Note: every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in the documents listed above is up-to-date, but there may have been changes in the programs since publication. Please consult with the appropriate DEP staff listed in the fact sheets for specific program updates.

What does P2 mean for business?

An effective Pollution Prevention program involves gathering a team of knowledgeable employees together, documenting how the business processes REALLY work, then taking the time to uncover where losses occur and what the actual costs are. Only then can staff and employees effectively work to minimize or eliminate losses that cost you money and have negative environmental impacts. The same tools that are utilized for Total Quality Management (TQM) programs or environmental management systems work quite well for Pollution Prevention programs.

In setting goals, one of the keys is to understand that as a society, we are learning what our impacts are and then creating laws and regulations to control and remediate those impacts. It will never get easier, as our science advances we find more impacts and create more laws and regulations. The best strategy is to think "closed-loop" - to have as the ultimate goal to use as much of the raw material you purchase to make as much product as possible and then recycle any residues. One may never reach the goal but the effort yields much more than saving money and resources.

• The Connecticut Hospital Environmental Roundtable (CHER)
• Regulatory and Technical Assistance for Hospitals
• 2003 Environmental Assessment Tool  
• Resources for Hospitals
• Energy Star Program

• CT Climate Change - Provides information on climate change in CT, actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the CT Climate Change Action Plan.
• CONNSTEP - Helps Connecticut manufacturers apply advanced manufacturing and management techniques to become more competitive, supporting the growth of Connecticut's economy.
• Northeast Waste Management Officials Association Innovative P2 Technology profiles
• An Organizational Guide to Pollution Prevention - A "how to" guide to getting started, evaluating progress and re-invigorating an existing program. It contains some proven tools that have saved many companies time and money.
• The Toxics Use Reduction Institute promotes the development and diffusion of Cleaner Technologies that use fewer resources and generate less waste than traditional technologies.
• P2GEMS is an internet search tool for facility planners, engineers and managers who are looking for technical, process and materials management information on the Web.
• North Carolina Pollution Prevention Web Site - Has many case studies, industry-specific pollution prevention techniques, and more.
• The Chemical Strategies Partnership (CSP) works with manufacturing companies to help redefine the way they purchase and manage their chemicals. In this new model, manufacturers shift away from a traditional supplier relationship to a strategic alliance with a chemical service provider. Instead of purchasing chemicals, the manufacturer purchases chemical services: assistance in purchasing, managing, and tracking chemicals. Results to date indicate that this service model has proven to achieve resource efficiency, process innovation, and significant cost savings.
• TechSolve is a membership-based organization that helps manufacturers achieve their goals. They accomplish this by providing a full-range of affordable, yet innovative services that utilize best practices, state-of-the-art technologies and highly effective processes. 
• The Natural Step - an international organization that uses a science-based, systems framework to help organizations and communities understand and move toward sustainability.

Get recognition for your efforts to reduce pollution.
Apply for a DEP Green Circle Award.

Content Last Updated on July 28, 2009