Sept. 15-21 is Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, and we’re taking the week to explore some of the ways Ecology is working to keep our air clean, our waters pure, and our communities safe from toxic chemicals.
Today, we’re looking at Ecology’s technical assistance programs.
Ecology's Dan Ferguson providing technical assistance at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. |
Ecology engineers and specialists already work with many manufacturers on finding alternatives to hazardous chemicals and searching for ways to reduce waste. The technical assistance team goes farther, looking for leaks in compressed air systems, electrical motors that are running too hot, and even using Lean manufacturing techniques to increase efficiency and reliability. All of these measures have been proven to save companies money.
P2 pays multiple "green" dividends
How technical assistance works
Earlier this year, an Ecology technical assistance team worked with Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. The team found 48 air leaks in the brewery’s systems that wasted 216,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year, costing about $19,000. The Ecology team also offered advice on ways Redhook could divert some of its spent yeast and grains to local farms, which both reduced the company’s disposal costs and prevented excessive organic material from going into the sewer system, which can lead to surcharges.
When Ecology can help businesses operate more efficiently, they save money, and we all benefit from a cleaner environment.
More information
- Learn more about Ecology’s technical assistance programs and Pollution Prevention Week.
- Contact Ecology's Pollution Prevention staff to receive assistance for your business.
- Read success stories from Ecology's Pollution Prevention work.
1 comment:
How about proclaiming Nov.1 as "Close your Dumpsters Day" in the Puget Sound area to remind everyone that it rains and they sometimes leak!
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