Page 57 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

36 Chapter Thr ee

Pollution Prevention Act (1990). This legislation directed the EPA
to develop a national pollution prevention strategy, administered by
the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT). It set forth the
well-known “pollution prevention hierarchy,” which recommends first
trying source reduction, then recycling, and finally waste treatment
as alternatives to disposal. It also encouraged a multi-media, life-
cycle approach that would cut across EPA’s traditional regulatory

pro grams. Since then, the EPA and other agencies have launched a
host of innovative programs that rely mainly on industry coopera-
tion rather than regulatory coercion.
Environmentally Preferable Products. The United States gov-
ernment is one of the world’s largest consumers, spending an
estimated $350 billion for goods and services each year. This pur-
chasing clout enables the government to provide a strong incentive
for manufacturers to “green” their products. In 1993, President Bill
Clinton issued an Executive Order directing Federal agencies to pur-
chase “environmentally preferable” products or services, i.e. those
with a lesser effect on human health and the environment compared
to competing products or services that serve the same purpose. EPA
subsequently issued procurement guidelines for a variety of prod-
ucts including engine coolants, construction materials, paperboard,
plastic pipe, geotextiles, cement and concrete, carpet, floor tiles, traf-
fic cones, running tracks, mulch, and office supplies. This policy was
later strengthened in 2007, recommending a life-cycle approach to
sustainable procurement and establishing environmental steward-
ship scorecards to measure progress.
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. EPA and Depart-
ment of Energy, first introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary label-
ing program, and later extended to cover new homes and commercial
and industrial buildings. The objective of the program is to protect
the environment through energy efficient products and practices. By
establishing partnerships with more than 12,000 private and public
sector organizations, ENERGY STAR has enabled both energy use
and cost reduction. In 2007 alone the program was estimated to have
saved businesses, organizations, and consumers 180 billion kilowatt-
hours and $16 billion. As one of the most recognized labels, it has
helped to achieve widespread adoption of innovations, such as effi-
cient fluorescent lighting, power management systems for office
equipment, and low-power standby mode for electrical devices.
EPA Design for Environment Program. For many years The U.S.
EPA has worked in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders
to encourage the use of safer chemical alternatives and to recognize
safer chemical products. Its DFE program focuses on in dustries that
combine the potential for chemical risk reduction and improve-
ments in energy efficiency with a strong motivation to make lasting,
positive changes. The program convenes partners, including indus-
try representatives, nongovernmental organizations, and academia,