Design for Design for the the Environment Environment Improving Improving Health & Environmental Health & Environmental Decision Making Decision Making
Mar 23, 2016
Design for the Design for the EnvironmentEnvironment
Improving Improving Health & EnvironmentalHealth & Environmental
Decision MakingDecision Making
What Design for the What Design for the Environment (DfE) DoesEnvironment (DfE) Does
Partner with industry to assess, design, and Partner with industry to assess, design, and adopt products, processes, and management adopt products, processes, and management systems that aresystems that are• CleanerCleaner• Cost-effectiveCost-effective• SaferSafer
Since 1990, partnered with Since 1990, partnered with 14 sectors14 sectors• Affecting more than 140,000 companies Affecting more than 140,000 companies
and 2 million workers nationwideand 2 million workers nationwide
DfE Spurs Risk Reduction & DfE Spurs Risk Reduction & Environmental ImprovementEnvironmental Improvement
By providing critical toxicity, exposure, By providing critical toxicity, exposure, and risk information,and risk information,
•DfE guides private sector DfE guides private sector innovationinnovation•DfE helps companies better DfE helps companies better understand and manage understand and manage their chemicalstheir chemicals
Why was DfE Created?Why was DfE Created?
Regulations are essential but Regulations are essential but limited to clear cut riskslimited to clear cut risks
Regulations partition problems Regulations partition problems and can often promote and can often promote avoidance rather than best avoidance rather than best practicespractices
Public demand for participation, Public demand for participation, informationinformation
Why was DfE Created?Why was DfE Created?
Sector-based approach Sector-based approach rather than traditional rather than traditional chemical-by-chemical chemical-by-chemical approachapproach
Encourage pollution prevention, risk Encourage pollution prevention, risk reduction, and continuous reduction, and continuous environmental improvementenvironmental improvement
DfE SectorsDfE Sectors AdhesivesAdhesives Auto refinishingAuto refinishing Auto supply chainAuto supply chain ElectronicsElectronics Dry cleaningDry cleaning
Industrial laundry Industrial laundry detergentsdetergents
MarinasMarinas PrintingPrinting
DfE ApproachesDfE Approaches
Cleaner Technologies Cleaner Technologies Substitutes AssessmentSubstitutes Assessment
Formulation Formulation ImprovementImprovement
Best PracticesBest Practices
Life-Cycle Life-Cycle AssessmentAssessment
Greening the Supply Greening the Supply ChainChain
Integrated Integrated Environmental Environmental Management SystemsManagement Systems
Partnership CriteriaPartnership Criteria
Important, unresolved environmental or Important, unresolved environmental or human health riskhuman health risk
DfE approaches are applicableDfE approaches are applicable Interested, strong Interested, strong
partnerspartners Commitment to Commitment to
measure resultsmeasure results
DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement
Screen printingScreen printing• Half of the screen printers interviewed switched to a Half of the screen printers interviewed switched to a
cleaner reclamation product and several supplier cleaner reclamation product and several supplier indicated the project affected their R&D strategyindicated the project affected their R&D strategy
Printed wiring boardsPrinted wiring boards• From 1995 to 1997, the percent of manufacturers From 1995 to 1997, the percent of manufacturers
using cleaner “making holes conductive” using cleaner “making holes conductive” technologies doubled, from 15% to 30%technologies doubled, from 15% to 30%
– Each year, this saves 400 million gallons of water and 15 Each year, this saves 400 million gallons of water and 15 billion BTUs of energy, and reduces use of formaldehyde billion BTUs of energy, and reduces use of formaldehyde by 240,000 lbsby 240,000 lbs
DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement
Auto-RefinishingAuto-Refinishing• Increased use of more efficient spray guns Increased use of more efficient spray guns
and control technologyand control technology• Material cost savings of 29% on average Material cost savings of 29% on average
($4,000/shop/yr); offsets capital costs($4,000/shop/yr); offsets capital costs• Lower diisocyanate exposure to workers and Lower diisocyanate exposure to workers and
neighboring communityneighboring community• Reduced VOC emissions of 31% (281 Reduced VOC emissions of 31% (281
lbs/yr/shop)lbs/yr/shop)
DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement
Dry cleaningDry cleaning• Use of perchloroethylene dropped Use of perchloroethylene dropped
37% from 1997 through 200137% from 1997 through 2001
Adhesives in foam furnitureAdhesives in foam furniture• Use of methylene chloride dropped Use of methylene chloride dropped
83% from 1997 through 200183% from 1997 through 2001
DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement
Integrated EMSIntegrated EMS• Increased chemical risk management focus Increased chemical risk management focus
in EMSsin EMSs• Increased use of cleaner technologies, Increased use of cleaner technologies,
improved compliance, increased resource improved compliance, increased resource efficiencies, reduced waste, increased efficiencies, reduced waste, increased recycling, and improved worker safetyrecycling, and improved worker safety
DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement
Industrial & Institutional LaundryIndustrial & Institutional Laundry• Formulators learn to ask their suppliers key Formulators learn to ask their suppliers key
EH&S questions on chemicalsEH&S questions on chemicals• 14 new eco-friendly detergents have entered 14 new eco-friendly detergents have entered
the market. Annual benefits from just one of the market. Annual benefits from just one of these include these include – 100+ million gallons of water saved along with the 100+ million gallons of water saved along with the
energy to heat itenergy to heat it– 340,000+ gallons of toxic chemicals eliminated 340,000+ gallons of toxic chemicals eliminated
from usefrom use
“…“…It has been It has been encouraging to see how encouraging to see how much a ‘cooperative much a ‘cooperative spirit’ can accomplish.”spirit’ can accomplish.”
Leif Anderson, Vice-President, Leif Anderson, Vice-President, Anderson Chemical CompanyAnderson Chemical Company
For More InformationFor More Information
Visit our website at Visit our website at www.epa.gov/dfewww.epa.gov/dfe or or call us at 202-564-8780.call us at 202-564-8780.
Order publications through the Pollution Order publications through the Pollution Prevention Information ClearinghousePrevention Information Clearinghouse• Email: Email: [email protected]@epa.gov• Telephone: 202-566-0799Telephone: 202-566-0799