Executive Summary

This paper is a draft in progress. NPPR welcomes all comments, suggestions and additions to any section. The organization intends to complete the final document for release during its annual national conference, being held in Louisville, Kentucky, USA in April 2003.

The sustainable development agenda evolving from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg should focus on pollution prevention (P2). P2 means reducing pollution upstream, at the source as opposed to traditional treatment and disposal (end-of-pipe). P2 is a multi-media (air, water and land) approach that reduces a facility or community's overall impact to the environment. It is a practice that eliminates the transferring of pollution from one medium to another, which currently results from the traditional regulatory framework in the United States and internationally. It is a holistic, cost effective approach to protecting the environment.

P2 is key to all issues of sustainable development -- economic, environmental and social. Since the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, various gaps have emerged in the anticipated progress of pollution prevention, also called cleaner production or production and consumption, as defined in Agenda 21. This paper outlines key issues and recommendations by the broader P2 community to maximize the effectiveness of pollution prevention for future sustainable development policies. Sustainable development will not succeed in any significant way without considerable application of the proven tools of pollution prevention. Pollution prevention should be a central component of all the sustainability discussions, as its application contributes significant steps toward all major sustainability issues.

The opportunity is ripe for P2 to be infused into sustainability discussions worldwide and the associated health, regulatory and economic benefits of P2 are immense. This paper focuses attention on the positive alternatives that P2 offers. The World Summit is presenting the P2 community an exciting chance to get involved in the sustainability dialogue on a global scale.

Overview

Pollution prevention (P2) is a cornerstone for sustainable development, and provides significant potential input into redefining where the sustainability agenda is focused. P2's effectiveness lies in the fact that it is a holistic, multi-media approach, with practical tools, such as Environmental Management Systems (EMS), environmentally preferable purchasing, multi-media inspections, and materials accounting practices that can be tailored to any industrial or community sector. The wide-ranging P2 tool kit has the potential to tackle the daunting environmental challenges of the 21st century including energy and water shortages, global climate change and chemical safety issues. Pollution Prevention is the only mechanism to provide concrete steps and identify quantifiable targets for better implementation of sustainable development.

NPPR and our partners firmly believe that pollution prevention is critical to the success of sustainable development. This paper outlines a number of bold policy recommendations to promote prevention efforts globally that will help lead us down the path of sustainability. These policy recommendations are being gathered through an inclusive, collaborative process and include input from NPPR Members and staff as well as input from other non-governmental organizations (NGO's), government organizations (including EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Office of International Affairs and the Council on Environmental Quality), and our International Roundtable partners in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa and Asia. In order to further refine the recommendations and improve upon the paper, NPPR will continue to entertain comments and suggestions throughout this next year. From this prolonged comment period NPPR anticipates producing a resource rich document that contains a strong action agenda.

This paper has four purposes:

(1) Promote pollution prevention as one of the key components to the economic, environmental

and social components of sustainable development;
(2) Review Agenda 21's chapter on consumption and production, to reveal opportunities for

         maximizing the effectiveness of P2 after WSSD;
   (3) Share the strength and results of P2 goals, tools and collaborative partnerships; and
   (4) Outline a bold action P2 action plan with recommendations for the future.

As a result of this effort, NPPR hopes to draw attention to P2 technologies and practices that should be included in policies emerging from the World Summit. Effective, international collaboration and cooperation built into an international pollution prevention protocol is necessary to assure sustainable development on a global scale.

Draft Paper Recommendations

The main recommendation of this paper is to produce an official directive to be signed by the world community, committing signatories to adopt a pollution prevention-first agenda. This agenda would adopt the following Pollution Prevention Principles (JohannesburgP3):

(1) Promote pollution prevention as the first step to protecting the global environment.

This includes:
i. Reducing the toxicity of products;
ii. Reducing the quantity of waste through prevention;

iii. Helping to eliminate the quantity and use of products that are inherently toxic;
iv. Encouraging environmental preferable purchasing and product stewardship. This comprises promoting a green supply chain as well as designing products that are environmentally-sound;
v. Conserving and protecting natural resources to promote a smart growth philosophy;
vi. Adopting comprehensive energy efficiency policies to help deal with the threat of global climate change. For example these policies would embrace more wide spread use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar as opposed to conventional energy sources, such as coal, that produce greenhouse gases and other air pollution; and
vii. Changing current consumer practices to embrace a prevention ethic. This includes advocating better transportation choices to use more fuel-efficient vehicles and improve public transportation systems as well as change consumption habits, promoting reuse and less packaged goods.

(2) Establish ambitious and quantifiable reduction targets on a country and regional level worldwide through legislative action or through executive orders or directives;

(3) Set up a corresponding timeline to meet those reduction goals;

(4) Participate in a global electronic information network to help promote regulatory and technical assistance on innovative pollution prevention practices;

(5) Conduct extensive education and public awareness activities to both the public and private sector on pollution prevention. These activities include private-public partnerships to promote voluntary P2 efforts, school curriculum development, public forums, seminars and training programs and publications.

(6) Expand and enhance the current network of Pollution Prevention Roundtables globally to further disseminate information on P2 in areas where it is not being promoted and where resources are lacking; and

(7) Commit adequate resources to the directive encompassing the Johannesburg P3 effort, which will assist in the dissemination and expansion of P2 and cleaner production tools and technologies worldwide.

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR)

NPPR (or the Roundtable) is a national forum promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce waste generated to air, land, and water. NPPR believes that the efficient use of materials and resources is vital to the protection and enhancement of human health and the environment, and the conservation of natural resources. NPPR further believes that these efforts are integral to the pursuit of environmentally responsible economic development.

The Roundtable is the largest membership organization in the United States devoted solely to pollution prevention (P2), instead of traditional end-of pipe methods. NPPR’s mission is to provide a national forum for promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce pollution at the source. The Roundtable supports multi-media P2 approaches that solve environmental problems holistically and do not only focus on pollution in a single medium (air, land, or water).

Our members are key to working toward the goal of source reduction, and they include preeminent P2 experts from regional P2 resource centers, state and local government P2 programs, small business assistance networks, non-profit groups, industry associations and federal agencies. One of the most important roles of the NPPR is to connect these P2 practitioners by providing members with timely and accurate information on P2. This occurs through forums for the direct exchange of ideas and expertise as well as through various programs that disseminate the most current data on pollution prevention policy developments, practices and resources. These recommendations, to use P2 to accelerate the path to sustainability, are made in collaboration with varied NPPR members, NGOS, government practitioners and international partners.

Over the past decade, NPPR’s scope of work expanded to include multiple efforts to collaborate with and build capacity of our international P2 partners. A global network of roundtable organizations has emerged to foster worldwide information exchange about innovative P2 technologies, programs, and policies. NPPR has forged exciting partnerships with country-level roundtable organizations in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and Asia (including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Taiwan, South Korea, and Malaysia) as well as with regional initiatives such as the European Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Asia-Pacific Roundtable on Cleaner Production. We are currently working in collaboration to build the North American Pollution Prevention Partnership (NAP3) with Canada and Mexico and on a Texas-Mexico Border Pollution Prevention Capacity Building Project (Please see Appendix C for descriptions of current international projects). Additionally, NPPR continues to work with other international colleagues as they forge their own country and local pollution prevention roundtables. This global network of roundtable organizations is catalyzing increased awareness about pollution prevention and cleaner production among decision-makers in the public and private sector all over the world.

As our international reach has grown, our members developed two groups focused on growing the impact of work in the sustainability and international arenas. Our Sustainability Group looks at: P2’s relationship to sustainable development, how P2 can contribute towards sustainability, and what changes are needed to maximize this effectiveness. Our International Group promotes international cooperation in: developing an international pollution prevention protocol, ISO 14000, and sustainable development. It includes contacts in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia. One particular focus of the workgroup is to help develop a sustainable Pollution Prevention and Cleaner Production International Network. The network infrastructure is composed of new country level pollution prevention roundtables that are being established worldwide with the assistance of this workgroup. Both groups contributed to the development of this paper.

What is Pollution Prevention?

Pollution is the contamination of air, soil, or water by the discharge of harmful substances. Pollution prevention is the reduction or elimination of pollution at the source (source reduction) instead of at the end-of-the-pipe or the stack. Pollution prevention occurs when raw materials, water, energy and other resources are utilized more efficiently, when less harmful substances are substituted for hazardous ones, and when toxic substances are eliminated from the production process. By reducing the use and production of hazardous substances, and by operating more efficiently we protect human health, strengthen our economic well-being, and preserve the environment.

NPPR supports multi-media P2 approaches that work to solve environmental problems holistically and do not only focus on pollution in a single medium (air, land, or water). Well-intentioned rules, regulations and solutions that are not multi-media sometimes exacerbate existing conditions by creating larger problems to other media that are not accounted for by a single media-specific solution. Many times this can result in the transfer of pollution from one medium to another. For example, in some cases, by requiring hazardous air emission controls for industrial facilities, other problems might result, such as pollutants being transferred to underground drinking water through the residual sludge. Source reduction allows for the greatest and quickest, and often, most cost-effective, improvements in environmental protection by avoiding the generation of waste and harmful emissions.

Source reduction makes the regulatory system more efficient -- by reducing the need for end-of-pipe environmental control by government – and has many economic incentives. Adopting pollution prevention practices and techniques often benefits industry by lowering a company's operational and environmental compliance costs. By preventing the generation of waste, P2 can also reduce or eliminate long-term liabilities and clean-up costs. Furthermore, disposal costs are reduced when the volume of waste is decreased. This can also lead to a reduction in workplace exposures to hazardous materials which can affect workers' health and hence, their productivity. If less waste is produced, there will also be a diminished need for on-site storage space. Furthermore, by preventing pollution there will be a greater likelihood that a company will be in compliance with local, state, and federal compliance statutes. Finally, as community pillars, businesses shoulder an important responsibility for protecting the environment and natural resources for their own good as well as that of society.

Over the last decade, there have been significant milestone events influencing how the pollution prevention community has grown and how pollution prevention is included in sustainable development policy. [For specific details on key events and milestones, please see Appendix A -- The Evolution of Pollution Prevention Internationally and Appendix B -- The Evolution of Pollution Prevention in the United States.] There have also been many barriers that have slowed significant success in the US and globally. Major regulatory and voluntary trends are reviewed below to reveal successes and barriers in pollution prevention progress in the US and growing international P2 community.

Pollution Prevention Progress

This is a general overview of some of the regulatory steps and voluntary initiatives that have taken place to expand and prioritize P2 on the environmental agenda in the US and internationally. It is intended to give a general idea of successes and barriers to success at various levels.

Regulatory Trends in the U.S.

Successes

In the 1990s, in the United States, federal and state regulations for pollution prevention emerged. Starting in 1990, the Pollution Prevention Act was signed, providing significant P2 funding and creating a Federal Pollution Prevention Division at U.S. EPA. It regulated that companies reporting under Toxic Release Inventory must also report progress on preventing pollution. Also, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 were passed, establishing new Small Business Assistance Programs (SBAPs or 507 centers), offering pollution prevention assistance. Progress occurred simultaneously at the state levels with numerous states passed pollution prevention planning laws. Additionally, state P2 Acts also started being passed in various states with New Jersey leading the pack.

Federal and regulatory steps helped P2. In the early 1990s, U.S. Congress created the pollution prevention policy staff office in the EPA Administrator’s office to ensure that P2 is a high priority. In 1992, U.S. EPA Administrator Bill Reilly and Deputy Administrator Hank Habicht issued a memorandum, which becomes the definitive statement of P2, defining pollution prevention as distinct from and preferable to recycling. Several states began to require more pollution prevention requirements in industry permits and through other regulatory measures. On Earth Day 1993, the Clinton EPA announced support for pollution prevention as the preferred approach, and several executive orders promote pollution prevention within the federal government. In 1994, EPA also reorganized its enforcement office, combining enforcement for all media and compliance assistance, in emulation of state efforts. In 2000, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenburg (NJ) introduced the “Streamlined Reporting and Pollution Prevention Act” which would consolidate reporting responsibilities for industry and states. It also contained provisions to ensure that pollution prevention technical assistance was provided to companies reporting.

Barriers to Success

Despite these great successes, pollution prevention has not accelerated in its reach due to some barriers. Now, in the US, some state P2 laws are no longer enforced. Over time, some of the Small Business Assistance Programs combined with state P2 programs in some states, but in other states the P2 programs and SBAPs remain separate, creating a complicated situation with both entities struggling for limited resources. The Toxics Release Inventory, which was expanded by the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, offered limited success by focusing on people reporting toxic chemical releases to air, land and water, eventually assuring pollution thresholds must be met, versus proactively encouraging prevention at the source. In 1996, EPA removed the Pollution Prevention Policy Staff office from the Office of the Administrator and replaced it with the Assistant Administrator office of OPPTS, lowering the profile of pollution prevention within the agency. In 1998-2001, the U.S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable created a comprehensive proposal to strengthen Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, but it was held back due to an unfavorable political climate. Some of the innovative provisions of the Act, including: developing a national standard of measuring source reduction, collecting details source reduction and recycling data collection reports, authorizing the full $8 million appropriation for state P2 programs, and preparing and completing EPA biennial P2 reports to congress, were never implemented.

Voluntary Trends in the U.S.

Successes

Many of the regulatory successes happened in conjunction with or following on the successes of various voluntary initiatives and programs. At the start of the decade, several regional groups -- including NEWMOA’s Northeast P2 Roundtable and The Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable -- and non-governmental organizations began to form to promote the message of P2. Much of their work happened in partnership with federal agencies. For example, in 1991, EPA launched the “33/50” program -- a voluntary program under which companies committed to reducing their releases of top priority chemicals -- emphasizing pollution prevention and Green Lights, the prototype P2 program for energy efficiency. These programs also served as models and inspirations for many other EPA voluntary programs through the 1990s, promoting energy efficiency, an attribute of P2.

Additionally, there was also a proliferation of reinvention, sustainable development and voluntary initiatives at the state and local levels in the US. In 1992, Pollution Prevention Week was launched by the state of California, which eventually led to National Pollution Prevention Week starting in 1995. Several states enhanced their inspection procedures to be multi-media in scope and P2 elements were incorporated into state Supplemental Environmental Projects. In 1994, the Great Printers Project developed reforms making pollution prevention the preferred approach of the printing industry, and EPA’s Common Sense Initiative applied their approach to six industry sectors. That year and into the next, EPA responded to Congressional criticism by launching dozens of reform initiatives, many in emulation of earlier initiatives, hosting some exemplary consolidated reporting efforts and varied environmental awards programs.

Around 1995, states started to develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS) programs with P2 as a major component. Many states worked with industry partners to get International Standard Organization (ISO) certification and/or establish an EMS program. Interest in these programs led to additional progress including the Multi-State Working Group (MSWG). In 1997, a number of additional initiatives and projects emerged promoting P2 awareness within the context of sustainability and product stewardship. One of these was the launching of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2RX), a national network of regional P2 centers, funded through EPA, to help disseminate technical information on a wide range of P2 topics. Other landmark events included the passage of Oregon’s Green Permits Program legislation and Wisconsin’s Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program. In 1998, NPPR established an annual Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Awards program as part of the National P2 Week. In 2000, EPA’s new voluntary initiative, the National Performance Track (NPT) and Stewardship program, have P2 as an objective.

Barriers to Success

Many voluntary trends have paved the path for growing progress and stronger regulations. Despite their success some of P2 groups and non-profits (like the American Institute for Pollution Prevention) have gone defunct. Many of the sustainable development and voluntary initiatives at the state and local levels have dissipated or are challenged in accelerating their impact because they remained under-funded through the 1990s.

Since 1995, the Small Business Development Center network continues to lobby for appropriations to build environmental assistance they offer, including pollution prevention. At the same time other assistance programs, such as State P2 programs, the SBAP programs and NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEPs) programs we and still are all lobbying for similar funds. This fragmented situation on the technical assistance front highlights a major competition for funding. This situation exemplifies that fact that there are currently intensive pressures on public and private sector P2 budgets. Barriers to pollution prevention and its benefits, downgrade the impact of P2 as a key element of successful programs for innovation and sustainability.

International Trends

Successes

On one hand pollution prevention has gone global (Please see Appendix A for details on the Evolution of International P2). The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)/United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Programme for National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs) has developed capacity to help achieve adoption and further development of the Cleaner Production concept at the national level. There have been 22 centres established in the following countries, since late 1994: Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, since 1989, the UNEP Cleaner Production Programme has played a catalytic role in establishing an informal international network for the promotion of cleaner production with a network extending beyond the UNEP/UNIDO cleaner production centres with representatives from governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, industrial stakeholders, development banks, academia and other non-governmental organizations.

The history of P2 internationally is complex, but generally, with UN activities, Roundtable organizations, as well as various declarations and statements, are catalyzing increased awareness and cooperation on pollution prevention activities in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Australia and Africa have initiating P2/CP efforts as well. 1994 brought the creation of NPPR and the 1^st European Roundtable on Cleaner Production. In 1996, NPPR launched international roundtable efforts in Asia and South America. Funding was provided by U.S. AID’s Asia-Environmental Partnership program. Partners in Asia include Malaysia, Hong Kong. Indonesia, Korea, India, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. In 1997, there was the 1^st KMB Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production in Indonesia, the 1^st Canadian Pollution Prevention Conference, the 1st National Philippines Pollution Prevention Roundtable Conference, and the 1^st Asia-Pacific Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production, a regional initiative involving over 14 Asian countries. 1998 brought, the Southern Africa Regional Conference on Cleaner Production and the 1^st Cleaner Production Conference of the Americas in Brazil. In 1998, the International Declaration on Cleaner Production, a voluntary but public statement of commitment to the strategy and practice of Cleaner Production, launched from South Korea. The signatories on this agreement keep growing with two signings this year. Also in 1998, the informal network that resulted from the 1^st Asia-Pacific Roundtable evolved into a new organization – the Asia Pacific Roundtable for Cleaner Production. 1999 brought the Malaysian Roundtable on Cleaner Production, an International Conference on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Development in Taiwan, the 1^st Thai Pollution Prevention Roundtable Conference, and the Eastern Regional Roundtable in India. In 2000, a meeting of cleaner production officials from Central and Eastern Europe was hosted in Bratislava, where the Bratislava Declaration was drafted to promote Cleaner Production in the region. One of the outcomes of the Declaration is to establish a regional information network on Cleaner Production.

All these country and regional level roundtable meetings culminated with the International Roundtable of Roundtables, also called the International Pollution Prevention Summit in Montreal in 2000. This meeting brought together more than 60 countries to create a detailed action agenda on a number of P2 issues. This was followed by the 1^st event of the Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable, and 2001 brought the development of the North American P2 Partnership (NAP3). This spring, the NAP3 signed the North American Pollution Prevention Declaration (see Appendix E). The environmental directive of the European Union has also provided means for organized environmental work of many European countries, which has provided a means for active involvement with climate change. For example, their priority issues in the 6^th Environmental Action Program. These many simultaneous activities are accelerating the implementation of P2/CP, and increasing the sharing of information on innovative P2/CP technologies, policies, and assistance programs.

Barriers to Success

Despite great steps forward, international cooperation must increase. Partnership efforts, particularly public-private partnerships and mentoring partnerships that encourage innovation and transfer of environmentally friendly technologies to the developing world are key. Funding at all levels must increase for positive strides to continue and pick up the pace to reach sustainable development goals. Specific, regulatory and voluntary action plans with concrete goals, specific timelines and participation from all players -- particularly the U.S. government -- are key. Prevention must become a priority on the international agenda and in the international environmental policies, agreements, declarations and voluntary initiatives. Further research on innovation and environmental indicators are key. Also, constant reassessment of current regulations and voluntary programs, with recognition of significant gaps, and funding/steps to fill them, must all happen simultaneously.

Pollution Prevention in Agenda 21

The Rio Earth Summit (that took place from June 3-14, 1992) recognized the significance of pollution prevention to sustainable development. The Rio Declaration of Environment and Development says that: “states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption…”[i]. It also mentions that “…states should… discourage or prevent the relocation and transfer… of any activity of substance that cause severe environmental degradation or are found to be harmful to human health”.[ii]

Agenda 21 was adopted (with the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests) by more than 178 Governments at the Rio Earth Summit. Agenda 21 was a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which humans impact the environment.

There are a variety of parts of Agenda 21 that address the concerns of Pollution Prevention. These are described in Section 4.2:

“4.2. Since the issue of changing consumption patterns is very broad, it is addressed in several parts of Agenda 21, notably those dealing with energy, transportation and wastes, and in the chapters on economic instruments and the transfer of technology. The present chapter should also be read in conjunction with chapter 5 (Demographic dynamics and sustainability).”[iii]

The table below summarizes the two main Programme Areas of Chapter 4 of Agenda 21 entitled “Changing Consumption Patterns” which is the main chapter dealing with the issues of P2. It was recommended that these programme areas be implemented via the combined efforts of Governments, consumers and producers, with focus on women and households as key consumers.[iv] The following review will provide a context for reviewing P2 progress in the last decade and likely reveal opportunities for maximizing the effectiveness of P2 after WSSD. [Future NPPR research may look into more detail at the other chapters of Agenda 21.]

Developing national policies and strategies to encourage changes in unsustainable consumption and production patterns

The two main objectives of this programme area of Agenda 21 are:

(1) Promote efficiency in the production processes and reduce wasteful consumption in economic growth process

(2) Develop domestic policy framework shifting to sustainability

(3) Reinforce both values and policies that encourage transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries

Activities

Review of Activities

-Encouraging greater efficiency in the use of energy and resources:

§ Intensify efforts to use energy and resources in an economically efficient and environmentally sound manner through: dissemination and research on environmentally sound technologies; assist developing countries with there technologies and develop appropriate technologies for them; encourage environmentally sound, sustainable use of new and renewable sources of energy and renewable natural resources

There are a lot of voluntary projects in the US involving energy efficiency, such as EPA’s Energy Star or Green Lights (looking at more efficient lighting). Some states have become involved to start state level programs, such as the New Mexico Green Zia program, working with companies to go beyond compliance standards.

In the U.S., think tanks are doing a lot of work on the subject, but much more work needs to be done to coordinate efforts. The Internet is playing an important role in this area.

There has not been overall a big effort toward research of now innovative technologies, partially because the statutes are very limited. Permit systems, with limited technology lists allowed, often do not leave room for innovation.

-Minimizing the generation of wastes:

§ Develop effective ways of disposing and mounting waste products and materials, with concerted efforts to reduce generation via: recycling in industrial processes and at the consumer level; reducing wasteful packaging, encouraging use of environmentally sound products

In the US, small, under-funded programs are working on waste prevention, mainly working voluntarily in industry on public-private partnerships. It is not well integrated into mainstream environmental policy, which focuses more on end-of-pipe. The US spends less than $6million per year on dedicated P2 for the states.

-Assisting individuals and households to make environmentally sound purchasing decisions:

§ Encourage emergence on environmentally conscious consumer public, with interest of industry to provide such products, by developing criteria and methodologies for assessment of environmental impacts and resource requirements through full life cycle of products and processes, to create indicators to inform.

§ Encourage expansion of environmental labeling and other programs designed to assist consumer choice

§ Encourage emergence of an informed consumer public and assist individuals and household to make informed choices by: providing information on consequences of choices, encourage demand for environmentally sound products/use, and encourage specific consumer-oriented programmes

In the US, there are a lot of different educational programs, tracks, sessions and training for making green purchasing decisions. Local communities and states have done big educational programs for the consumer.

More work is needed to make products more marketable to consumers, who are under the impression that the products are of less quality or do not want to pay the higher costs for them.

Encouraging innovation (through incentives) and further work on internalize environmental costs and stopping subsidies on non-sustainable producers will assure progress in this area.

Labeling has been more controversial. A few years ago, there was a third-party certification for products (e.g. Green Seal), but it faced industry opposition. Labeling programs are valuable, but can offer more once they are recognized and verified across greater levels.

NPPR has a growing Environmentally Preferably Purchasing workgroup focusing on these issues.

-Exercising leadership through government purchasing:

Review purchasing policies of agencies and departments to improve environmental content of policies

There have been a number of executive orders from the U.S. government, through the Clinton Administration, to appoint the Federal Environmental Executive, to work on Environmentally Preferable Products (recycled paper, post-consumer content) and awards for federal facilities. It was useful, but only targeted at federal facilities.

Further expansion and education efforts on the environmental, social and economic benefits of these products at all levels are needed.

-Moving towards environmentally sound pricing

Stimulate prices and market signals that make clear the environmental costs
Encourage use of appropriate economic instruments to influence customer behavior

Many of the external costs of products are not internalized. The most obvious example in the U.S. is the low pricing of gasoline. There is no cost incorporated into the environmental impacts of pollution from automobile use. Sustainable development necessitates internalization of external costs.

Other examples include overuse of packaging on products and landfill dumping fees (could use unit pricing to create incentive on consumer level to reduce waste).

-Reinforcing values that support sustainable consumption:

Promotion of positive attitudes towards sustainable consumption through education, public awareness programs, and other means; in Agenda 21 review, assess progress on development of national policies and strategies

Environmental education has grown immensely, but is lacking in that it tends to be a piece of other parts of the curriculum. It should be prioritized in all educational systems.

In the US, the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, which was spurred by legislation is taking steps with others toward these efforts.

Putting pollution prevention principles at the core of every environmental program is the key to improving many environmental sustainability issues.

Pollution Prevention Now

It is the view of many countries, that the conditions that promote sustainable development have not improved much during the last 10 years. Extreme poverty, environmental degradation, underdevelopment, unsustainable production and consumption patterns and unequal income distribution continue to exist.[v]

It is difficult for the US government to engage in the production and consumption discussion, since the US produces and pollutes the most. P2 provides specific tools that can be used to commit Industry, Governments and NGOs to specific steps to promote sustainable development. P2 also provides a means for results-oriented partnerships (which include government so they must take responsibility).[vi] The United States historically has emphasized mostly voluntary partnerships rather than specific national or international targets.[vii] The US and others should focus less on developing policy statements and more on implementing specific international commitments[viii]

P2 is practiced now by hundreds of people, particularly in under-funded small local government offices, where people can make a difference and lead their local communities in sustainability efforts. Yet many local sustainability programs do not incorporate P2 and there is a lack of concrete proposals for doing sustainable development.[ix] The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), states that working with locals is best way to get things done. That giving resources to local people assures positive steps will grow out of those resources, P2 creates connectedness, by assuring people at the local level work toward sustainability in spite of non-committal policy.

Consumption and production is finally starting to be recognized as key to sustainable development and the World Summit agenda:

“Desai said that 75 per cent of the Summit's implementation plan had been agreed upon, including several highly substantive commitments on water and sanitation, energy, natural disaster mitigation, and production and consumption. He was confident that the remaining differences would be reconciled quickly.[x]

Using P2 to get to sustainable development makes sense ethically, economically and environmentally. The “holistic” approach of P2 improves economic situations and the closed loop system approach reduces consumption.

P2 Goals and Tools

The following goals, approaches and tools of pollution prevention will help accelerate the work of the international community in reaching sustainable development.

§ Goal 1: Information Exchange - Advance pollution prevention by maintaining and improving opportunities for exchanging ideas and facilitating coordination of efforts.

§ Goal 2: Public Policy - Advance pollution prevention by influencing the development and implementation of policies, legislation and regulations.

§ Goal 3: Education - Promote education and awareness of pollution prevention concepts, programs, methods, accomplishments, and benefits.

§ Goal 4: External Partnerships - Foster constructive, mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations (business, NGOs, government, local communities, international community) that have related missions.

§ Goal 5: Funding - Provide leadership and coordination that supports sustainable funding opportunities for pollution prevention.

P2 (source reduction or cleaner production) stands at the top of the pollution or waste management hierarchy as the environmental management tool of first choice, so that whenever feasible, pollution or waste should be prevented or reduced at the source. If the pollution or waste cannot be prevented, reuse or recycling is the next preferred approach, followed by treatment, disposal or other release into the environment, which should be employed as a last resort. Reducing material, energy, and water usage through improved efficiency is also considered pollution prevention.

P2 warrants this position because, when feasible, it has the most direct environmental benefits and is often the most cost effective. If waste or pollution is not generated, there is no need for pollution control equipment to buy, operate, and maintain; no treatment residuals like ash or sludge to manage; no liability from releases or disposal; and no cross-media transfers. Environmental management costs, as well as employee health and safety and site safety and security issues, are often reduced significantly.

Some of the “tried and true” tools for accomplishing P2 are described below. Several of these tools are even being incorporated into new paradigms. For instance, material productivity/efficiency has been expanded into Radical Resource Productivity in “Natural Capitalism” (by Hawken, Lovins, and Lovins, 1999). Eco-efficiency and dematerialization draw on this concept as well. All of these concepts point towards sustainable resource use as a goal. Certainly, if sustainable resource use and development are to become a reality, these P2 tools will figure prominently in the progress.

Design for the Environment (DfE) - DfE helps businesses design or redesign products and processes that are cleaner, more efficient, more cost-effective, and safer for human health and the environment.

DfE uses Life-Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to examine the environmental impacts of products over their entire life cycle, from materials acquisition to manufacturing, use, and disposition. LCAs evaluate impacts on human health, atmospheric resources/air quality, water quality, ecological health, and natural resource consumption.

Examples of DfE are using “green chemistry” to create less toxic products and building equipment in such a way to make deconstruction and recycling easier at the end of the useful life of the equipment.

Raw Material Substitution – For P2, this technique is used to reduce the volume or toxicity of raw materials, products, or waste streams. An example would be replacing lead to produce a lead-free brass used in the manufacture of water meters, faucets, and other potable water carrying devices. Another example is replacing solvent-based coatings and paints with water-based ones.

Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) - In the past, many organizations focused on to try to fully measure the “true cost” of a waste stream to allow good business evaluations of P2 alternatives. This “true cost” would typically include costs from raw materials, processing (machine time), waste storage and management, liability, insurance, health and safety program, and environmental record keeping, training, and monitoring. Because they were all combined in department overhead or general accounts, many of these costs were often hard to quantify and made justification of P2 projects more difficult.

In recent years, leading companies recognized the issues with tracking “true costs” also applied to raw material and energy use. EMA is being developed to address these issues much like Environmental Cost Accounting tried to address costs. EMA can be defined as the identification, collection, estimation, analysis, internal reporting, and use of materials and energy flow information, environmental cost information, and other cost information for both conventional and environmental decision-making within an organization.

EMA incorporates material efficiency or productivity concepts used to measure the amount of raw material actually in productive use and in waste streams. This type of analysis is especially important for industry sectors with high raw material costs.

EMA also addresses energy efficiency and management concepts that have long been in use in energy intensive industries, but only recently in more widespread use. With the higher cost of energy and wider availability of energy saving technologies, many organizations want to make good evaluations of energy use and energy efficiency alternatives.

Process Modification/Redesign – This tool is typically used to improve production processes so they make better product, less rejects, or less waste by-products. This may be as simple as slight changes to process conditions such as residence time, temperature, pressure, or humidity, or as extensive as a completely new process using new equipment or technology. Small changes to the process may be able significantly reduce process waste. New technology such as ultra-violet light or electron beam cured adhesives or coatings can replace solvent-based processes with dramatic economic and environmental improvements.

Procedural Modifications – A wide variety of operational practices ranging from purchasing and receiving through production to product storage and delivery can be altered to reduce wastes and costs. “Greening the supply chain” refers to working with suppliers to reduce the environmental impacts of their products. Such efforts can dramatically change the way business is done as a supplier may evolve from a paint supplier to a painting contractor. Previously, if less paint is used, the paint supplier loses business. Now, if painting efficiencies can be realized, both the companies can share in the savings.

Process scheduling changes, along with maintenance or clean-up procedures, can also be used to reduce waste. For example, improved scheduling can reduce product or color changes. Fewer changeovers can result in reduced clean-ups and reduced waste. Such a change may also increase productivity as less time for cleaning means more time for production.

Just as an organization can work within or with suppliers, customers also provide opportunities to modify business practices to reduce waste and improve the relationship with the customer. Returnable, reusable packaging and containers can help solve waste management problems for the customer and reduce costs for the supplier.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) – This is a program that encourages and assists organizations in the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services. "Environmentally preferable" products or services have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. Such products or services may include, but are not limited to, those containing recycled content, minimize waste, conserve energy or water, and reduce the amount of toxics disposed or consumed. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is fast gaining recognition as an efficient way to implement pollution prevention measures, and has been adopted with enthusiasm by the federal government, many state and local governments, and the private sector.

Environmental Management System (EMS) - A recent addition to the P2 toolkit is the EMS. With its roots in the ISO 9000 quality standard and continuous improvement, EMS’s provide a systematic way for an organization to evaluate the environmental (and potentially health and safety) requirements and impacts of its operations. Then the organization can chose, once again systematically, the impacts that are the most significant. For priority impacts, goals are set and action plans to achieve these goals are established. Periodic reviews are conducted to check compliance with requirements and progress towards goals. If deficiencies are noted, then appropriate actions are planned and taken to correct them.

EMS’s can be designed to address only environmental compliance and not P2. However, many leading companies are building P2 goals into their EMS’s, so that continuous environmental improvement becomes an organizational priority. The P2 tools described above can then be used to achieve these P2 goals. Some organizations are even trying to build “sustainability” into their EMS’s. Sustainability paradigms such as Natural Step are used to evaluate impacts and action plans to determine if the organization is moving toward sustainability.

Research and Technology Transfer - Research and technology transfer encourages P2 and process innovation through the use of new and commercially available technologies. Some example technology areas that will help to advance the adoption of technologies with significant P2 potential include: closed loop aqueous cleaning, waterborne wood finishing, closed mold fiberglass reinforced plastics, dry machining and waterborne adhesives. Significant issues in this area include: effective technology diffusion, funding of research in different industry sectors, and technology verification for P2 technology (e.g., U.S. EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program).

There are other examples of P2 Tools, such as Information Technology, Raw Material (RM) Substitution (e.g., replacing lead with a less toxic metal in brass used in water supply equipment such as pumps, meters, etc.), and Sustainable Materials Use to eliminate toxicity and dematerialize.

The following lists give some examples of different ways to promote P2 approaches and tools within each of the P2 goal areas:

Goal: Information Exchange

P2 Roundtables

The development of P2 Roundtables at different levels is an excellent way to implement all the tools of P2, which will accelerate sustainability efforts on a global scale. Roundtables can be successful because they bring together Governments, Industries, and NGOs in partnership. Nitin Desai, Secretary-General for the WSSD, in “Global Challenge, Global Opportunity: Trends in Sustainable Development” states:

“Sustainable development, as a complex process with many interacting factor, requires the participation of all members of society, as public policy makers, producers, consumers, scientists, engineers, educators, communicator, community activists and voters.”[xi]

Development of P2 roundtables provides one means for accelerating the interaction between all the players. Roundtables can also work on different scales and with partners locally to internationally, building capacity for local people to make impacts in their own environments.

What are P2 Roundtables? What do they do? Pollution prevention roundtables provide a forum for promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce pollution at the source. Roundtables foster dialogue among industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to better coordinate efforts to promote pollution prevention and achieve sustainable economic development. This results in less overlap and fewer gaps among activities promoting pollution prevention. Roundtables encourage a spirit of cooperation among stakeholders and act as vehicles for technology transfer and information dissemination.

Roundtable meetings give participants a chance to hold informal discussions about pollution problems and solutions. They facilitate information sharing about pollution prevention technologies, programs, and policies, and provide a mechanism for developing consensus on effective strategies to tackle problems of mutual concern. In addition to facilitating periodic conferences, roundtables foster the formation of continuous linkages between stakeholders. They serve as information clearinghouses to improve the availability of useful cleaner production resources and help to encourage practical, multi-stakeholder’ initiatives.

Strategies for Establishing a Roundtable

There is no precise formula for establishing a country-level or regional roundtable organization. A Roundtable should be tailored according to unique social, economic and environmental conditions, environmental regulatory framework, and past and planned cleaner production activities. It should complement existing cleaner production and environmental regulatory programs, including traditional command-and-control regulatory activities. Provided that the necessary conditions are in place that will make a roundtable successful and useful, there are several general guidelines to consider when establishing a new pollution prevention roundtable organization. Some suggestions are listed below:

Identify key stakeholders with an interest in promoting cleaner production and introduce them to the roundtable concept

Actively encourage the participation of a wide diversity of groups in the new organization, including: industry associations and chambers of commerce, governmental ministries, local governments, non-governmental and public interest organizations, and academic and research institutions.

It is critical that any roundtable effort includes an inventory of past, current and planned cleaner production activities. The roundtable should build upon, rather than compete with current and planned activities. Therefore, the following questions should be addressed:

What projects have been carried out in the past? What were their activities and results? Which organizations have carried out programs and would be willing to share their results? What domestically-funded or donor-funded projects included P2 components? Which academic institutions have carried out research on P2?

Identify various options of organizational and leadership structure

Establish a vision, mission, goals and objectives’ for the new roundtable effort. Work to identify potential value-added activities that foster collaboration and coordination to accelerate the implementation of P2.

Ensuring balanced stakeholder involvement in the creation of organizational and leadership structure is critical to ensure broad-based participation. One strategy is to create a steering committee composed of interested parties. This short-termed steering committee can address issues of organizational structure, secretariat, committees, activities, funding, etc. The steering committee’s role is to steer the organization in the direction of a promising future.

Administrative functions may be housed within an existing organization that is willing to perform these tasks or within a newly created administrative entity. Sharing the investment of time and resources among several individuals and organizations can be very effective. Additionally, in the beginning it may be necessary to streamline time and resource requirements for both leadership and administrative functions.

Identify a set of useful activities

The key to fostering robust stakeholder involvement is to ensure that the activities of a roundtable compliment and amplify existing cleaner production efforts. In the early stages, it is also important to set clear and achievable objectives for the short-term. Early successes will help to encourage potential participants of the utility of active involvement in a roundtable.

It is vital that groups considering forming a roundtable organization carefully identify activities that are most appropriate and useful. Some potential activities include:

§ Initiating communication links between interested stakeholders via e-mail, membership directories, informal meetings, and conferences. One of the most useful functions of a roundtable is its ability to serve as a vehicle for promoting communication and coordination of stakeholder activities.

§ Facilitating informal discussions between stakeholders to foster mutually beneficial solutions to problems of common concern.

§ Establishing e-mail list-serves that address cleaner production-related issues. List-serves, which allow a subscriber to post a question to list-serve members, are a very effective and convenient method for promoting information exchange.

§ Coordinating technical assistance and training efforts to reduce overlap and fill gaps.

§ Preparing and distributing timely information on p2 technologies, technical assistance practices, and legislative and regulatory developments.

§ Establishing information clearinghouses to improve the availability of cleaner production resources.

§ Developing policy initiatives by garnering concrete support for P2 by sponsoring workshops, holding briefings for policy-makers, and publishing position papers to educate policy-makers about P2.

§ Forming strategic partnerships with national and international agencies, private sector groups, regional organizations, and other roundtables to promote P2.

Identify potential sources of funding

Potential sources of funding include: membership dues, conference fees, grants, and direct government assistance. The activities of a roundtable need not be elaborate or expensive. Some of the most beneficial activities listed above require little in terms of financial resources. In the early stages, it is important to focus on these low-cost, high-return activities. As the organization matures, increased activities and capabilities may be possible and desirable.

Establish links with existing roundtables

A fledgling roundtable effort can draw useful lessons from the experiences of sister roundtable organizations. Existing roundtables can provide guidance about the roundtable development process and are valuable sources of pollution prevention information and expertise.

Successful collaborative pollution prevention efforts --that succeeded in the past become models for accelerating sustainability efforts. The many pollution prevention Roundtable success stories are replicable models that can accelerate sustainable development and assure policy gaps do not re-emerge (after Johannesburg).

Pollution Prevention’s Role in Sustainability

The Draft Plan of Implementation of WSSD suggested five main themes for particular attention: water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity.[xii] The recently released United Nations report entitled: “Global Challenge, Global Opportunity-Trends in Sustainable Development” lists some key sustainable development issues to be addressed at WSSD and after: population, poverty and inequality, food and agriculture, freshwater, forests, energy, climate change, health and water, and health and air pollution[xiii]. Pollution prevention’s proactive, holistic, multi-media approach provides tools to improve and address many of these issues, some simultaneously.

The proactive use of P2 can decrease the strains on natural resources as global population increases, especially in areas of high density and it can only help with environmental health and international disease issues, which have their worst and often fatal impacts on people with weak immune systems (often from polluted water and pesticide and chemical-intensive agricultural lands and their crops). Proactive steps to use better technologies and less-toxic chemicals now will (at least not decrease, but) likely improve local environmental quality, inequality, and poverty. Pollution prevention could even provide opportunities for job creation, capacity building and local empowerment in more impoverished areas. Food and agricultural systems which use inter-cropping, organic fertilizers and other sustainable methods provide higher quality foods, with greater nutritional value -- in many cases at less cost -- and contribute to reducing land degradation. Critical freshwater systems, often impacted by agricultural and industrial water use, will benefit from pollution prevention measures at all levels to at least assure minimization of pollutants. Cleaner production and pollution prevention, particularly in ecosystems with sustainable forests and protected areas, provides a proactive way to maintain environmental quality and minimize negative environmental impacts. Energy efficiency, a key component of pollution prevention, can help decrease consumption of energy on all levels and may provide environmentally preferable technologies to help with the loss of wood and respiratory infections of many in the world using wood stoves. (The most energy efficient products are of course renewable energy products.) Climate change necessitates a shift away from fossil fuels and technology transfer can decrease pollution, getting us closer to the standards set in the Kyoto Protocol. Prevention improves quality of air and water, reducing pollution and providing a means for eliminating preventable deaths that occur because of poor environmental conditions (lack of clean water, sanitation, or indoor/urban air pollution). P2’s integration into every key area of sustainable development is significant.

P2's Bold Steps to Sustainability

There are expected to be three main outcomes from the Summit:

A political declaration, where Heads of State and Government commit to taking the action needed to make sustainable development a reality
A plan of implementation, negotiated by governments, which sets out in more detail the action that needs to be taken in specific areas
Commitments by governments and all other stakeholders to a broad range of partnership activities that will implement sustainable development at the national, regional and international level[xiv]

A political declaration must state that prevention of pollution is the most common sense, ethical, logical step toward sustainable development on environmental, social and economic levels. The main recommendation of this paper is to produce an official directive to be signed by the world community, committing signatories to adopt a pollution prevention-first agenda. This agenda would adopt varies Pollution Prevention Principles (JohannesburgP3):

(1) Promote pollution prevention as the first step to protecting the global environment.

This includes:
i. Reducing the toxicity of products;
ii. Reducing the quantity of waste through prevention;

Any plan of implementation must have specific, clear action steps with specific timelines that must be met. Pollution Prevention Principles (JohannesburgP3) toward this goal include:

(2) Establish ambitious and quantifiable reduction targets on a country and regional level worldwide through legislative action or through executive orders or directives;

(3) Set up a corresponding timeline to meet those reduction goals;

Partnership initiatives are key to implementing the two outcomes above. Additionally, partnership initiatives that build coalitions provide an excellent, collaborative effort to raise the prominence of cleaner production. Pollution Prevention Principles (JohannesburgP3) toward this goal include:

(4) Participate in a global electronic information network to help promote regulatory and technical assistance on innovative pollution prevention practices;

Relevant to all three of the priority areas is the last Pollution Prevention Principle (JohannesburgP3):

The three goals of WSSD: (1) political declaration, (2) plan of implementation, and (3) partnership activities will only happen with dedicated financial investment and committed financial and other resources to the goals. As clear in the review of Agenda 21, the biggest downfall of the progress made on pollution prevention and improving consumption and production trends, was that resources were not dedicated to the priority programme areas of Agenda 21. This time in Johannesburg and beyond, commitment at any level must come with financial and other resources to support the work to get there. It is important to assure that resources exist for the developed world to take the lead in transferring current sustainable technologies and practices, and even more important that resources are allocated for innovation, capacity building and local empowerment of people in the developing world. Prevention-first can prevail and lead the way to sustainable development.

The Rio Declaration of Environment and Development highlights “global partnership through the creation of new levels of participation”[xv], that “states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption…”[xvi], the “participation of all concerned citizens”[xvii]. It also says “…states should… discourage or prevent the relocation and transfer… of any activity of substance that cause severe environmental degradation or are found to be harmful to human health”[xviii] and that authorities should “…promote the internalization of environmental costs and the use of economic instruments”[xix]. Simultaneous success, in all each of these areas, can only occur through pollution prevention measures and a clear pollution prevention protocol being integrated into sustainability work in the future after the Summit.

Appendix A

The Evolution of Pollution Prevention Internationally

This history of P2’s integration into the sustainable development agenda is developing today. This timeline includes some of the key events that have pushed progress so far. However, it is inevitable that significant moments were overlooked. There are additional pollution prevention initiatives underway in Africa, Eastern Europe, Australia, and China. Although it will be difficult to keep pace with the rapid spread of P2 activities around the world, NPPR intends to continually update this document in order to catalogue all of these important efforts. This version is also being put up on NPPR’s website. We encourage any and all comments about the timeline. The more input, the richer the document.

§ 1985- First conference of the National Roundtable of State P2 Programs (later renamed National Pollution Prevention Roundtable) in the United States

§ 1990- England hosts the United Nation’s Environment Programme 1^st High-Level Seminar on Cleaner Production

§ 1990- Federal Pollution Prevention Act passed in the US, saying source reduction is the highest value on October 26

§ 1992- Rio Earth Summit and Agenda 21

§ 1992- Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) created to ensure follow up of Agenda 21 on agreements at all levels

§ 1994- National Pollution Prevention Roundtable office opens in the US

§ 1994- 1^st European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Graz, Austria

§ 1994- High-level Advisory Meeting in Warsaw, Poland

§ 1995-2^nd European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

§ 1996- 3^rd European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Kalundborg, Denmark

§ 1996- United Nations Environment Programme's Fourth High-level Seminar on Cleaner Production in Oxford, UK (NPPR presents draft International Declaration on Pollution Prevention, later modified and approved as the UN International Declaration on Cleaner Production)

§ 1997- Earth Summit +5 (General Assembly five-year review of the Rio Earth Summit)

§ 1997- First KMB Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production in Indonesia in January

§ 1997- 4^th European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Oslo, Norway

§ 1997- 1^st Canadian Pollution Prevention Conference in Halifax in May

§ 1997- The First National Philippines Pollution Prevention Roundtable Conference in October

§ 1997- The First Asia-Pacific Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production, a regional initiative involving over 14 Asian countries, in Bangkok, Thailand in November. Over 250 participants from 26 countries attended amplifying the region’s awareness and commitment toward cleaner production

§ 1998- Economic Benefits of Environmental Investments at eh Factory Level Conference in Herzlia, Israel in March

§ 1998- Southern Africa Regional Conference on Cleaner Production in May

§ 1998- 1^st Cleaner Production Conference of the Americas in Sao Paulo, Brazil in August

§ 1998- 5^th European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Lisbon, Portugal

§ 1998- UNEP 5^th High-Level Seminar on Cleaner Production in Seoul, South Korea in September.

§ 1998- The International Declaration on Cleaner Production, a voluntary but public statement of commitment to the strategy and practice of Cleaner Production, launched in October at Phoenix Park, South Korea.

§ 1998- The informal network that resulted from the 1^st Asia-Pacific Roundtable evolved into a new organization – the Asia Pacific Roundtable for Cleaner Production (APRCP) – that was created to improve information and technology exchange, and sponsor regional events and training programs. The Board finalized the draft charter of the APRCP at Phoenix Park, South Korea.

§ 1999- 6^th European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Budapest, Hungary

§ 1999- 2^nd Asia-Pacific Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production in Brisbane, Australia on April 20-24 took place with the theme “Global Competitiveness Through Cleaner Production”

§ 1999- Malaysian Roundtable on Cleaner Production in July

§ 1999- 2^nd Regional Conference of the Americas on Cleaner Production in Bogotá, Colombia in October

§ 1999- International Conference on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Development in Taiwan in December

§ 1999- 1^st Thai Pollution Prevention Roundtable Conference in the spring

§ 1999- Eastern Regional Roundtable in India in the spring

§ 2000- United Nations Environment Programme's 6^th International High-level Seminar on Cleaner Production in October in Montreal

§ 2000- Meeting of cleaner production officials from Central and Eastern Europe was hosted in Bratislava in June. The Bratislava Declaration was drafted to promote Cleaner Production in the region. One of the outcomes of the Declaration is to establish a regional information network on Cleaner Production.

§ 2000- International Roundtable of Roundtables/International Pollution Prevention Summit in October in Montreal

§ 2000- United Nations Millennium Summit

§ 2000- 1^st event of the Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable

§ 2001- North American P2 Partnership (NAP3) is formed by the three North American Roundtables. The North American Commission on Environmental cooperation (CEC) is supporting this project to promote a prevention first ethic, promoting P2 and environmental innovation in North America.

§ 2002- Monterrey, Mexico conference in March

§ 2001- 3^rd Asia-Pacific Roundtable Conference on Cleaner Production in Manilla, Philippines on February 28-March 2 this event explored meeting the challenges of cleaner production in the New Millennium

§ 2001- 7^th European Roundtable on Cleaner Production in Lund, Switzerland

§ 2001- Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable 2nd National Event in Monterrey City, Nuevo León

§ 2002- The Second Africa Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption in March 2002

§ 2002- 2nd African Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption in Arusha, Tanzania on March 14

§ 2002- 6th Canadian Pollution Prevention Conference in Quebec City in April, at this meeting the “ North American Pollution Prevention Declaration” was signed by Canada, Mexico and the US (See Appendix E for the Declaration).

§ 2002- UNEP's 7th International High-level Seminar on Cleaner Production - CP7 in Prague, Czech Republic on April 29, 2002

§ 2002 Johannesburg Summit - opportunity for today's leaders to adopt concrete steps and identify quantifiable targets for better implementing Agenda 21 – August 26- September 4

§ 2002- Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable 2nd National Event in Guanjato, Gto. In September

§ 2002- 4^th Asian Pacific Roundtable for Cleaner Production in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from October 21-24

§ 2003?- 7th Canadian Pollution Prevention Roundtable in Calgary, Alberta

§ 2004- The Third Africa Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption will be held in Morocco

Appendix B

The Evolution of Pollution Prevention in the United States

This history of P2 in the United States is a work in progress. Numerous P2 experts from both the private and public sector were consulted about this timeline, and we are appreciative of their efforts. However, it is inevitable that some watershed events or seminal publications might have been omitted. This version is also being put up on NPPR’s website. We encourage any and all comments about the timeline. The more input, the richer the document.

Only the names of authors of noteworthy publications, as well as high-level political officials are included in this document. There are so many people involved with the P2 movement over the years, that it is impossible to include some and not others.

§ 1969/1970s – Enactment of major environmental statutes, including NEPA, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), that are single media in scope and focus on end-of-pipe pollution control. [RCRA was multi-media for Treatment, Storage or Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) but not for generators.]

§ 1970- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is created under the Nixon Administration and approved through Congressional action.

§ 1975-The 3M Company establishes its Pollution Prevention Pays Program (3P). This program was novel, since the concept of applying pollution prevention company-wide and documenting results had not been tried before.

§ 1976-EPA first mentions “source reduction” in a document discussing the hierarchy of preferred approaches for minimizing and managing solid waste.

§ 1979-M.G. Royston published his landmark book, “Pollution Prevention Pays”, which promoted the idea that preventing pollution, rather then controlling it was the better course of action. This book factored heavily in 3M’s early pioneering efforts.

§ 1980- U.S. Superfund legislation passes in December, establishing a “superfund” to clean up major toxic waste dumps as well as instituting private party liability for cleanup.

§ 1980s-State efforts to site hazardous waste landfills and incinerators (as alternatives to dumpsites) met by community opposition. RCRA set standards for landfills and CERCLA (Superfund) established liability, but not standards. Communities demand that waste must first be reduced at the source. With nothing occurring on the federal level, several states take charge and develop programs to promote source reduction and recycling.

§ 1980s- In the early part of the 1980s, the Maryland Hazardous Waste Facilities Siting Board conducted a study to test the effectiveness of a pollution prevention technical assistance program. The results, represented at the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Source Reduction Conference and Exhibition in 1983, formed the basic structure and function of most P2 technical assistance programs. The first state program in the country was North Carolina’s Pollution Prevention Pays Program established in 1983.

§ 1980s-industry programs, such as DOW’s WRAP (Waste Reduction Always Pays) and Chevron’s SMART (Save money and reduce Toxics) emerge in response to public pressure and cost-savings opportunities.

§ 1984-Congress reauthorizes RCRA requiring hazardous waste generators to certify that they have a waste minimization program in place. First appearance of environmental hierarchy, establishing a preferred place for source reduction and recycling appear in statute as well.

§ 1985- The U.S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR)—known first as the Roundtable of State Waste Reduction Programs and then as the National Roundtable of State Pollution Prevention Programs (NRSPPP)--is started when a small group of state officials begin to meet to discuss prevention approaches within their states. Some of the earliest state programs involved in this effort include North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, California and Massachusetts. One of the most active states to play a leadership role in mobilizing others to form a state P2 network was North Carolina.

§ 1985-Woods Hole Pollution Prevention Conference, Woods Hole, Massachusetts-The first of a series of small high-level, policy meetings of pollution prevention experts invited from both the private and public sectors. The conference convened annually until 1999.

§ 1985-INFORM publishes study on Cutting Chemical Wastes, identifying potential reductions from 29 chemical facilities.

§ 1986- Reauthorization of Superfund includes provisions to establish the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which requires companies using large amounts of toxic chemicals to publicly report the quantities of chemicals released to the environment. The first national “Right to Know” program creates an incentive to prevent pollution.

§ 1986- EPA releases a waste minimization report as a requirement of HSWA (amendments to RCRA of 1984). The report draws mixed reviews. Proponents of the report said EPA was following what Congress stipulated, and that it was the first effort to focus explicitly on ways to avoid treatment and remediation. Detractors of the report thought EPA was weak in that it did not support (or even mention) source reduction as a method to reduce waste.

§ 1986-The Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) releases a seminal report “Serious Reduction of Hazardous Waste”, written by Joel Hirshhorn and Kirsten Oldenburg. The study advocated that U.S. policy should focus on source reduction and not waste minimization. This report was a milestone in the effort to promote pollution prevention nationwide.

§ 1987-Meeting in Cool Font, West Virginia convened by EPA and several representatives from outside organizations. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together interested parties from different stakeholder groups, around the controversy created from the release of the 1986 EPA Waste Minimization report and the OTA report. This resulted in all parties present agreeing that source reduction (i.e. pollution prevention) was an important facet of environmental protection efforts. Subsequently, a meeting of Senior Executives at EPA was convened to further the issue within the agency. At that point, it was decided that a pollution prevention office be established in EPA’s Policy Office.

§ 1988-The Wolpe-Schneider bill on Pollution Prevention, while not enacted into law, serves as the foundation for the creation of EPA’s program on P2 and for the federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.

§ 1989-The first TRI data release serves as a major impetus for the creation of P2 programs at the Federal level, and for businesses to reexamine their emissions and waste streams to prevent pollution.

§ 1989-The Massachusetts Legislature unanimously enacts the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA), under which industry discloses its use of toxic chemicals and develops plans that emphasize the reduction of toxic chemical use as a means of pollution prevention. Several other states enact pollution prevention/waste minimization planning laws.

§ Massachusetts also launches the Blackstone project to test different methods of coordinating inspections enforcement and technical assistance for all environmental media (air, water, waste). The state reorganizes itself to reflect the lessons learned under the project.

§ This same year, the Oregon State Legislature unanimously passes the Toxics Use Reduction and Hazardous Waste Reduction Act of 1989, which was signed by the Governor on July 24th, the same day the Massachusetts legislation was signed into law.

§ 1989-1993-Numerous states pass pollution prevention planning laws, including California, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, and Arizona, among others. Nationwide, 23 states pass some type of law during this time period requiring facilities to produce P2 plans. The laws vary state by state. Some are no longer enforced, but many are still in effect today.

§ 1989-1998-Through support from EPA and the states, several regional P2 groups begin to form, including NEWMOA’s Northeast P2 Roundtable (1989) and The Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR), in 1994. In addition a few non-governmental organizations started up to promote the message of P2 including the American Institute of Pollution Prevention (AIPP). AIPP focused on being a forum for representatives from Trade associations and was funded through EPA. It went defunct in 1998.

§ 1990-The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA) is signed in October, by President Bush. The PPA provides a basic foundation for adoption of pollution prevention (P2) as the top of the environmental management hierarchy. It authorizes $8 million in seed money for both state and federal P2 efforts. To date, the $8 million for states has never been fully authorized, averaging $5.9 million a year. It also establishes a Federal Pollution Prevention Division at U.S. EPA and requires a quantitative measurement standard for P2 be developed as well as an overall strategy. Companies disclosing their toxic chemical releases under TRI must also report their progress in preventing pollution.

§ 1990- The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are passed which include a section to establish new Small Business Assistance Programs (SBAPs or 507 centers). These programs, which are housed in state air offices, are charged with offering assistance to small businesses, including pollution prevention assistance. This newly formed network in some cases combines eventually with state P2 programs. However, in other states the P2 programs and Sap’s remain separate, creating a complicated situation with both entities struggling for limited resources.

§ 1990/91- The State of New Jersey passes the New Jersey Pollution Prevention Act, which, like the Massachusetts law, requires disclosure of toxic chemical use and planning that emphasizes pollution prevention. The law is signed at two chemical plants to demonstrate support for it by the chemical industry. Minnesota’s Toxic Pollution Prevention Act also passed in 1990.

§ 1990/91-EPA launches the “33/50” program, a voluntary program under which companies commit to reducing their releases of 17 top priority chemicals by 33% by 1992 and 50% by 1995, emphasizing pollution prevention. EPA also focuses on Green Lights, the prototype P2 program for energy efficiency. These were the prototypes for a proliferation of innovative and voluntary approaches to environmental protection across EPA in the 90s. These programs emphasize efficiency, an attribute of P2. These programs also serve as models and inspirations for other EPA voluntary programs including: Energy Star, Design for the Environment, Green Chemistry, Waste Wise and Environmental Justice through Pollution Prevention.

§ 1990s - There is also a proliferation of reinvention, sustainable development and voluntary initiatives at the state and local levels including New Mexico’s Green Zia award program, which patterns itself after the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige awards, focusing on efficiency and quality standards resulting in environmental improvement. Several states start fee-based systems to augment the initial seed money allocated by Congress for P2 efforts. These fee-based programs have mixed results and many of the programs remain under-funded through the 1900s. States also initiate numerous innovative non-regulatory and regulatory efforts to infuse P2 into mainstream environmental policy. Several states begin to require more pollution prevention requirements in industry permits, states enhance their inspection procedures to be multi-media in scope (mirroring Massachusetts’ Blackstone project), and state enforcement programs incorporate P2 elements into Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs).

§ 1991/1992-Through the U.S. Congress appropriation’s process, the pollution prevention policy staff office is created in the EPA Administrator’s office to ensure that P2 is a high priority.

§ 1992-U.S. EPA Administrator Bill Reilly and Deputy Administrator Hank Habicht issue a memorandum defining pollution prevention as distinct from and preferable to recycling. This memorandum becomes the definitive statement of P2.

§ 1992-The U.S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) is incorporated as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. This is the first national membership organization for states and local governments, devoted solely to promoting pollution prevention and cleaner production.

§ 1992-The state of California launches the nation’s first “Pollution Prevention Week.” This week is designated to showcase P2 efforts throughout the state.

§ 1993-The Clinton EPA announces, on Earth Day, its support for pollution prevention as the preferred approach, and the President issues the first of several executive orders promoting pollution prevention within the federal government.

§ 1994-The printing industry, environmentalists, the Great Lakes states and EPA complete the Great Printers Project, developing a series of recommended reforms to environmental programs and industry practices to make pollution prevention the preferred approach of the printing industry.

§ 1994-EPA launches the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) to apply the approach demonstrated by the Great Printers Project to six industry sectors. EPA also reorganizes its enforcement office, combining enforcement for all media and compliance assistance, in emulation of state efforts.

§ 1994/1995-EPA responds to Congressional criticism by launching dozens of reform initiatives, many in emulation of the then earlier 33/50, energy efficiency and CSI initiatives. The new initiatives include Project XL, as well as a host of consolidated reporting efforts and a number of federal and state environmental awards programs. Among the federal awards programs are the Closing the Circle awards, recognizing federal facilities with exemplary environmental programs including prevention efforts, and Green Chemistry awards.

§ 1995-The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network lobbies for appropriations to develop and expand their environmental assistance services to small businesses. This environmental assistance includes pollution prevention. At the same time other assistance programs, such as State P2 programs, the SBAP programs and NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEPs) programs are all lobbying for funds as well to provide environmental assistance services. This fragmented situation on the technical assistance front highlights a major competition for funding. The SBDC lobbying effort for major funding continues today.

§ 1995-National Pollution Prevention Week commences, based on the California model. NPPR helps coordinate the effort to promote P2 activities nationwide. As part of this effort, NPPR manages to secure support letters from President Clinton for National Pollution Prevention Week, from 1996-2000. NPPR also helps facilitate the production and distribution of designer P2 Posters.

§ 1995-Starting in the mid-1990s, states develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS) programs that feature P2 as a major component. Many states work with industry partners to get ISO certification and/or establish an EMS program. NPPR establishes an ISO workgroup and eventually produces a policy paper. Eventually, the interest in ISO and EMS programs leads to additional initiatives and efforts including the Multi-State Working Group (MSWG). MSWG along with NPPR and others work with the Tag to ensure that the wording in ISO14000 is clarified to promote P2.

§ 1996-International Roundtable efforts are launched by the U.S. NPPR in Asia and South America. Funding is provided by U.S. AID’s Asia-Environmental Partnership program. Partners in Asia include Malaysia, Hong Kong. Indonesia, Korea, India, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Roundtable efforts were also underway in Europe and Canada, where U.S. NPPR representatives are sent to their international meetings.

§ 1996-EPA removes the Pollution Prevention Policy Staff office from the Office of the Administrator and places it with the Assistant Administrator office of OPPTS, lowering the profile of pollution prevention within the agency.

§ 1997- A number of additional initiatives and projects spring up during this time period that help promote P2 awareness within the context of sustainability and product stewardship. One of these is the launching of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2RX), a national network of regional P2 centers, funded through EPA, to help disseminate technical information on a wide range of P2 topics. Other landmark events include the passage of Oregon’s Green Permits Program legislation. This program encourages adoption of environmental management systems incorporating pollution prevention. Wisconsin also establishes its Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program around the same time.

§ 1998-NPPR establishes an annual MVP2 (Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Awards) program as part of the National P2 Week celebration. The event, which recognizes exemplary P2 efforts, takes place in Washington D.C. every September.

§ 1998-2001-The U.S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable begins the process of revisiting the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. The result of the effort is the release of a comprehensive proposal to strengthen the Act’s provisions based on the decade of practical experience since the Act’s passage. Several educational briefings to congressional members and staff take place to promote the proposal, but the political climate is not favorable. In addition, NPPR brings together a group of experts from EPA, environmental groups and industry to discuss ways to improve and strengthen the existing legislation.

§ 1999- NPPR helps participate and support the International Summit of P2 Roundtables hosted by the Canadians. More than 60 countries are represented. One outcome of the conference is a detailed action agenda on a number of P2 issues.

§ 2000-EPA launches a new voluntary initiative, the National Performance Track (NPT) and Stewardship program. This program picks up where Project XL and CSI left off.

§ P2 is not a core element of the program, but it is an objective.

§ 2000- U.S. Senator Frank Lautenburg (NJ) introduces the “Streamlined Reporting and Pollution Prevention Act” which would consolidate reporting responsibilities for industry and states. It also contains provisions to ensure that pollution prevention technical assistance is provided to companies reporting. The U.S. NPPR joins a number of private and public sector organizations in supporting the legislation.

§ 2002- Pollution Prevention continues to play a critical role in meeting the environmental challenges of the 21^st century. Despite intensive pressures on public and private sector P2 budgets, P2 is a key element of successful programs for innovation and sustainability globally.

Appendix C

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable’s Current International Projects

North American Pollution Prevention Partnership (NAP3)
The three North American Pollution Prevention Roundtables (NPPR with the Canadian and Mexican roundtables) have formed an international P2 partnership. The common vision of the NAP3 is to advance environmental protection through pollution prevention. By promoting P2, the NAP3 anticipates an increase in environmental innovation in all three countries resulting in a cleaner environment and stronger economy. The collaborative effort is open to all businesses, government and public representatives to help advance P2 in each country.

In April 2002, at the Canadian Pollution Prevention Roundtable meeting in Quebec City, the three roundtables signed the “ North American Pollution Prevention Declaration” (see Appendix D), committing to:

• Advancing pollution prevention in each country and throughout the continent;
• Sharing information, educational resources and member resources; and
• Enhancing financial and technical resources to implement pollution prevention programs throughout North America.

These commitments form the basis for activities the roundtables will undertake together to enhance pollution prevention in North America. To date, there is a collaborative, draft paper reviewing P2 policies and mandates in all three countries, which will be used to develop a North American P2 Policy based on the three countries statutes. Additional projects will emerge as NAP3 explores ways to align environmental policies and programs to advance P2 and achieve better environmental results across the continent. With support from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), NAP3 will facilitate travel and meetings; develop an information network for P2 in North America as part of a larger P2 World Information Network (P2WIN); and work on sector-specific projects where P2 can yield important environmental results.

NAP3 & Pollution Prevention World Information Network (P2WIN)

NAP3 under the auspices of the CEC begins work to build a new database component of the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2) site. This is intended to be the home of P2WIN -- a permanent network to link pollution prevention roundtables, cleaner production centers, and other organizations worldwide committed to advancing pollution prevention and sustainability. P2WIN was one of the outcome goals of the International Pollution Prevention Summit held in Montreal in 1999. A P2WIN steering committee will help guide development of the network and partner with information providers.

Ninth Regular Session of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and Final Communiqué to uphold the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC)
In June 2002, NPPR’s Chair Ken Zarker attended the CEC Council meeting in Ottawa, Canada. At this meeting, together with Guillermo J. Román of Mexico and Chris Wolnik of Canada, Ken presented the North American Pollution Prevention Partnership (NAP3) to Víctor Lichtinger, Environmental Minster for Mexico, The Honorable David Anderson, Canadian Minister of the Environment, and EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. Out of this meeting came a Final Communiqué to uphold the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and the CEC as examples of successful regional environmental cooperation, supporting sustainable development across the continent.

The result of this meeting, a Final Communiqué from the environment ministers of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. (members of the CEC), included this statement (based on a Declaration prepared by NPPR, the Canadian and Mexican Roundtables):

Following discussions on Corporate Environmental Stewardship, "we (the Ministers) have agreed to:
* Recognize and support the concept of partnership amongst pollution prevention roundtables or with other relevant organizations in North America;
* Identify further work in the area of pollution prevention, focusing on where the Commission on Environmental Cooperation can add value to activities proposed by the pollution prevention roundtables;
* Explore, as appropriate, collaboration with the pollution prevention roundtables as well as other relevant organizations on the implementation of the information network for pollution prevention in North America; and
* Sponsor a CEC workshop in 2003 on the implementation of environmental management systems in small and medium-size enterprises to identify and draw on regional experiences and lessons learned."

Continued collaboration over the next few years will address environmental priorities in the areas of: Energy and Environment, Environment and Human Health, and Partnerships for Sustainable Development.

Texas-Mexico Border Pollution Prevention Capacity Building Project

NPPR’s proposal to work on this project was recently approved by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. The project focuses on building a web-based electronic network to strengthen the pollution prevention community along the Texas-Mexico border. This project will enable the border community to: enhance communication, establish P2 linkages, and benefit from existing cleaner production resources. It is an interactive project, including a one-day, participatory facilitated design meeting and a comprehensive needs assessment. Community participation will ensure the network is tailored to fit their needs.

Appendix D

INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION ON CLEANER PRODUCTION[xx]

We recognize that achieving sustainable development is a collective responsibility. Action to protect the global environment must include the adoption of improved sustainable production and consumption practices.

We believe that Cleaner Production and other preventive strategies such as Eco-efficiency, Green Productivity and Pollution Prevention are preferred options. They require the development, support and implementation of appropriate measures.

We understand Cleaner Production to be the continuous application of an integrated, preventive strategy applied to processes, products and services in pursuit of economic, social, health, safety and environmental benefits.

To this end we are committed to:

LEADERSHIP	*using our influence* to encourage the adoption of sustainable production and consumption practices through our relationships with stakeholders.

AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING	*building capacity* by developing and conducting awareness, education and training programmes within our organization; by encouraging the inclusion of the concepts and principles into educational curricula at all levels.

INTEGRATION	*encouraging the integration of preventive strategies* into all levels of our organization; within environmental management systems; by using tools such as environmental performance evaluation, environmental accounting, and environmental impact, life cycle, and cleaner production assessments.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT	*creating innovative solutions* by promoting a shift of priority from end-of-pipe to preventive strategies in our research and development policies and activities; by supporting the development of products and services which are environmentally efficient and meet consumer needs.

COMMUNICATION	*sharing our experience* by fostering dialogue on the implementation of preventive strategies and informing external stakeholders about their benefits.

IMPLEMENTATION	*taking action to adopt Cleaner Production* by setting challenging goals and regularly reporting progress through established management systems; by encouraging new and additional finance and investment in preventive technology options, and promoting environmentally-sound technology cooperation and transfer between countries; through cooperation with UNEP and other partners and stakeholders in supporting this declaration and reviewing the success of its implementation.

Appendix E

NORTH AMERICAN POLLUTION PREVENTION DECLARATION

ACTIONS FOR OUR COMMON FUTURE

As residents of North America, we must engage all members of society to collectively work toward a more sustainable future through pollution prevention, good governance and actions designed to protect the environment and health of all peoples.

The North American Pollution Prevention Partnership (NAP³) is established by the Canadian Pollution Prevention Roundtable, Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable, and the U. S. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable in partnership with the Commission on Environmental Cooperation to collaborate on pollution prevention policy, capacity building, stakeholder involvement and environmental leadership efforts throughout North America.

Sustainable development cannot be achieved without fundamental changes in the way industrial societies produce and consume. Despite growing efforts to protect the environment we continue to observe increasingly complex environmental problems resulting from resource extraction, releases of harmful substances and pollutants to the air, water and land, habitat fragmentation, and the loss of productive farmland.

Pollution prevention seeks to avoid, reduce and/or eliminate the generation and release of pollutants and contaminants at the source while providing positive economic impacts. Pollution prevention is attained through product life cycle design, product substitution, cleaner production manufacturing, innovative technologies, environmental management systems, energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and natural resource conservation.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has increased the importance and need for preventative and collaborative approaches to address environmental and human health protection.

One of the key objectives of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), signed in 1993 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States, is to promote practices and policies for the prevention of pollution. NAAEC Article 10(2) authorizes the Commission on Environmental Cooperation to develop recommendations regarding pollution prevention strategies and techniques necessary for compliance with the Agreement.

The mission of the North American Pollution Prevention Partnership is to advance environmental protection through pollution prevention. The goals of the partnership, include:

· Advancing pollution prevention policy in each country and throughout the continent; and

· Sharing information, educational and member resources; and

· Enhancing financial and technical resources to implement pollution prevention programs throughout North America.

These are the first of many steps the North American Pollution Prevention Partnership will work to advance pollution prevention in North America. We will continue to identify ways to align environmental policies to advance pollution prevention and to achieve better environmental results. The Partnership will initiate the development of a strategic workplan to implement specific actions.

Signed on this 26^th day of April, 2002, in Québec City, Québec

and remains in effect unless amended by mutual consent.

Signed by:

Chris M. Wolnik, Co-Chair

Canadian Pollution Prevention Roundtable

Guillermo J. Román Moguel, President

Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable

Kenneth A. Zarker, Chair

United States National Pollution Prevention Roundtable

Witnessed by:

Janine Ferretti, Executive Director

Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Appendix F

Pollution Prevention Resources

Africa Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption

Cleaner Production Centre of Zimbabwe
Box BW 635
Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe

+263 4 753 239/752 24/752 266

cpczim@internet.co.zw

Asia Pacific Roundtable on Cleaner Production

910 West Tower, Tektite Towers, Philippine Stock Exchange Center

Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines

(632) 637-9537 tel

(632) 637-9540 fax

http://www.aprcp.org/

info@aprcp.org

Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention
100 Charlotte Street
Sarnia, ON N7T 4R2 Canada
1.519.337.3423 tel

1.519.337.3486 fax

www.c2p2online.com

info@c2p2online.com

Central and Eastern Europe Roundtable

Slovak Cleaner Production Centre
Pionierska 15, Bratislava
SK 831 02 Slovak Republic
+421 7 4445 4328 tel
+421 7 4425 905 fax
sccp@cpz.sk

European Roundtable on Cleaner Production

The 7th ERCP Secretariat
International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE)
P.O. Box 196
221 00 Lund, Sweden

+ 46 46 222 02 00 tel
+ 46 46 222 02 30 fax
http://www.lu.se/IIIEE/ercp/

ercp@iiiee.lu.se

Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable

One East Hazelwood Drive

Champaign, IL 61820 USA

1.630.472.5019 tel
1.630.472.5023 fax

http://www.glrppr.org/

glrppr@wmrc.uiuc.edu

International Cleaner Production Cooperative

Myles E. Morse, Enviro$en$e Project Officer:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M. Street, S.W.,
Washington, DC 20460 USA
MORSE.MYLES@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV

Mark Kasman, Senior International Information Officer
Office of International Activities
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460 USA
KASMAN.MARK@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV

http://es.epa.gov/cooperative/international/

Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable

Mesa Redonda para la Prevención de la Contaminación en México

Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n
Edificio de Laboratorios Pesados de la Escuela Superior de Físico Matemáticas
Planta alta, Unidad Profesional “Adolfo López Mateos”
Zacatenco, 07738, México, D.F.
5729-60-00 Ext. 55053 tel
5729-62-02 fax

http://www.cmpl.ipn.mx/

cmpl@correo.cmpl.ipn.mx

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable

11 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 201

Washington, DC 20036 USA

1.202.299.9701 tel

1.202.299.9701 fax

www.p2.org

staff@p2.org

Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association
129 Portland Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02114-2014 USA

1.617.367.8558 tel

1.617.367.0449 fax

http://www.newmoa.org/

webmaster@newmoa.org

Roundtable of the Americas for Cleaner Production

54-11-4348-8273

http://esdev.sdc-moses.com/latin/

acarbajal@medioambiente.gov.ar

UNEP’s Cleaner Production Network

Tour Mirabeau, 39-43 quai André Citröen
75739 Paris
Cedex 15, France
(33 1) 44 37 14 50 tel
(33 1) 44 37 14 74 fax

http://www.unepie.org/pc/cp/network/home.htm

spchandak@unep.fr

UNEP/UNIDO National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs)

www.uneptie.org/pc/cp/ncpc/home.htm

Bibliography

Agenda 21, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 1992, http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/agenda21.htm

Chairman’s summary of the discussion on the comprehensive review and assessment of progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the other outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, as well as the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 #57, p.12. 11 February 2002.

Draft Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. United Nations, 26 June 2002.

Global Challenge, Global Opportunity-Trends in Sustainable Development, United Nations, New York, NY, August 14, 2002. http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/summit_docs/criticaltrends_1408.pdf

International Declaration on Cleaner Production, UNEP, http://www.unepie.org/pc/cp/declaration/translations/english.htm

Johannesburg Summit 2002 – United States of American Country Profile, United Nations, 2002.

http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/wssd/usa.pdf

Pollution Prevention International. National Pollution Prevention Roundtable, September 1998, USA.

“New UN Report Highlights Urgent Need to Address Damaging Trends”, United Nations, New York NY, USA, August 16, 2002.

Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 1992.

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development

State of the World 2002. The Worldwatch Institute. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY, USA, 2002.

UN-World Summit Website. Frequently Asked Questions about the Johannesburg Summit. http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/basic_info/faqs_summit.html

United States of America -- Implementation of Agenda 21: Review of Progress Made Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 1992. Information Provided by the Government of United States to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
Fifth Session, 7-25 April 1997, New York. http://www.un.org/dpcsd/earthsummit

Programme Area	Basis for Action	Objectives	Activities
Focusing on unsustainable patterns of production and consumption	-Interrelatedness of poverty and environmental degradation; unsustainable consumption and production patterns aggravate poverty and imbalances -International level measures must account for current imbalances in global consumption and production patterns -Special attention should be paid to demand for natural resources generated by unsustainable consumption and to the efficient use of those resources to minimize depletion and reduce pollution -Need for growing understanding of implications of consumption in relation to economic growth and population dynamics in order to develop policies	-Promote patterns that reduce environmental stress and meet basic needs of humanity -Develop better understanding of the role of consumption and how to bring about more sustainable consumption patterns	-Management-related: § Adoption of international approach: countries guided by promoting sustainable consumption patterns, with developed countries taking lead and developing countries seeking to achieve sustainability in their development processes § in Agenda 21 review, priority given to review progress in achieving sustainable consumption patterns -Data and information: § Undertaking consumption research § Developing new concepts of sustainable economic growth and prosperity -International cooperation and coordination: § More attention (in review processes for economic, development and demographic factors) to consumption and production patterns and sustainable lifestyles and environments § Prioritize reviewing role and impact of unsustainable production and consumption and their relation to sustainable development -Financing and cost evaluation: § Not likely to require significant new financial resources
Programme Area	Basis for Action	Objectives	Activities
Developing national policies and strategies to encourage changes in unsustainable consumption and production patterns	-Achieving goals will require efficiency in production and changes in consumption patterns to optimize resource use and waste minimization (reorienting existing patterns in industrial societies) -Progress can be made by strengthening positive trends and directions emerging in consumption patterns of industries, Governments, households and individuals	-Promote efficiency in the production processes and reduce wasteful consumption in economic growth process - Develop domestic policy framework shifting to sustainability -Reinforce both values and policies that encourage transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries	-Encouraging greater efficiency in the use of energy and resources: § Intensify efforts to use energy and resources in an economically efficient and environmentally sound manner through: dissemination and research on environmentally sound technologies; assist developing countries with there technologies and develop appropriate technologies for them; encourage environmentally sound, sustainable use of new and renewable sources of energy and renewable natural resources -Minimizing the generation of wastes: § Develop effective ways of disposing and mounting waste products and materials, with concerted efforts to reduce generation via: recycling in industrial processes and at the consumer level; reducing wasteful packaging, encouraging use of environmentally sound products -Assisting individuals and households to make environmentally sound purchasing decisions: § Encourage emergence on environmentally conscious consumer public, with interest of industry to provide such products, by developing criteria and methodologies for assessment of environmental impacts and resource requirements through full life cycle of products and processes, to create indicators to inform. § Encourage expansion of environmental labeling and other programs designed to assist consumer choice § Encourage emergence of an informed consumer public and assist individuals and household to make informed choices by: providing information on consequences of choices, encourage demand for environmentally sound products/use, and encourage specific consumer-oriented programmes -Exercising leadership through government purchasing: § Review purchasing policies of agencies and departments to improve environmental content of policies -Moving towards environmentally sound pricing § Stimulate prices and market signals that make clear the environmental costs § Encourage use of appropriate economic instruments to influence customer behavior -Reinforcing values that support sustainable consumption: § Promotion of positive attitudes towards sustainable consumption through education, public awareness programs, and other means; in Agenda 21 review, assess progress on development of national policies and strategies

Table of Contents

Appendix A – The Evolution of Pollution Prevention Internationally 28

Appendix B – The Evolution of Pollution Prevention in the United States 32

Appendix C – NPPR’s Current International Projects 38

Appendix D – International Declaration on Cleaner Production 40

Appendix F – Pollution Prevention Resources 44

Executive Summary

Overview

Draft Paper Recommendations

Regulatory Trends in the U.S.

Successes

Voluntary Trends in the U.S.

Barriers to Success

Successes

Barriers to Success

Pollution Prevention in Agenda 21

Review of Progress since Agenda 21

Focusing on Unsustainable Patterns of Production and Consumption

Pollution Prevention Now

Consumption and production is finally starting to be recognized as key to sustainable development and the World Summit agenda:

P2 Roundtables

Pollution Prevention’s Role in Sustainability

P2's Bold Steps to Sustainability

Appendix A

The Evolution of Pollution Prevention Internationally

Appendix B

The Evolution of Pollution Prevention in the United States

Appendix C

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable’s Current International Projects

• Advancing pollution prevention in each country and throughout the continent; • Sharing information, educational resources and member resources; and • Enhancing financial and technical resources to implement pollution prevention programs throughout North America.

Texas-Mexico Border Pollution Prevention Capacity Building Project

Appendix F

Pollution Prevention Resources

Africa Roundtable on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption

Asia Pacific Roundtable on Cleaner Production

Central and Eastern Europe Roundtable

European Roundtable on Cleaner Production

International Cleaner Production Cooperative

Mexican Pollution Prevention Roundtable

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable

Roundtable of the Americas for Cleaner Production

UNEP’s Cleaner Production Network

Bibliography

• Advancing pollution prevention in each country and throughout the continent;
• Sharing information, educational resources and member resources; and
• Enhancing financial and technical resources to implement pollution prevention programs throughout North America.