For Release: September 9, 1997

Contact: Peyton Fleming 277-2771 ext. 2407

Stephanie Powell 277-2771 ext. 4418

PROVIDENCE - Andrew McLeod, new director of the RI Department of Environmental Management, joined today with environmental heads of all other New England states and the Environmental Protection Agency Region I/New England to proclaim September 15 - 21 New England Pollution Prevention Week.

The proclamation, signed at the New England Governors' Conference Environment Committee Meeting at EPA regional headquarters, calls pollution prevention an important management strategy that reduces or eliminates pollution at its source, avoids environmental problems before they occur, and increases industrial efficiency and commercial competitiveness.

It urges government, business, industry, environmental groups, community organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to work together toward a prosperous and sustainable future through the use of pollution prevention strategies that improve environmental conditions.

"Rhode Island has benefited tremendously from the voluntary Pollution Prevention program administered by the Department of Environmental Management for the past 10 years," McLeod said. "More than 20 million gallons of industrial waste and wastewater have been eliminated through process changes or material substitutions recommended to manufacturers by our Pollution Prevention staff, who, with engineering and other scientific support from the University of Rhode Island's Center for Pollution Prevention, have performed on-site assessments at more than 250 facilities.

"Not only has there been a measurable reduction in pollution," McLeod said, "but businesses have found changing methods or materials to be cost-effective."

DEM's Pollution Prevention program, part of the Department's new Office of Technical and Customer Assistance, is a voluntary, non-regulatory business assistance program that helps Rhode Island businesses develop cost-effective solutions to reduce their use of toxic and hazardous materials.

In addition to evaluating manufacturing processes for ways to eliminate or recycle hazardous waste, DEM's Pollution Prevention program has provided grants to business and industry for research, development, and demonstration of technologies that can reduce, recycle, and treat hazardous waste, and maintains a library of case studies and technical reports of pollution prevention successes that are accessible to businesses and the public.

It is McLeod's hope that Rhode Island business will continue to support pollution prevention efforts, and that interested parties contact DEM Pollution Prevention program head Richard Enander at 277-4700 extension 4411 for further information.