The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 4 has announced the 2023 Pollution Prevention (P2) Recognition Awards Program, which will recognize organizations in nine states in the southeastern U.S. and tribal lands for their leadership in pollution prevention practices.
Region 4 deals with organizations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and tribal lands within those areas, according to a release by the EPA.
“EPA’s Pollution Prevention Award Program recognizes organizations that have taken the initiative to prevent pollution at the source,” Region 4 Regional Administrator Daniel Blackman said in the release. “We look forward to celebrating these forward-thinking organizations that support EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment while improving performance and reducing costs.”
The EPA defines pollution prevention (P2) practices as those that conserve natural resources, including water and energy, by focusing industry, government and public attention on reducing pollution through the implementation of cost-effective changes in production, operation and the use of raw materials, the release states. As defined in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, any practice that reduces environmental releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants prior to entering a waste stream for recycling, treatment or disposal is applicable. EPA’s P2 program is voluntary and encourages stakeholders to seek innovative ways to prevent pollution from entering waste streams through a competitive grant process and the provision of technical assistance to businesses.
The EPA's P2 program is voluntary and aims to encourage stakeholders to seek innovative ways to prevent pollution from entering waste streams. The awards program requires interested parties to submit an application describing their P2 efforts, activities, cost savings and the replicability of their approach, by May 19.
In 2021, the award program recognized companies in Kentucky, Mississippi and South Carolina, such as Siemens Energy Inc, Shutterfly, LLC, and Ford Motor Company, which all showed a commitment to pollution prevention by reducing, eliminating or preventing pollution at its source, the release added.
