For Release: September 22, 1997

Contact: Susan C. Anderson, NBC, 277-6680

Stephanie Powell, DEM, 277-2771 ext. 4418

PROVIDENCE - As a part of Pollution Prevention Week in New England activities, the Narragansett Bay Commission and the RI Department of Environmental Management last week recognized more than 400 Rhode Island businesses and industries that have worked with one or the other agency's Pollution Prevention programs, thanking them for their leadership and cooperation in improving and protecting the State's environment through reducing or eliminating pollution at its source.

More than 250 companies have worked voluntarily with DEM's non-regulatory Pollution Prevention program staff over the past 10 years, reducing or eliminating more than 20 million gallons of industrial waste and wastewater through process changes or material substitutions.

"This is an impressive achievement, and shows what can be done through cooperative measures," Andrew McLeod, DEM Director, wrote in a letter to the business leaders who have worked with DEM. "It is my hope that your experience in working with our Pollution Prevention staff to find solutions for your company will inspire you to continue to lead the way in urging others to follow your example," he continued.

Paul Pinault, P.E., Executive Director of the Narragansett Bay Commission, in a letter to more than 150 business leaders who have worked with the NBC's Pollution Prevention program, thanked them for their past and future efforts to protect and improve the environment through this common sense approach.

Pinault also took this opportunity to reinforce the NBC's commitment to help these businesses find environmentally sound and economical ways of eliminating or reducing waste through its free, technical assistance program.

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.

McLeod joined recently 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.

Both NBC and DEM shared the proclamation with business leaders in their letters to them.

Businesses can obtain information about NBC's Pollution Prevention program by calling Jim McCaughey, Pollution Prevention Manager, at 277-6680. For information about DEM's Pollution Prevention program they should call Richard Enander at 277-4700 ext. 4411.