March 24, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality has released the 2004 Pollution Prevention (P2) Annual Report, Pollution Prevention . . . Making It Easy to Be Green, highlighting Michigan’s innovative approaches to achieve reductions in pollution; to eliminate waste either at the source or, if that is not possible, by recycling. This ninth annual report to the Governor and Michigan Legislature details the P2 efforts undertaken between October 1, 2003, and September 30, 2004.

“Protecting the environment is essential to the creation of clean and prosperous communities,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “P2 focuses on eliminating waste at its source along with environmentally sound recycling, and is an important tool towards achieving our core goal of a healthy environment and a healthy economy.”

The DEQ has one of the most far reaching state P2 programs in the country, offering services to businesses, institutions, and government agencies. The 2004 P2 Annual Report illustrates a number of accomplishments, including how Michigan is helping businesses significantly reduce the use of toxic substances and the generation of wastes. Over 850 Michigan facilities have made public commitments to P2 as part of the DEQ’s partnership programs. These partners represent a diverse set of businesses including small metal finishing, automotive assembly plants, golf courses, printers, marinas, power generation facilities, and pulp/paper mills.

A few noteworthy accomplishments in this year’s report are:

• Michigan is one of the top ten states for the number of “green” buildings
  certified by the United States Green Building Council.

• This year, Michigan became the first state in the country to enter into a
  cooperative agreement with automobile manufacturers to offer a
  statewide collection program for the recovery of mercury automotive
  switches from end-of-life vehicles.

• The Retired Engineer Technical Assistant Program identified over $2.1
  million in potential savings that can be achieved annually through the
  adoption of various P2 and energy conservation measures.

Copies of the report may be obtained, free of charge, by either contacting the Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278, or by downloading from the DEQ Internet Web site at: www.michigan.gov/deqp2.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised March 24, 2005 by Pat Watson