Pollution Prevention (P2) Program

Description

The EPA’s Pollution Prevention (P2) Program is committed to advancing pollution prevention practices across industries. It encourages businesses and organizations to adopt proactive strategies to reduce or eliminate pollution at the source, emphasizing sustainable alternatives and cleaner technologies, with the aim to eliminate or reduce pollutants entering waste streams before recycling, treatment, or disposal. Implementing P2 approaches can lead to reductions in toxic pollutants, water and energy use, and other raw materials, thereby lowering business costs.

The program focuses primarily on providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt source reduction practices. The EPA also offers multiple P2 Grants to states and other entities to businesses to help them learn about and adopt source reduction practices.

Eligibility

P2 program resources are open to businesses, industries, and organizations of all sizes seeking to implement pollution prevention measures. The program promotes collaboration across sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, and services, to adopt environmentally responsible practices.

P2 grants, awarded annually, are available to states, state entities (including colleges and universities recognized as instrumentalities of the state), and federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia.

How the Program Works

The P2 program provides comprehensive guidance, tools, and resources to help entities identify, prioritize, and implement pollution prevention measures. Emphasizing source reduction, waste minimization, and cleaner technologies, the program aims to integrate pollution prevention into daily operations, considering the entire life cycle of products and processes.

Businesses and technical assistance providers can access the P2 Hub Resources Center, which offers a centralized platform for businesses to access guidelines, case studies, and tools for effective pollution prevention implementation. The P2 Hub Helpline provides free reference and referral services, and the P2 Resources Search features case studies, webinars, tools, and articles about P2 solutions. The program encourages businesses to develop and implement a Pollution Prevention Plan tailored to their operations for a proactive and sustainable environmental approach.

Regional, state, and local P2 technical assistance providers can be found through the P2 Technical Assistance Providers tool. The P2 EJ Facility Mapping Tool helps stakeholders geographically target facilities in or adjacent to underserved communities within the P2 program’s National Emphasis Areas. Calculators for measuring environmental outcomes and economic performance related to P2 activities, a Pollution Prevention Events Calendar, and an EPA Pollution Prevention Webinar Series further support P2 implementation. The program also provides tools and resources on financing for P2 projects.

Westchester businesses are urged to explore the various P2 Grants and to partner with eligible grant applicants on future applications. For the 2023-2024 year, the Pennsylvania State University Hershey Medical Center received a $1.2 million grant to provide technical assistance to businesses within disadvantaged communities in both Pennsylvania and New York to develop a university-trade association-stakeholder partnership that increases the knowledge, demand, and use of 1,900 Safer Choice labeled products. Read more about that grant here.

How to Apply

Businesses interested in participating in the P2 program can access valuable resources through the EPA’s Pollution Prevention Resource Hub. They can utilize the P2 Hub Helpline for free reference and referral services and search for P2 technical assistance providers in their region.

Contact Information

• Website: EPA Pollution Prevention Program
• P2 Hub Helpline: (202) 566-0799
• Email: p2hub@epa.gov