CONTENTS:  Network Overview  Benefits of Network  Web Use Expanding  Handy Resource Guide  Useful Products  Network's Future  P2 Digest  About this Newsletter

Days of the Roundtables
Average attendance at regional roundtables has doubled in two years:
* 1997: 33
* 1998: 55
* 1999: 67
New issues discussed at the roundtables include P2 and salmon, green procurement, and energy.

Regional P2 Network Builds Resources, Delivers Value

        Since its inception, the Northwest Pollution Prevention Network has become an increasingly valuable resource that is helping the region’s technical assistance providers (TAPs) and other information "retailers" deliver timely and accurate pollution prevention information more effectively. The network supports assistance providers in their outreach to industry and other key audiences, and enhances the value of their services.
        The network, coordinated by the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC), uses a three-pronged strategy to promote implementation of P2:

· RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: Improving quality and accessibility of information resources, and making information available in 15 minutes or less.
· REGIONAL COORDINATION: Establishing and maintaining channels encouraging two-way information exchange between local and national levels.
· NATIONAL NETWORKING: Working with other regional centers to build a foundation for a national information network, by providing national standards for high quality information.

People Both Support and Benefit from Network

        The success of the Northwest Pollution Prevention Network relies on a balance of human and electronic support networks. By building working relationships among the region’s assistance providers, the network ensures that resources will reach intended audiences more widely and will be used more effectively.
         A philosophical underpinning of the network is the concept of "comprehensive service delivery," which recognizes that the better integrated technical assistance providers (TAPs) are, the more value they can deliver to their business and government clients. The network supports activities that help assistance providers work together for the benefit of Northwest businesses, governments and others. Industry participants in the network play a key role to ensure that materials and programming meet their needs.
 
State, Local Government Assistance
 
Regional P2 Roundtable: The roundtable provides an opportunity for TAPs to meet with regional peers, brainstorm ideas, and gain a better understanding of new issues related to P2. PPRC coordinates the meetings.
* Who Participates: Northwest P2 TAPs, compliance assistance providers, energy and manufacturing efficiency providers, regulators.
* Information Support: PPRC documents the meetings in the Regional Roundtable Report (http://www.pprc.org/pprc/pubs/pubs.html#rrt).
 
WIN: The Waste Information Network (WIN) fosters information exchange and collaborative development of better ways to work with industry. PPRC has begun facilitating the work of this group.
* Who Participates: TAPs and regulatory program representatives in the Seattle metropolitan area.
* Information Support: PPRC will coordinate production of a newsletter.
 
ITAP: The Industrial Technical Assistance Providers work to increase adoption of practices that increase energy and manufacturing efficiency, and/or prevent waste, through information exchange. PPRC began facilitating ITAP this year.
* Who Participates: P2, energy efficiency and manufacturing efficiency assistance providers.
* Information Support: PPRC will prepare minutes, coordinate a speakers bureau and act as a regional referral resource for members.
 
Long-Term Information Resource: PPRC partners with local and state agencies to host information developed in sector campaigns.
Examples:
* Fiberglass (http://www.pprc.org/pprc/sbap/ fiber.html)
* Metal Machining (http://www.pprc.org/pprc/sbap/machine.html)
 
Industry Participation
 
Industry, the ultimate beneficiary of network services, participates in resource development from the time a sector is selected. Industries help:
* Identify priority areas.
* Peer review materials for content, readability and relevance.
* Advise on marketing.
* Give perspectives at regional meetings.
 
Building a National Network
 
The Northwest network is part of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx), a collaboration of nine regional P2 information centers across the U.S. The vision of the centers is to provide businesses and TAPs with a seamless national system of high quality P2 information. For more information about P2Rx, visit http://www.epa.gov/p2/p2rxdir.htm.

Machining Sector Tools
 
The metal machining "living document" grew out of a state-local machine shops sector campaign PPRC brought the agencies together to run a joint rather than separate campaigns. Information developed in on-site visits and technical assistance will be housed on PPRC’s web site.

        The Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center’s web site is an increasingly valuable resource for participants in the Northwest Pollution Prevention Network.
         Resources have been added to the site steadily in response to network participants’ needs for information about key sectors and about regional issues that P2 can address. Additionally, the site contains resources that foster networking and coordination, enhancing the value of services provided by all network participants.
         Web site improvements include:
         BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: General resources include fact sheets on P2 approaches to Clean Air Act compliance and a guide to inventorying wastes. Over the past year, resources have been added for the auto repair, fiberglass fabrication, metal finishing, metal machining, paint and coating manufacturing, food processing, hospitality, and industrial laundries sectors. Existing resources for the shipbuilding sector have been augmented. Three reports on cross-cutting P2 topics PBTs, alternative fuels, and measurement – have been completed.
         GOVERNMENT RESOURCES: The government page includes tools that foster productive information exchange among all levels of government. Tools include extensive reports on regional pollution prevention roundtables, the Rapid Response research service, and peer review services.
         P2 RESEARCH: Over the past year, 150 projects have been added to the Research Projects Database, bringing the total to approximately 650. The RPD’s main page was visited in 513 user sessions between April 1 and Sept. 30, 1999.
         CONTACTS: A directory lists Northwest technical assistance providers and compliance assistance specialists, enabling information retailers to find contacts and make referrals. The directory averaged 160 user sessions monthly between April 1 and Sept. 30, 1999.
         NEWS: P2 Northwest goes out to about 2,800 readers in business, government, research institutes, and non-government organizations.
         INDIVIDUALS: P24U makes pollution prevention and sustainability accessible for individuals. Since the easy-to-use resource was posted in August 1999, it has been visited in more than 500 user sessions.

Total user sessions for network web resources are rising steadily. A user session, a common metric for web site use, refers to all the activity, or "page views" generated by one user at one sitting. Graph is based on latest data.

Network Bonds
At the request of Green Seal (http://www.greenseal.org), PPRC will review environmental performance standards for adhesives.

Resource Fits the Mold
The Composites Fabricators Association, a national fiberglass trade group, refers its members to PPRC’s fiberglass fabrication resources. Find out more by visiting http://www.pprc.org/
pprc/sbap/fiber.html

What's New In P2
Readership of the What’s New in P2 e-bulletin has tripled in the past year. The subscription list exceeds 300 recipients.

Research Service a Hit
More than 90 requests for the Rapid Response research service have been fulfilled for Northwest technical assistance providers. Find out more by visiting http://www.pprc.org/pprc/
research/rapidres.html.

AIR QUALITY FACT SHEETS
    Solvent Cleaning
    Reading MSDSs
    Risk Management Planning
    Hazardous Air Pollutants
    True Costs of Coatings
    ...And more
    Main Page Hits, April 1-Sept. 30, 1999: 627

TOPICAL REPORTS
    Alternative Fuels for Fleet Vehicles
    Measurement and P2 for Programs
    Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins
    Main Page Hits, April 1-Sept. 30, 1999: 2,169

QUIZZES
    The Official PPRC P2 Quiz
    P2 Quiz: Episode 2, The Pollution Menace
    Do-It-Yourself Auto Repair Quiz
    Main Page Hits, April 1-Sept. 30, 1999: 512

What the Future Holds for the Network

        In 2000, many of the regional features and services established in the past three years through the Northwest Pollution Prevention Network will continue to expand. We expect that regional services such as the monthly What’s New in P2 e-bulletin, Rapid Response Research Service, regional roundtable, calendar and others will continue to be improved. On the national level, databases such as the Research Projects Database and the Request for Proposals Clearinghouse will continue to be a priority. Examples of growth and improvement are discussed below:
     MORE OUTREACH: Coordination of and with other groups will increase in importance. In addition to facilitating the Regional P2 Roundtable, PPRC will begin facilitating two groups important to the region: the Waste Information Network and the Industrial Technical Assistance Providers. Outreach to small business support organizations and to trade associations will be expanded as well.
     IMPROVED ACCESS: Expanded network participation will require improved access to network information. To meet this need, PPRC is planning an Internet gateway site for regional business assistance and related programs. The gateway will provide clients with one-stop access to organizations best suited to meet their needs. An improved contacts database will support the web site.
     MORE CONTENT: From the beginning, the network has been committed to providing high quality, synthesized, peer-reviewed information to network users in 15 minutes or less. The tables below summarize content areas that will be created, maintained, or expanded in 2000.
     MORE NATIONAL RELEVANCE: In 2000, coordinating with other regional centers to improve the quality of materials available nationally will continue to be a priority. PPRC will participate in Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx), adopt common information standards as appropriate, respond to information requests from other centers, and remain open to future collaborative efforts. Efforts at the national level will translate into improved access to information regionally.

PPRC is prepared to be a sector lead for the following sectors and interest areas: Coatings Manufacturing Fiberglass Fabrication Aerospace Metal Machining Metal Finishing Metal Fabrication Wood Finishing Shipbuilding and Repair   Fact Sheets will be made available for the following areas: Industrial Laundries clients Auto Repair Photo Processing Printing Paint Application   PPRC is prepared to be a resource for the following sectors and interest areas: Adhesives Water, Energy Efficiency for the Semiconductor Industry Alternative Fuels Food Processing Cleaning in Manufacturing Hospitality Green Procurement Schools Extended Product Responsibility PBTs in the Northwest Mining

Marketing Builds Awareness of Network Resources
 
Since 1998, articles about network resources have been placed in the following trade journals and e-zines:

• P2 Review
• Environmental Protection
• SustainableBusiness.com
• Sustainable Business Network
  
• Alternative Fuels Today
  
• Fleets & Fuels
  
• The Shipbuilding Expert
  
• Public Transportation Expert
  
• Adhesives & Sealants Industry
  
• Green Hotelier
  
• HospitalityNet
  
• Wood E-Bulletin
  
• American City & County
  
• Marine Log
  
• Brake & Front End
  
• Journal of Reinforced Plastics
  
• Puget Sound Business Journal
  
• Daily Journal of Commerce (published in Seattle)

Apply for BEST Awards
        Applications are due Feb. 20, 2000 for this year’s Businesses for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) awards, which recognize Portland area businesses that reduce waste, use water and energy efficiently, and promote transportation alternatives.
        BEST award winners are cumulatively saving more than $10 million per year as a result of their environmentally beneficial actions. BEST awards are given every April. Alan Thein Durning, executive director of Northwest Environment Watch, will keynote the awards breakfast, to be held April 21, 2000.
        Download a pdf application from the Portland Energy Office, at http://www.ci.portland.or.us/energy/best-app.html, or call 503-823-7222. To find out more about BEST, visit http://www.ci.portland.or.us/energy/bestmain.html.

Green Building Resource
        Start a green builder program in your community with the help of a guide published by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center (NAHBRC). The guide features a survey of six green building programs across the nation, including programs in Kitsap County and Clark County in Washington. Program development and green building techniques are described, along with costs and technologies.
        Download the copy in pdf format by visiting http://www.nahbrc.org. Scroll down and click on "New in Builder Programs." Next, click on "Green Building Activities at the Research Center." Then, click on "Green Builder Guide." To order a hard copy or CD, call the NAHBRC at 301-249-4000, between 5:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Pacific time.

Eight Companies Get P2 Award
        Eight Washington companies have received the 1999 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention. The companies were recognized for using innovative methods to reduce waste and use of hazardous substances in production. The companies are Apollo Spas in Spokane, Birmingham Steel in Seattle, Canyon Creek Cabinet Co. in Monroe, Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Olympia, Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle, the EnviroStars Cooperative in Seattle, Hytek Finishes in Kent, and Omega Pest Management in Bremerton.

Salmon Info Center on Line
        The Salmon Information Center (http://www.salmoninfo.org) is a new web site that provides up-to-date information on endangered species listings in the Puget Sound area.
        The web site includes information about salmon biology, the factors responsible for their decline, the Endangered Species Act, a calendar of meetings, and a list of contacts in government, business and non-government organizations. Call the center toll-free at 1-877-SALMON-9 (1-877-725-6669).