EPA Action: Agency calls on industry to reduce chemical use

In other news below:
-- EPA orders Nordman Feedlots to stop discharges
-- 13 Phoenix, Ariz. underground storage tanks cited for violations
-- Conger Management Group pays $9,000 for Clean Water Act violations in Idaho
-- Maine requests 'No Discharge Area' for Casco Bay waters
-- New Britain, Conn., pays fines for wastewater violations at city's facilities
-- EPA settles Clean Water Act case against Dlesk Realty for filling stream
-- New grant funds will assist New England communities target, reduce environmental risks
-- National developer cited for Clean Water Act violations at Raymore, Mo., site
-- EPA funds project to demonstrate less is better with insecticides at N.J. cranberry farms
-- Taunton, Mass., textile company faces penalty for chemical spill
-- EPA says cleanup complete at Fargo dry cleaner site
-- Simpson County Water District in Franklin, Ky., honored for drinking water system excellence
-- Contractors ordered to remove demolition waste from Ariz. river
-- Pinellas County Utilities in Clearwater, Fla., recognized for drinking water system excellence

EPA calls on industry to reduce chemical use
WASHINGTON, DC, March 1, 2006 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveiled the National Challenge Commitment for Priority Chemicals, a collaborative initiative to shrink industrial use of 31 priority chemicals. The challenge commitment seeks a 10% decrease in the use of one or more of the chemicals over three years at government and industrial facilities throughout the country.

"I encourage companies to accept this challenge," said Susan Bodine, assistant administrator of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "Reducing the volume of priority chemicals in products and waste can reduce toxic chemical releases, reduce handling and disposal costs, and increase recycling � resulting in both environmental and economic benefits."

The national challenge is sponsored by two EPA programs, the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities and the National Environmental Performance Track. Becoming an environmental priorities partner and implementing the challenge commitment can be the first step for companies to become full Performance Track members.

The National Partnership for Environmental Priorities is a voluntary program that encourages government and private industry to reduce the use of priority chemicals in products and waste. Priority chemicals are chemicals that are persistent in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and toxic if released. Since 2002, environmental priorities partners have removed more than 800,000 pounds of priority chemicals from the environment and have commitments to remove an additional 2 million pounds.

Performance Track is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities for their commitment to effective environmental management, sustained record of compliance, commitment to measurable goals, and transparency to the public. Performance Track members set goals in different categories, including material use, energy use, or air emissions.

For more information on the National Challenge Commitment for Priority Chemicals and the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, visit: www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/priorities/chemical.htm.

For more information on Performance Track, visit: www.epa.gov/performancetrack.

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Among other recent EPA headlines:
-- "EPA orders Nordman Feedlots to stop discharges"
-- "13 Phoenix, Ariz. underground storage tanks cited for violations"
-- "Conger Management Group pays $9,000 for Clean Water Act violations in Idaho"
-- "Maine requests 'No Discharge Area' for Casco Bay waters"
-- "New Britain, Conn., pays fines for wastewater violations at city's facilities"
-- "EPA settles Clean Water Act case against Dlesk Realty for filling stream"
-- "New grant funds will assist New England communities target, reduce environmental risks"
-- "National developer cited for Clean Water Act violations at Raymore, Mo., site"
-- "EPA funds project to demonstrate less is better with insecticides at N.J. cranberry farms"
-- "Taunton, Mass., textile company faces penalty for chemical spill"
-- "EPA says cleanup complete at Fargo dry cleaner site"
-- "Simpson County Water District in Franklin, Ky., recognized for drinking water system excellence"
-- "Contractors ordered to remove demolition waste from Ariz. river"
-- "Pinellas County Utilities in Clearwater, Fla., recognized for drinking water system excellence"

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In earlier EPA Action reports: "EPA Action: Agency lifts fuel oxygenate mandate for states, cities" -- Also in this report (Feb. 16, 2006): EPA advisory panel reports PFOA causes cancer; Tools released to help small drinking water systems; Aid offered for community projects to reduce toxic exposure risks; More data from resampling at 14 La. sites posted; EPA FY2007 budget requests unsettle environmentalists; Colo. Willow Creek Watershed efforts honored; Villanova University wins federal funding to reduce pharmaceuticals in environment; New tool released for determining cause of ecological harm to rivers, streams; EPA provides faster water quality tests for safe beach swimming; EPA Pacific Southwest region awards over $1.5 million to protect wetlands; EPA recognizes wastewater facilities' performance; Recent regulatory enforcement includes stormwater, wetlands issues; Navajo Tribal Utility Authority agrees to improve wastewater treatment at two plants; Blowing Rock, N.C., wins 2005 CCR Excellence Award; EPA recognizes landfill methane partners for greenhouse gas reductions; Public comment sought on proposed particle standards; Guidance issued for perchlorate cleanups; Howard to head NACEPT policy advisory group; Toolkit released to help schools, preschools reduce lead in drinking water; Route 66 project launched to redevelop abandoned Ariz. gas stations, clean up underground tanks; Clean Water Act authority approved for Navajo Nation sites; Atlanta to host 2006 National Environmental Partnership Summit in May...

For the latest EPA news releases, click here.

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