Industrial Ecology, Pollution Prevention and the New York/New Jersey Harbor Kathleen C. Callahan Deputy Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2 State-EPA Symposium on Environmental Innovation and Results January 25, 2006

NY/NJ Harbor Watershed

History of the Harbor Project EPA developed the concept of conducting an industrial ecology (IE) project in the NY/NJ Harbor (1998) EPA developed the concept of conducting an industrial ecology (IE) project in the NY/NJ Harbor (1998) NYAS convened workshop to explore industrial ecology as tool for developing P2 recommendations for the Harbor (1998) NYAS convened workshop to explore industrial ecology as tool for developing P2 recommendations for the Harbor (1998) NYAS initiated the IE/P2 and the NY/NJ Harbor Project (1999) as a cooperative agreement with EPA funding. NYAS initiated the IE/P2 and the NY/NJ Harbor Project (1999) as a cooperative agreement with EPA funding. NYAS formed a multi-stakeholder Consortium (2000) NYAS formed a multi-stakeholder Consortium (2000) Project goals: Project goals: Explore the use of industrial ecology on a regional scale Explore the use of industrial ecology on a regional scale Reduce flows of Hg, Cd, PCBs, Dioxins & PAHs to the Harbor environment through generating targeted pollution prevention recommendations Reduce flows of Hg, Cd, PCBs, Dioxins & PAHs to the Harbor environment through generating targeted pollution prevention recommendations

Industrial Ecology at a Regional Scale The Environment Material Input The Economy Air Commercial Industrial Household Sectors Reuse/recycle Product Waste Output Land Water Production (Ind./Comm. Services) Harbor Waste Output

Process Overview Process: Process: Select contaminants of concern to the Harbor – Select contaminants of concern to the Harbor – Consortium votes on selection Consortium votes on selection Conduct research on mass balance and material flows into and out of the Harbor – Conduct research on mass balance and material flows into and out of the Harbor – Harbor Project staff perform research and also hire consultants Develop pollution prevention recommendations based on findings – Develop pollution prevention recommendations based on findings – Consortium reviews and selects and supports Reports generated summarize the results of the research and P2 action plans Reports generated summarize the results of the research and P2 action plans

NYAS Decision Tree

Why Engage a Consortium? Emphasizes public involvement and communication Emphasizes public involvement and communication Open process acts as an educational forum Open process acts as an educational forum Generates an open dialogue on stakeholder values and interplay with science Generates an open dialogue on stakeholder values and interplay with science Diversity of sponsors allows for wider implementation and support Diversity of sponsors allows for wider implementation and support

Members of the Consortium Includes over 50 members from the following types of institutions - Includes over 50 members from the following types of institutions - Academic institutions Non-profit organizations Business organizations Consultants Local, state and federal governments Interstate organizations Sewerage Commissions Labor organizations

Funders Environmental Protection Agency (Region 2,ORD, OPPT) Port Authority of NY/NJ Abby R. Mauzè Trust, Anonymous (through Rockefeller Financial Services) AT&T Foundation Commonwealth Fund J.P. Morgan NYC Environmental Fund

Mercury

Releases of Hg to the Watershed

Hg Key Finding Hg Key Finding   IE inventory helpful to identify all contaminant sources, including the cumulative effect of numerous Small Quantity Generators (SQGs) which are not usually the focus of regulations, but, which cumulatively can have a large impact.

Cadmium

Estimated Cadmium Releases for the NY/NJ Watershed Products(kg/yr) ConfidenceRelease Metal Plating Production400 Lair, water Metal Plating Production400 Lair, water Plastic Additives Production80Mair Plastic Additives Production80Mair Secondary Steel Production40Mair Secondary Steel Production40Mair MSW Incineration40Hair MSW Incineration40Hair Battery disposal 120,000 Lair/ landfills Battery disposal 120,000 Lair/ landfills Other products disposal 40,000 Lair/ landfills Other products disposal 40,000 Lair/ landfills Processes (kg/yr) ConfidenceRelease Phosphate Fertilizer500Msoil Phosphate Fertilizer500Msoil Sewage Sludge Land App 500 Msoil Sewage Sludge Land App 500 Msoil Cement Production300Mair Cement Production300Mair Fossil Fuel Combustion200Mair Fossil Fuel Combustion200Mair Tires100Lsoil Tires100Lsoil Petroleum Refineries50Mair Petroleum Refineries50Mair

Pathways to the harbor (from primary release source) are not always easily quantified Pathways to the harbor (from primary release source) are not always easily quantified Data gaps are a challenging issue for industrial ecology analyses Data gaps are a challenging issue for industrial ecology analyses Impacts on Harbor depend on current management practices Impacts on Harbor depend on current management practices (ex. Solid Waste Management: incineration vs. landfills; export vs. local management) Cadmium - Key Findings

PCBs

PCB Legacy PCBs are a legacy pollutant PCBs are a legacy pollutant Production generally prohibited since 1977 Production generally prohibited since 1977 Banning production but not the use of a substance can present materials flow tracking problems Despite intense scrutiny by Federal and State agencies, our knowledge of material flows of PCBs is limited

PCBs - Key Findings Opportunities for P2/BMPs: Small Quantity Generators: cumulative impact of small capacitors disposal overlooked by regulations Small Quantity Generators: cumulative impact of small capacitors disposal overlooked by regulations Inadvertent production of PCBs – PCBs generated inadvertently end up in products without intentional addition by the manufacturer ~ 10% of current PCB loadings Inadvertent production of PCBs – PCBs generated inadvertently end up in products without intentional addition by the manufacturer ~ 10% of current PCB loadings Challenging Issues: Challenging Issues: Uneven reporting requirements on usage/disposal Regulatory gap (small quantity generators, no post-ban tracking requirements) Limited recycling opportunities

Results and Next Steps Results:  NYAS has conducted follow-up outreach and implementation where feasible  Other stakeholders can utilize the P2 recommendations to motivate independent action. Implementation is voluntary  EPA has used results to guide the selection of regional pollution prevention opportunities and target priority areas for grant funding Next Steps  Project process can serve well in a national case study  NYAS received a grant of $144,000 from ORD in 2005 to use their combined Industrial Ecology/ Collaborative Decision-Making approach to develop watershed-wide strategies for pollution prevention of dioxin and PAH's in the New York New Jersey Harbor  Replicate and expand upon the NYAS IE/P2 project model where appropriate  ORD/OPEI/OEI/Region 2 Workgroup being formed to explore further industrial ecology opportunities and challenges on a national level  Continue to support work of Multi-Media Materials Management Workgroup at EPA to identify additional case studies and pilot projects

Concluding remarks

Concluding Remarks Industrial Ecology provides an important set of tools as part of the Environmental Stewardship Framework for EPA Industrial Ecology provides an important set of tools as part of the Environmental Stewardship Framework for EPA Materials accounting is crucial to encourage the sustainable outcomes sought by the Stewardship Framework Materials accounting is crucial to encourage the sustainable outcomes sought by the Stewardship Framework More Industrial Ecology case studies needed that can inform management decisions More Industrial Ecology case studies needed that can inform management decisions

For copies of documents and more information about the project: “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for Mercury in the NY/NJ Harbor” “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for Mercury in the NY/NJ Harbor” “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for Cadmium in the NY/NJ Harbor” “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for Cadmium in the NY/NJ Harbor” “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for PCBs in the NY/NJ Harbor” COMING SOON!! “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for Dioxins in the NY/NJ Harbor” “Pollution Prevention and Management Strategies for PAHs in the NY/NJ Harbor”