Bulletin
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP)
Fall 2005                                                                           
 
Welcome to the latest edition of the NPEP Bulletin.  The NPEP Bulletin is delivered quarterly to keep you informed of the latest NPEP and Waste Minimization news and events.   Each issue will have a different theme. This Issue: NPEP Awards Ceremony and Recruiters Meeting.  We distribute the Bulletin electronically to minimize waste, conserve resources, and promote the Paperless Office.

Join NPEP Today
Interested in Waste Minimization?  Want to help the environment while improving your bottom line?  NPEP encourages public and private organizations to form voluntary partnerships with EPA to reduce the use and/or release of any of 31 Priority Chemicals (PCs).  Enroll today: www.epa.gov/minimize/partnership.htm

Read more about PCs at:	 www.epa.gov/minimize/chemlist.htm

 Information Exchange
Contact the editors with your questions, events, articles, ideas, comments, and suggestions.   We want to hear from you.
The focus of our next issue will be State and Regional Waste Minimization Programs.  Send us your thoughts and contributions today via email or our comments and questions form at www.epa.gov/minimize/contactus.htm

Current Query - NPEP Bulletin
See page three for more on our Current Query: What would you like to see on the NPEP website?  Contact the editors with your answers and comments.


Upcoming Events:

November 28-30  
Byproduct Beneficial Use Summit: Philadelphia, PA  
www.byproductsummit.com

January 18-20, 2006
2006 Waste Management National Meeting, Arlington, VA 
www.awma.org

Send us your event today.  Visit the Waste Min Calendar at www.epa.gov/calendar/minimize.htm


First Annual NPEP Awards Ceremony, 
October 25, 2005

Picture

On October 25, 2005, 21 NPEP partners were awarded for their outstanding contributions to waste minimization and environmental protection at the first annual NPEP Awards Ceremony in Arlington, Virginia.  Thomas P. Dunne, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, presented NPEP Achievement Awards to these partners for reducing or eliminating priority and other toxic chemicals in products and manufacturing processes.  

NPEP also presented its first Champion Award to Tim McDaniel of International Truck and Engine Corporation. Read more about the Champion Award and the NPEP Awards on page two.

NPEP awardees employed waste minimization methods, including source reduction, recycling, and recovery, to prevent the release of about 800,000
pounds of priority chemicals and about 2 million pounds of other toxic chemicals to the environment.  The NPEP Team congratulates all of the awardees for their contributions to this successful effort.  To learn more about the achievements of all of these companies, visit www.epa.gov/minimize/success.htm


NPEP Launches the Mercury Challenge

NPEP proudly announces the launch of the Mercury Challenge.  NPEP created the Mercury Challenge to encourage industrial facilities across the country to actively participate in the reduction or elimination of mercury in the environment.  The Mercury Challenge also promotes the use of mercury-free alternatives. Prospective and current NPEP partners are invited to accept the Challenge.

Facilities interested in taking the Mercury Challenge can visit the Mercury Challenge website to help identify possible sources of mercury and access information on mercury-free alternatives to current products.  Facilities will also learn how to build successful Mercury Reduction Programs through teamwork, training, and other activities designed to promote mercury reduction.  To learn more about the Mercury Challenge visit www.epa.gov/minimize/mercchall.htm.
 
 
2005 NPEP Award Recipients
 
Tim McDaniel Receives First NPEP Champion Award

NPEP presented its first Champion Award to Tim McDaniel of International Truck and Engine Corporation.  As a result of Mr. McDaniel's commitment to waste minimization and NPEP, International Truck and Engine Corporation was able to reduce more than 150,000 pounds of priority and toxic chemicals.  Tim was also instrumental in accelerating International Trucks approval of solder-free battery cables supplied by Kalas Manufacturing, a current NPEP partner. The approval offered Kalas Manufacturing the opportunity to commit to their NPEP goal. 

NPEP is an ever-expanding network of industrious organizations committed to the reduction of priority and toxic chemicals.  Part of our growth comes from the efforts of individuals who go above and beyond their responsibilities as partners and champion NPEP to other organizations. The NPEP Team thanks and congratulates Tim McDaniel for being our first NPEP champion.


Region Two

Two NPEP partners from Region Two received NPEP Achievement Awards.  Madison Industries was awarded for reducing 227,000 pounds of lead in lead bearing waste through raw material substitutions and process engineering changes.

Old Bridge Chemicals was awarded for reducing lead waste disposal by 337,000 pounds through process modification and raw materials substitution.


Region Three

Nine NPEP partners from Region Three received NPEP Achievement Awards.  American Video Glass Company was recognized for reducing lead by 8,700 pounds per year and decreasing total lead waste disposal by over 95 percent through facility re-design, internal reuse, and source  reduction. 

Baldwin Hardware Corporation was awarded for reducing 1,000 pounds of 

lead, 35,000 pounds of copper, and 21,000 pounds of zinc in furnace-slag 
waste through enhanced recycling and process modification.

Federal-Mogul was recognized for eliminating 19,000 pounds of lead by changing to a non-leaded solder in its manufacturing process.

Flowserve Corporation was recognized for eliminating the use of 125 pounds methyl ethyl ketone through enhanced recycling.

Material Sciences Corporation was awarded for reducing naphthalene in their coating process by 25,000 pounds through the use of naphthalene-free paint.

Moog Components Group, Inc. was awarded for eliminating, through source reduction, 250 pounds of lead in the production of commercial slip rings.  

Sylvin Technologies, Inc. was awarded for reducing the use of lead by over 125,000 pounds by switching to newly developed lead-free versions of its old compounds. 

U.S. Steel Corporation: Mon Valley Works was awarded for reducing lead use by more than 7,000 pounds and chromium acid waste generation by 5,900 pounds through equipment and process modification.  

Wirerope Works, Inc. was awarded for eliminating 27,000 pounds of process-related lead emissions and recovery of 80,000 pounds of lead through enhanced recycling.


Region Four

Two NPEP partners from Region Four received NPEP Achievement Awards.  Chase Scientific Glass, Inc. was recognized for eliminating the use of all lead-based paints and reducing annual lead emissions by 98 pounds.

Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) was awarded for reducing 122 pounds annual of direct emissions of lead through product redesign and process modification and for reducing 5,000 pounds of petroleum naphtha/lead through enhanced recycling.  


Region Five

Five NPEP partners from Region Five were recognized at the NPEP Awards Ceremony. Bowling Green State University was awarded for collecting and recycling almost 12,000 pounds of elemental mercury.  

Crown Equipment Corporation was awarded for eliminating 55,000 pounds of chromium from its painting operations through source reduction and recycling.   

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. was awarded for reducing the use of purge solvents by 3.5 pounds per vehicle, resulting in a 1.3 million pound reduction in solvent waste.

Uniseal, Incorporated was recognized for eliminating 1,200 pounds of lead through reformulation of nitrile vinyl cellular foam rubber manufactured for use in the automotive industry.  

Representatives of Norco Cleaners, Inc. were not able to attend the ceremony.  Norco avoided emissions of almost 5,500 pounds of naphthalene by reducing the consumption of dry cleaning solvents.


Region Six

Three partners from Region Six received NPEP Achievement Awards.  General Motors Corporation received an NPEP award for eliminating 400,000 pounds of acetone and 230,000 pounds of naphtha through recycling.

Shell Chemical was awarded for recovering 24,000 pounds of lead from spent catalyst through expanded recycling. 

Sheppard Air Force Base was recognized for eliminating, through product substitution, more than 1,000 pounds of hazardous materials, such as chromic and phosphoric acid, previously generated in aircraft depainting/painting operations.



New Partner Spotlight

Region 2
Partner:   Comus International, Clifton, New Jersey.
Goal:  Reduce 4,500 pounds of mercury in switches by developing non-mercury replacements.

Partner:   Sanmina-SCI Corporation, Owego, New York.  
Goal:  Reduce 1,000 pounds of lead by developing low-cost, lead-free alternatives and marketing alternatives to customers.

Partner:  U.S. Postal Service - 
Northeast Area, Albany, New York.
Goal #1:  Recover 5,830 pounds of lead through recycling of computer components.
Goal #2:  Reduce one pound of mercury by establishing contracts for recycling fluorescent bulbs.

Region 3
Partner:  Precoat Metals division Sequa Coatings  McKeesport Plant, McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
Goal: Reduce 2,000 pounds of naphthalene by switching to coatings with naphthalene-depleted solvents.

Partner: Virginia Automotive Recyclers Association, Richmond, Virginia.
Goal:  Reduce 30 pounds of mercury by initiating a pilot program to remove mercury switches from automobiles during salvage operations. 

Region 5
Partner: Consumers Energy, Jackson, Michigan.
Goal: Reduce 103 pounds of mercury by eliminating elemental mercury and mercury-containing equipment.  

Partner: Precoat Metals division Sequa Coatings  Granite City Plant, Granite City, Illinois.
Goal: Reduce 13,000 pounds of naphthalene by switching to coatings with naphthalene depleted solvents.


 
NPEP Recruiters Meeting: October 26-27, 2005


On October 26-27, 2005, the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities hosted the NPEP Recruiters Meeting in Arlington, VA.  A total of six state and 19 EPA regional representatives were in attendance.  

The goals of the October meeting were to develop strategies for growing and marketing the NPEP program; and, create teams designed to tackle specific industries and priority chemicals.  Matt Hale, Director of the Office of Solid Waste, opened the meeting with a discussion on NPEP and the future of the RCRA program.  Other presentations included: NPEP Marketing Strategies, Petroleum Refineries Sector Strategies, Expanding NPEP through Existing Partners, Achieving Mercury Reduction through NPEP, Regional Trends Report,   Design for the Environment Marketing Strategies, and Green Suppliers Network Marketing Strategies.  

Note:  Office of Solid Waste, OSW, was renamed Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, ORCR, on January 18, 2009

Key outcomes from the meeting included the creation of five cross-regional and state teams focusing on mercury, naphthalene, lead, petroleum, and federal facilities; and, commitments from various regions to contact sister facilities of current NPEP partners and other facilities with similar manufacturing processes.


Current Query: NPEP Website?

The NPEP Team is now dedicated to examining our website at www.epa.gov/wastemin. We will be evaluating its effectiveness, and improving it.  
 
We need your input on our website.  Which topics are most informative?  Which pages do you visit?  What new topics do you think we should add?  Please visit our latest news page at www.epa.gov/minimize/latestnews.htm today to give us your input.  The NPEP Team looks forward to your comments.


Director's Corner
 
NPEP Awards
Jim Berlow
Director, Hazardous Waste Minimization and Management Division 

As I write this column, I am very proud to report that NPEP membership has grown to 68 partners.  These partners have already achieved reductions of almost 3 million pounds of priority and other toxic chemicals.  Partners have pledged to reduce over 1.3 million pounds more of priority chemicals and about 80,000 pounds more of a number of other chemicals of interest to EPA. This is a significant reduction in the use and/or disposal of chemicals that, if released, could harm the environment. NPEP partners should be justifiably proud of their achievements.
 
At the NPEP Awards in October 2005, we recognized partners and individuals who have worked hard to reduce the use of priority chemicals.  Im particularly pleased to note that we awarded our first NPEP Champion Award to Tim McDaniel, International Truck, for his exceptional work in reducing lead in truck manufacturing.  I congratulate everybody involved in making NPEP a successour NPEP awardees, all of our partners, and our headquarters, regional, and state staff.  Thank you for all of the hard work you have put in to make NPEP a continuing success.  
In our Next Issue: State and Regional Waste Min Programs

Contact Us to Subscribe 
www.epa.gov/minimize/contactus.htm

This Bulletin is sponsored by the National Waste Minimization website at
epa.gov/wastemin.
Updated regularly-visit today.

Contact the Editors
Linda Malcolm, 301-865-1454
Malcolm.Linda@epa.gov
Shayla Workman, 703-308-0319
Workman.Shayla@epa.gov

EPA520-N-05-002                        November 2005