April 13, 2006

The Department of Environmental Quality has released its 2005 Pollution Prevention (P2) Annual Report titled Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future, Preventing Pollution. The report highlights Michigan’s innovative approaches to achieving reductions in pollution, eliminating waste, and expanding recycling. This tenth annual report to the Governor and Michigan Legislature details the P2 efforts undertaken between October 1, 2004, and September 30, 2005.

“Pollution prevention fosters innovation and is a catalyst for environmental and economic success in Michigan,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “The DEQ continues to promote environmental stewardship initiatives, affirming that a healthy environment is needed for a healthy economy.”

DEQ staff works with business, industry, and community partners to advance P2 efforts in Michigan and make the places we live, work, and play cleaner and healthier. The DEQ has over 25 voluntary P2 programs, representing over 1,800 facilities and partners working with businesses, community groups, and local governments toward sustainability. Last year, the P2 program staff played a critical role in a number of statewide P2 and energy efficiency projects. Notable projects include:

• The Economic Development and Growth through Environmental
  Efficiency (EDGE2) Advisory Group, a collaborative effort with state
  energy suppliers, environmental groups, as well as major 
  manufacturers and manufacturing organizations that provided input
  leading to the issuance of Executive Directive 2005-4 (Energy
  Efficiency in State Facilities and Operations) on Earth Day 2005.
  This Executive Directive showed that the state led by example to
  reduce energy use in all state operations.

• The Neighborhood Environmental Partners (NEP) Program that offers
  business and citizen groups the opportunity to work together to make
  their neighborhoods cleaner and more attractive places to live and
  work.

Copies of the report may be obtained, free of charge, by either contacting the DEQ Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278, or by downloading it 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.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised April 13, 2006 by Pat Watson