Keynote Presentation: Small Pollution Prevention Steps Result in Big Environmental Impact Reductions

A talk by Jean Waters
Business Sustainability Consultant

EPA created a waste management decision pyramid in 1990. It remains the standard in 2020. Pollution prevention (P2) is the preferred option – don’t manage the waste, don’t create it. Yet, after 30 years, it continues to be difficult for people to quantify and embrace the concept of “prevention” instead of waste management.

In this presentation, several industrial, municipal, and consumer processes are analyzed, and steps are identified where small changes in prevention can occur. These small changes result in big reductions in environmental pollution. It is important to be able to identify P2 opportunities and to understand their significant impacts. This presentation reviews several processes, identifying potential P2 opportunities and their impacts. It also emphasizes the need for behavior changes to sustain reductions.