Reducing food waste this Thanksgiving

By Krista Kenner, communications manager, Bellingham Field Office

Food waste is the largest component of our country and state’s municipal solid waste going to landfills and incinerators. Even with careful planning and the best intentions, we often have unexpected surplus food. Landfills should be the last resort for extra food. Once in landfills, food breaks down to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change.

The typical Thanksgiving plate, filled-to-the-brim with beautiful mounds of every kind of homemade goodness, probably doesn't do a lot of good for our national food waste trend. In fact, Americans purchase over 46 million turkeys at Thanksgiving. Given that we also throw away more than one-third of all edible turkey meat every year, we thought we’d share a few easy recipes to help you use those turkey leftovers. If you’re tired of the day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, try one of these options instead.

Turkey Stuffed Roasted Squash
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve an acorn squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds. Chop cooked turkey, sauté with onions and leftover stuffing in a little olive oil. Add cranberries and a touch of white wine. Put the mixture inside of the acorn squash and place in a baking dish. Add stock to the baking dish, cover tightly and roast until tender (40-60 minutes). 

Turkey Enchiladas
Cube leftover turkey, add to a large saucepan with 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 chopped plum tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, ½ cup canned chopped green chilies, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, and a sprinkle of cumin. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. When cool, place ½ cup of the turkey mixture in the center of 8-10 tortillas. Top each with a dollop of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Roll up, pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, and bake in a greased baking dish for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Turkey Chili
Saute chopped onion, bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic in a little olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Add 2 cups diced turkey and 2 tablespoons of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin and ½ teaspoon of oregano. Cook briefly. Add 1 cup pinto beans (dry bulk beans are more eco-friendly than canned; simmer in water for about 1-2 hours to soften first), 2 cups of diced tomatoes with juice, and 2 cups of broth. Throw in an ounce of bittersweet chocolate to make it interesting. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Donating food
Many options exist for donating edible food. Donating food can help support your community and fight hunger, while reducing impacts on climate change and water quality. While you can’t donate food that has been cooked or prepared at home to local food banks, you can drop off extra grains, dairy, meat, eggs, canned goods, and even fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits.

We put together a food donation fact sheet with information and options—including local resources—for donating food.

Other tips on reducing food waste

For additional ideas on how to reduce food waste this holiday season, please visit our Food Waste Prevention and Compost & Healthy Soil web pages.

Happy cooking and have a happy Thanksgiving!

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Recycling in Washington: How are we doing?

By Gretchen Newman, Lead Data Analyst, Waste 2 Resources

In a recent ECOconnect post, we talked about how food is the largest component of our garbage in Washington, at 17 percent (by weight) of what we throw in the trash. Wonder what makes up the rest of the trash? And how much are we recycling in Washington households and businesses?

Composting at the office turns would-be waste into valuable product

By Michelle Andrews, organics specialist, and Erika Holmes, communications

Food is the largest component of our garbage by weight, at 17 percent in Washington and 21 percent nationwide. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, about 40 percent of the food grown in the United States isn’t eaten. Meanwhile, about 15 percent of our population doesn’t know where their next meal will come from.

Honoring champions of safer products and cleaner manufacturing

By Andrew Wineke, communications, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction

Safer chemistry will take center stage in October when the Washington Department of Ecology joins Northwest Green Chemistry to present the Safer Chemistry Champion Awards.

The awards, which will be presented during the Northwest Green Chemistry Roundtable Oct. 28 in Tacoma, honor businesses and organizations committed to creating safer products and finding cleaner manufacturing methods. Finding ways to eliminate hazardous chemicals in the design stage or the manufacturing process means fewer toxic cleanups, healthier communities and a cleaner environment.

Nominations are open to companies, nonprofit organizations, governmental organizations and educational institutions for achievements in green chemistry, hazardous materials reduction and sustainability. Nominations are due by Sept. 8.

The Safer Chemistry Champion Awards are part of our Safer Chemistry Challenge program, which is working to promote innovation and best practices in the Northwest.

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Janicki Industries scores triple win: A P2 success story

By Mariann Cook-Andrews, Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

Janicki workers apply a “peel ply” to a tool surface before

infusing the part with resin.

Janicki Industries, a composite fabrication company, scored a triple win on the preventing pollution (P2) scoreboard in 2013. They cut their dangerous waste by 20,000 pounds, saving $50,000 in the process, and improving their employees’ working conditions!

“It’s a lot cleaner environment for employees,” said Darren Wilson, Janicki’s Environmental Health and Safety Officer.

Janicki produces large-scale, high-precision molds and prototypes in its Hamilton and Sedro-Woolley facilities. They make templates in the Sedro-Woolley shop and use those templates to produce final products from carbon-fiber fabric and resin at the Hamilton shop.

Lower styrene emissions from process changes

Janicki lowered their styrene emissions at the Sedro-Woolley shop by switching to low-pressure impingement-spray equipment for resin.

Previously they used high pressure and a single nozzle for spraying. That pressure wasted material because it created an atomized “mist” of resin around the spray stream. Now, two nozzles using lower pressure “impinge” the spray streams into each other. This creates a “flow coat” without the wasted mist.

The vacuum-infusion system they use for some products also helps the air quality. Workers lay the carbon-fiber fabric on the template, then bag and seal the entire item. A vacuum pump sucks epoxy resin into the bag and throughout the fabric. The only emission is the exhaust from the vacuum pump.

“It looks like a shop where they’re [just] putting tools together. You’d hardly notice that they’re using resins,” said Wilson.

Shop towels dropped from two drums per day to one drum per week

Workers use hundreds of shop towels for cleaning the tools and products. At one time Janicki was filling two 55-gallon drums with solvent-soaked disposable rags every day. This was all dangerous waste they had to manage and dispose of at considerable cost. Switching to reusable rags has cut the waste to one drum per week. An industrial laundry cleans and returns the reusable rags.

Special orders can create more waste

The company also reduced their hazardous waste by instituting a better system for buying and storing materials. Janicki is a custom shop, where customers set the specifications. Each job is a special order and may use special supplies. They frequently had to dispose of off-specification materials. The materials also have a shelf life and may expire before the company can use them up. This added to the company’s dangerous waste. Their new system is “still a work in progress,” according to Wilson, but it is already helping the company cut back on the amount of dangerous waste they create.

Impressive? Yes, and you can find more inspiring stories on Ecology’s Pollution Prevention Success Stories web pages.

Could your business benefit from a visit with our Toxics Reduction staff? They can help with your pollution prevention (P2) efforts. Contact your regional office.

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Tackling Toxics: This spring, green chemistry is growing

By Andrew Wineke, communications, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction

Earth Friendly Products, Lacey, Washington

If you haven’t kept up with the progress on the Northwest green chemistry initiative, it’s time to take a fresh look.

Green chemistry seeks to prevent pollution at its source by using chemicals that are not toxic in products and manufacturing processes. Ecology is pursuing a range of opportunities to advance green chemistry, and we have a number of new resources and programs you may be interested in.

Learn more about green chemistry online

First off, green chemistry at Ecology has a new home on the web: www.ecy.wa.gov/greenchemistry. The new address will make it a little simpler for people to connect with our green chemistry team.

At that address, you’ll also find information on Northwest Green Chemistry, the new name for the Pacific Northwest green chemistry center that we are creating with help from dedicated supporters in the business and education communities. Ultimately, our goal is to spin Northwest Green Chemistry off as an independent organization so that it can coordinate green chemistry innovation and education in our region.

Join the Safer Chemistry Challenge

The Safer Chemistry Challenge is the next newcomer on the list. The goal of the Challenge is to:

• Bring more companies into the conversation about green chemistry
• Promote best practices and cross-industry conversations
• Recognize leaders in creating safer products.

We will host an introductory webinar at 9:30 a.m. May 21 for interested companies and organizations.

We have updated much of the information on our green chemistry site, but especially take note of our new pages on chemical hazard assessments and upcoming green chemistry education and events.

Ecology and Northwest Green Chemistry recently sponsored a well-attended Pinfa-NA (Phosphorus, Inorganic, Nitrogen Flame Retardants Association) conference in Seattle on flame retardants in aerospace, and we’ll be looking to get the word out in other ways in the near future.

Green chemistry is a key contributor to Ecology’s work in safer products and pollution prevention, and it’s an area where we can help our state to be a leader and an innovator. Stay in touch, because there’s much more ahead!

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Earth ... Pass it on: Tackling Toxics

Safer Chemistry Challenge: Supporting safer products and cleaner manufacturing

By Andrew Wineke, communications, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

Often, we focus on chemical hazards after there’s already a problem – a spill, an injury, or an unforeseen environmental impact. When businesses use safer ingredients in their products or eliminate hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing, however, those problems can be avoided in the design stage.

In May, Ecology and the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable will introduce a new program called the Safer Chemistry Challenge to support businesses that are working to create cleaner, safer products.

Earth Friendly Products in Lacey, Washington.

"Many Washington businesses and organizations already understand that making safer products is a smart business decision," said Ken Zarker, manager of Ecology’s pollution prevention and regulatory assistance section. "By promoting safer products and cleaner manufacturing methods through the Safer Chemistry Challenge, we want to spur innovation and spread best practices." 

The Challenge will offer participants technical assistance with chemical hazard assessments, training and education, and sponsor cross-industry conversations. Businesses and organizations that demonstrate ongoing leadership in pursuing safer chemistry will be honored as “Safer Chemistry Champions.”

Learn more

• Register for Ecology’s introductory webinar at 9:30 a.m. on May 21 for businesses and organizations interested in the Safer Chemistry Challenge. 
• Find more information on the Safer Chemistry Challenge.
• Read about Ecology’s efforts to support green chemistry innovation and education.

IDEX goes from large to small generator and $aves thousands: A P2 success story

How waste designation saved IDEX in disposal costs

By Erin Jeffries, Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

IDEX Health and Science in Oak Harbor, WA

The company

IDEX Health and Science is a global manufacturer. Their facility in Oak Harbor, Washington, makes products under the Upchurch Scientific and ISMATEC brands. They make fluidics – the tiny tubes, pumps, fittings, and filters used in labs and medical facilities. These products must meet precise standards.  

Know if a waste is dangerous – Designation changes everything

Businesses are required to “designate” their wastes. Designation assigns each type of waste a code. It helps determine whether a waste is considered dangerous and how it must be managed.

Correctly designating their wastes saved IDEX about $2,500 annually.

IDEX already reduced pollution by switching to a non-halogenated coolant, but they were disposing of it as dangerous, persistent waste. During a routine inspection, an Ecology dangerous waste inspector suggested testing the waste to help designate correctly.

IDEX followed up and tested their spent coolant. In this case, they needed to analyze it with a fish bioassay test. They discovered that it’s not considered dangerous waste, which saved disposal costs for 1,200 pounds of spent coolant per year.

The company later decided to look at their spent citric acid waste. Citric acid is used to protect stainless steel in their products from rust. Using the designation process, they discovered that their spent citric acid was not considered dangerous waste. This reduced their waste generation by 1,100 pounds per year.

Equipment improvements gain efficiencies

IDEX uses a saline solution in the equipment that cuts stainless steel tubing. A new kind of equipment requires only one percent of the saline compared to what they were using. Upgrading the cutting equipment reduced the saline waste by 1,600 pounds per year. As a result, they no longer have to dispose spent saline as dangerous waste.

The new equipment requires less water, so the upgrade also cut most of the water used in the process.

Results

Reducing dangerous waste meant big results. IDEX was able to move from being a Large Quantity Generator of Dangerous Waste to a Medium Quantity Generator in 2005, then to a Small Quantity Generator in 2012. This means IDEX now has lower disposal costs and they save on their Pollution Prevention Planning Fee. They also have fewer regulations to follow – which reduces waste management costs.

Ecology Toxics Reduction Engineer Dan Ferguson said, “IDEX Oak Harbor put a lot of effort into reducing waste generation through research, testing, pilot projects, and working with its employees to find solutions.”

Reductions of dangerous waste per year:

• 1,000 pounds spent coolant
• 1,100 pounds spent citric acid
• 1,600 pounds spent saline

Annual cost savings:

• $4,290 in waste disposal
• Reduced regulatory requirements, reducing staff time spent on waste management

Could your business benefit from a visit with our Toxics Reduction staff? They can help with your pollution prevention (P2) efforts. Contact your regional office.

For more P2 success stories, visit Ecology's website.

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After 39 years, the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline has joined the social revolution!

by Michelle Payne, outreach & education, Waste 2 Resources Program

The Washington Department of Ecology invites you to join our Facebook page for the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline! Please visit our page, “like” us, and “share” it with your Facebook friends. You'll find Green Tips on Tuesday, Shout Outs on Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, Trivia on Friday, and other interesting recycling information.

Throwback Thursday? Yeah, we do that.

Check out the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline Facebook page to:

• Post recycling questions and receive answers.
• Locate recycling facilities and events.
• Learn ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Share innovative recycling ideas.

If you know of a useful recycling website, facility, or special collection event that we don’t have listed, please share it on our Facebook page. We want to learn from you, too!

What is the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline?

The 1-800-RECYCLE team maintains a database of more than 1,500 recycling facilities to link the public with recycling opportunities available in Washington. We hope that through our use of social media, we will increase that number as we connect with new potential recyclers.

The hotline phone service remains a vital part of 1-800-RECYCLE and the E-Cycle program. You can still dial 1-800-RECYCLE and talk to a real person between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays). You can also email us at 1800recycle@ecy.wa.gov.

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Re-use Center saves money and resources

By Tina Simcich, Green Purchasing, Waste 2 Resource Program

Need some binder clips? Looking for office organizing supplies? Want file labels NOW?!

At Ecology’s Lacey building, you can quickly find these items and more just an elevator ride away. Instead of purchasing new products, staff and agency purchasing coordinators often find what they need in the Re-use Center. Our new video takes you on a journey to the “treasure trove” organized by shipping and receiving warehouse staff.



The Re-use Center a quick way to restock supply rooms at no cost. "I find something our program needs each time I go down there. Usually, I check the Re-use Center for an item before placing a purchase request. I think it’s a pretty cool place, and sometimes I find supplies are in packaging that isn’t even opened," Purchasing Coordinator Divina Clark remarked about her experience.

Ecology saves money by avoiding the purchase of new items. Reuse also means avoiding the hassle of putting in a purchasing order and takes a load off of Ecology’s busy staff.

Many agencies and businesses are seeking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, wastes and other environmental impacts through a focus on sustainable consumption, including source reduction. Source reduction minimizes the quantity and toxicity of materials that later need to be disposed. Re-use can be a big part of source reduction as each file folder, stapler or calculator can be used by several staff until its functional life is over.

The Benefits of Re-use 

• Eliminates the cost of and shipping fees for new products.
• Reduces waste that is sent to landfills.
• Reduces the costs and waste of new product packaging.
• Reduces staff time to process purchase orders.
• Reduces toxics and greenhouse gases associated with the lifecycle of new products.

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2012 Washington Solid Waste Highlights

By Ellen Caywood, Environmental Planner, Waste 2 Resources Program

Washington’s waste management system relies on partnerships among state and local governments and the private sector. State law requires the Department of Ecology to develop regulations for solid waste handling and disposal facilities, and a state plan for managing and reducing waste.

To track progress, Ecology compiles an annual report of solid waste disposal and recycling trends in Washington. The report also tracks moderate risk waste trends, and what Ecology is doing to reduce the use and impacts of toxic substances.

Top Tidbits

We invite you to learn more in the 22nd Annual Solid Waste Status Report but want to share a quick list of tidbits:

• E-Cycle surpassed 200 million pounds of electronics recycled in the first five years! Learn more in Chapter 2.
• Learn about ways to recover nutrients and fuels from organic materials – composting, anaerobic digesters, and more in Chapter 2.
• Reducing toxic threats by preventing uses or releases in the first place is the smartest, cheapest, and healthiest approach. Learn about Ecology’s efforts in Chapter 2.
• What is the status of local solid and hazardous waste plans? How can I be involved in updating these plans? See Chapter 2 for details.
• In spite of continued budget reductions for litter pickup programs, over four million pounds of litter was collected in 2012 by the Ecology Youth Corps, local partners through the Community Litter Collection Program, and the Departments of Correction and Natural Resources. Details in Chapter 3.
• The 2012 statewide recycling rate was 50 percent. Find out which materials are included and the benefits of recycling in Chapter 4.
• In 2012, over 23 million pounds of hazardous waste was collected, and 84 percent was recycled, reused or used for energy recovery. Find out what types of wastes and details by county in Chapter 5.

Find all this and much, much more in the 22nd Annual Solid Waste Status Report!

Please contact Ellen Caywood for more information (360-407-6132).

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Moses Lake Industries saves millions by shrinking waste: A P2 success story

By Erin Jeffries, Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

Participating in the Department of Ecology's Pollution Prevention (P2) Program, Moses Lake Industries, Inc. (MLI) achieved several million dollars in savings over the last five years through waste reduction, on-site treatment, recycling, water reuse, and efficiency improvements.

The company

Moses Lake Industries, Inc.

Named after its hometown of Moses Lake, Washington, MLI specializes in producing ultra-high purity chemicals for the semiconductor industry. MLI products are used worldwide and have been recognized for their high quality. The company has received multiple product quality awards from customers for ten years in a row.

How they achieved results

In 2009, MLI began to treat their corrosive hazardous waste following the Department of Ecology’s Treatment by Generator guidance. Neutralizing the waste and evaporating its residue reduces the dangerous waste’s volume by up to 90 percent. Treating waste on site prevents potential pollution off site.

MLI also conserves water. They reuse plastic totes and drums returned from their customers, which are rinsed with high purity water before refilling. Rinsing generates a significant amount of corrosive wastewater. The company started a water reduction program that eliminates half of the dangerous wastewater.

Methanol is a byproduct of their manufacturing process. They use the methanol as fuel for their process boiler, reducing the need to purchase propane fuel. Surplus methanol has also been sold for use as a source material in the biodiesel industry.

In 2010, MLI jump-started their recycling program and was able to redirect 20 percent of solid waste to recycling. In the past three years, they have been able to recycle 50 percent of solid waste. They recycle a wide variety of products, including steel, aluminum, copper, plastic (like drums, totes, pallets, and sample bottles), paper, cardboard, e-waste, batteries, and bulbs.

In 2013, the company launched a pilot program to study the feasibility of using products that do not meet their high purity standard. The study explored possibly manufacturing copper oxide, a dry raw material used in many industries. The pilot was successful, and the results will be used to determine the economic benefit of a full-scale operation. One significant potential is the process could be used to turn waste materials into a marketable copper oxide product.

Less dangerous waste means less risk for workers

Keeping dangerous waste around means workers could be exposed to harmful chemicals. MLI is dedicated to plant safety, so they set annual goals for waste reduction, energy efficiency, and air quality.

Certain businesses are required to prepare Pollution Prevention Plans for voluntarily reducing their hazardous substance use and dangerous waste generation. MLI sets an excellent example for other businesses by following through with their pollution prevention opportunities.

Ecology recognized MLI’s efforts in 2003 with an Environmental Excellence Award for reducing toxic air pollution.

Managing dangerous waste is expensive. Moses Lake Industries’ culture of waste reduction saved them millions. Is your business next?

Help is available! To consult with Ecology’s Pollution Prevention experts about how to reduce waste at your Washington business, contact your regional office.

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"E-waste" - What do you do with it?

By Miles Kuntz, E-Cycle Washington Program, Lacey

Since E-Cycle Washington began five years ago, over 212 million pounds of electronics - equal to the weight of 383 fully loaded 787 Dreamliner jets - were recycled. That kept nearly 14 million pounds of lead alone out of landfills! The Department of Ecology estimates that 915,000 TVs, computers and monitors were recycled in 2013 through E-Cycle Washington.

Click image to enlarge.

E-cycling not only recycles valuable materials within our electronics, but it also assures that toxic components like lead, cadmium, arsenic and brominated flame retardants are managed responsibly and kept out of the environment – and our food chain. The Department of Ecology oversees the E-Cycle Washington program to ensure hazardous components are safely managed and to maximize recycling of all materials.

What is e-waste?

E-waste (or electronic waste) is consumer electronics that no longer work or are just outdated and unwanted. It includes computers, other office equipment, TVs, mobile phones, entertainment devices and more.

But these devices are only "e-waste" if you throw them in the trash. Electronics are full of valuable materials like copper, aluminum, glass and even plastics that you can recycle.

Don't trash it; E-Cycle at a location near you!

Washington’s free, statewide E-Cycle program provides convenient collection sites for computers (including tablets), monitors, e-readers, portable DVD players and TVs. By state law, the E-Cycle program is paid for by the manufacturers of these devices.

There are 335 free E-Cycle drop-off sites spread throughout the state with at least one in every county. You can find the one nearest you by searching EcycleWashington.org or calling 1-800-RECYCLE.

Some common electronics, such as cell phones and printers, are not currently in the E-Cycle program, but a few larger electronics retailers take these and other electronics for free through their own recycling programs. Check with local retailers like Best Buy and Staples to see if you can recycle your cell phones, printers and other items with them.

If you have any questions about E-Cycle Washington, contact Miles.Kuntz@ecy.wa.gov, (360) 407-7157, or Christine.Haun@ecy.wa.gov, (360) 407-6107.

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Toxic releases increase in Washington while some industries reduce emissions

By Erika Holmes, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

Releases of toxic chemicals in Washington increased in 2012, according to data reported annually to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology). The data is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report. Ecology works with reporting facilities to find ways to reduce toxic releases.

The annual TRI report provides key information about toxic releases to air, land, and water in our communities. Most of these releases are planned and managed, though some are accidental. TRI is a publicly available database of detailed information on nearly 650 chemicals disposed or otherwise released by nearly 21,000 industrial and federal facilities nationwide.

Washington's 2012 Report

In 2012, 310 Washington facilities reported releasing 19.6 million pounds of toxic chemicals to air, land, or water. Half of these releases were to air. Toxic releases in Washington increased 1.1 percent from 2011 to 2012.

 

More facilities are managing their waste on-site instead of disposing of it off-site. Washington facilities recovered 60.5 million pounds of waste for on-site energy, increasing 356 percent from 2011. On-site recycling and treatment also increased, reducing the pollution, cost of transportation, and risk of spills associated with moving waste off-site.

“Although we never want to see an increase in toxic releases, we are encouraged that some facilities reduced emissions through process improvement,” said K Seiler, who manages Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program. “Ecology works hard to create meaningful partnerships with industries to help them reduce or eliminate the use of toxics, often at a savings to the business.”

Two facilities stood out for cutting their toxic releases:

• Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) reduced ammonia emissions to the air at its Aberdeen plant by more than half.  SPI, a wood products company, generates renewable electricity by burning wood waste from its sawmill to power steam turbines. To reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, the company injects ammonia into the exhaust gases. Too much ammonia is itself a challenge, however, so in 2010 SPI began installing monitoring equipment to ensure it is using just the right amount. The new equipment allowed SPI to cut its ammonia emissions from 87,377 pounds in 2011 to 42,825 pounds in 2012.
• Tesoro Refining & Marketing installed emissions control equipment on their stacks, decreasing sulfuric acid aerosols reaching the air. By doing so, the company reduced those emissions from 158,095 pounds in 2011 to 120,091 pounds in 2012.

Ecology leads the state’s efforts to reduce toxics in our air, land, and water by:

• Providing free technical assistance to help facilities prevent pollution.
• Encouraging the use of safer alternatives to harmful chemicals.
• Promoting green chemistry.

To learn more about Washington’s 2012 TRI data, please visit Ecology’s 2012 Washington Toxics Release Inventory web page. You may also contact Ecology’s TRI Coordinator, Diane Fowler at (360) 407-6171.  

Find out more about toxic chemicals in your community – it’s your right to know!

You can access EPA’s data about releases of toxic chemicals to better understand the types and amounts of releases and the potential related risks in your community. TRI is an especially important data source for environmental releases of chemicals of particular concern, such as mercury, dioxins, and other persistent, bio-accumulative, toxic (PBT) chemicals. 

Access TRI data online

Envirofacts provides access to TRI and other EPA databases that contain information about environmental activities that can affect air, water, and land anywhere in the United States. Use Envirofacts to learn more about these environmental activities in an area or generate maps of environmental information.

TRI Explorer is a searchable database of TRI data to help communities identify facilities and chemical releases or other waste management activities that warrant further study and analysis. Combined with hazard and exposure information, the TRI Explorer can be a valuable tool for identifying potential chemical hazards in communities.

The Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) provides information about risks to human health related to potential exposures to TRI chemicals. RSEI is a screening-level model that combines TRI information on the amount of toxic chemical releases with other risk factors to help assess the relative hazard and risk of chemicals, facilities and industries.

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Doing well by doing right – Pollution Prevention Planning

By K Seiler, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction manager

This is Pollution Prevention Week (Sept. 17-23), designated at both the national and Washington State level. For more than two decades, government and business have worked together to build the concepts of pollution prevention into our daily lives and consciousness. So we are frequently asked, “Is the job done? Has 20 years been enough?”

I answered earlier this week, “No, we aren’t done.” I have the same answer today, but for a different reason. Any facility – government, commercial, or institutional – that creates more than 2,640 pounds of dangerous waste annually has to develop and put into practice pollution prevention plans.

In 20 years, more than 2,250 facilities in Washington have met this requirement. That’s a lot of waste to manage, track, and make sure it is properly disposed. But during that time, approximately 600 facilities have followed their plans to reduce their waste so well they no longer have to complete a plan! And the total amount of dangerous waste from another 600 planning facilities is half of what it was ten years ago.

On the one hand, reducing their creation of dangerous waste means they have less paperwork and reporting to do. It also means they are lowering their costs. Reducing the amount, toxicity, or both, of their wastes and reducing their use of resources saves money.

That often means they also reduce the amount of regulation they must follow – such as air permits, spill or solid waste regulations, or water discharge permits or modifications. This saves money too. Reducing the amount of toxics used and the wastes generated and released to the environment is also the smartest way to reduce risk and liability for individuals and businesses. All of which is especially critical in these tougher economic times.

Again, pollution prevention is the smartest, cheapest, and safest way to tackle toxic chemical issues. For more information, contact your regional Ecology office at:

• Bellevue 425-649-7000
• Lacey 360-407-6300
• Spokane 509-329-3400
• Yakima 509-575-2490

Or see:

Business Pollution Prevention resources

Pollution Prevention for Small Businesses

Pollution Prevention Successes

Pollution Prevention resources by Topic (NW Pollution Prevention Resource Center)

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