Air Division’s P₂ Strategy

The ADEM Air Division’s P₂ Strategy encourages the reduction of hazardous and toxic emissions by incorporating pollution prevention into our existing activities and/or new activities as the opportunities arise. In our fiscal year 1997-1998 strategy, the following goals were established:

1. Cooperate with EPA (Region 4) to establish and implement a pollution prevention strategy. By reviewing and commenting on EPA’s policies and regulations, attending pollution prevention workshops and seminars, and keeping EPA apprised of our pollution prevention program’s activities, ADEM and EPA can be assured of a consistent approach to pollution prevention.
2. Cooperate with and encourage members of the regulated community to seek processes that reduce emissions. By training the ADEM Air Division’s permit writers and inspectors to look for pollution prevention opportunities, ADEM can assist the regulated community in the incorporation of pollution prevention techniques in existing or new processes. Further assistance can be provided through the Ombudsman’s office and the P₂ Unit in ADEM’s Office of Education and Outreach (OEO). The availability of fact sheets for specific industry types may also prove helpful. The following are some examples of simple P₂ measures that companies in Alabama have taken to prevent/reduce their emissions:

Wood waste that had previously been stored on site and then burned is now ground by a hammer hog and sold to chicken farmers as bedding material.

A wood company implemented a program that makes use of wood components that would formerly have been considered waste. Wood veneer, thin strips of wood used in the manufacture of plywood, is sometimes blemished with imperfections so that it is not usable in the manufacturing process. This company takes the veneer and removes the defective portion, replacing it with a wood/synthetic compound that is strong and moisture resistant; thus, the veneer is used constructively resulting in less waste for disposal.

A wet scrubber was replaced with a more energy efficient model. The company also paved the roads and parking areas in order to reduce fugitive dust.

A furniture manufacturer has changed from an organic based adhesive (composed of methyl chloride and methanol) to a water based adhesive; thus, eliminating approximately 30 tons per year of methanol and 12 tons per year of methyl chloride emissions.

One company switched their boiler fuel to one with a lower sulfur content, thus reducing SO₂ emissions.

3. Cooperate with other state and local air pollution control programs and other divisions within the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Through the Air Division’s involvement in the P₂ Net – a workgroup represented by members of all media (air, land, and water) within the Department – we are able to share pollution prevention ideas. This also maintains our focus on a multimedia pollution prevention approach. The Air Division recently created a database of pallet recyclers and repairers in Alabama to encourage the reuse of pallets. Hopefully, the availability of this information will discourage companies from open burning their used pallets or from sending the pallets to a landfill.
4. Initiate and Implement Voluntary Programs and Outreach Activities. The Ozone Awareness program was established to inform the public about ground-level ozone and the voluntary actions they could take to prevent or reduce the formation of ozone.
5. Encourage Internal P₂ Measures. The ADEM Air Division encourages the reduction of resources used by its members and promotes the use and development of environmentally friendly products. Even the simplest efforts, such as recycling, use of energy efficient computers, using e-mail as opposed to printing documents on paper, carpooling, etc. are effective when supported by the entire Division.