New Report Profiles Environmental Stewardship in Major Sectors
AEN News
Washington - Steel recycling has reached a 20-year high.
The number of buildings meeting green building standards doubled
last year. Paint and coating manufacturers now reclaim 97 percent
of all waste solvents for further use. The forest products sector
now leads all manufacturers in use of co-generation, a highly
efficient process that creates heat and electricity from a single
source. These are just a few of the environmental performance
trends highlighted in a new EPA report released today.
The 2006 Sector Strategies Performance Report is a joint product of
EPA's partnerships with some of the nation's most important economic sectors. Collectively, these sectors contribute nearly $2.1 trillion to the gross domestic product and $5 billion in environmental spending each year.
"Environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility - and today
I'm pleased our nation's economic leaders are taking this motto to
heart," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By working with
our partners in industry, President Bush and EPA are promoting the
innovative solutions that make sense for our environmental and
economic well-being."
Through EPA's Sector Strategies Program, more than 20 national trade
associations - representing 12 major sectors of the U.S. economy -
are working with the agency to improve their environmental performance
while also reducing unnecessary administrative burden. The
participating sectors represent more than 780,000 facilities
in manufacturing (cement, forest products, steel, metal
casting, metal finishing, paint and coatings, shipbuilding,
and specialty-batch chemical) and non-manufacturing sectors
(colleges and universities, construction, ports, and agribusiness).
Using government and industry data, as well as case study examples,
the report provides a 10-year portrait of environmental performance
for each sector. It tracks each sector for their record in reducing
water discharges, air emissions, waste generation, toxic chemical
releases, as well as their accomplishments in recycling and energy
and water efficiency.
The data reveal areas where sectors are improving and where more effort
is needed to achieve environmental goals. For example, the forest
products, iron and steel, and cement sectors are some of the nation's
most energy-intensive industries. While all three registered
improvements in energy efficiency over the 10-year period, their
trade associations (the American Forest and Paper Association,
the American Iron and Steel Institute, and the Portland Cement
Association) have set industry goals that would net further energy
savings and reduce greenhouse gas intensity.
The report also provides a first-time look at how EPA's Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI) data can be used to target the greatest hazard
reduction opportunities when managing chemicals. EPA is using
toxicity-weighted scores to show release trends for higher impact
substances. This information can serve as a tool for future
strategic planning. The 2006 report also describes how sectors
are turning would-be wastes into material and energy inputs,
and how trade associations are helping their members improve
environmental operations.
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