RD365 - Office of Pollution Prevention 2012 Annual Report


Executive Summary:
For more than twenty-five years, pollution prevention has played a key role in the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) mission to protect and enhance Virginia’s environment. DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention (OPP) hosts a number of programs and initiatives that serve as a conduit for non-regulatory assistance to businesses, institutions, and communities. These efforts are aimed at motivating Virginians to minimize their environmental footprint through actions that exceed what is required while enhancing their bottom line. A few of the highlights from 2012 are:

• The Sustainability Partners track of the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program was launched in the Spring. The new track is intended to encourage organizations across the Commonwealth to make sustainability part of their culture through leadership, innovation and continual improvement;

• Governor Robert F. McDonnell and Secretary of Natural Resources Douglas W. Domenech invited leaders of some of Virginia’s largest corporations to the first ever Corporate Sustainability Roundtable in Richmond on April 23rd; and,

• On April 11th, thirteen Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards were presented. Winners included universities, manufacturers and governmental agencies.

DEQ continues to enjoy a national reputation as a leader in promoting collaborative partnerships and engaging audiences through non-regulatory environmental programs.