Firms finding out that preventing pollution pays off By JIM DiPESO Pacific Northwest PPRC Soap suds bubble to the ground during vehicle washing. Dirt, grease and chemicals meander across a parking lot and down a storm drain. Soil erodes off construction and excavation sites. Fertilizer and pesticides leach unseen from overwatered landscaping. Toxic paints flake off boat bottoms and into a bay.
Fresh water is used once and dumped.
Soap suds and soil particles may seem penny ante as pollution sources go. Reducing the flow of sediment, chemical wastes and oxygen-depleting nutrients into waterways likely will be one of the key elements in the salmon recovery program the Puget Sound region is facing, as will using water more efficiently so there is more to go around. Preventing waste at the source, through improved efficiency, process changes, substitute materials and better work practices, keeps pollutants out of the water. Moreover, pollution prevention benefits business by reducing costs and keeping them ahead of the regulatory curve, which is likely to get steeper as requirements related to endangered species listings and Clean Water Act mandates take hold in the coming years. The dry dock at Wilson Marine on Lake Union is sealed to collect wash water and direct it to an on-site filtration plant.