  Case studies show significant reductions in solid waste and VOC's.   https://wmsbf.org/case-studies/

P2 Volunteer of the Year*:  Ken Zarker

Ken Zarker has provided exceptional leadership during a significant transition period for the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR). In addition to directing his own P2 assistance program at Texas CEQ, he has given of his time to meet the NPPR challenges of the past year's financial constraints and finding a replacement for the Executive Director. He has worked hard to develop strategic partnerships with various related but bureaucratically separated divisions within U.S. EPA, DoE, and others, helping to break down barriers among them. Always, he keeps a positive forward-thinking outlook, transcending politics and following up with directed action.