RD375 - Office of Pollution Prevention 2013 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 2013 are:

• Assisting in the planning and presentation of Virginia’s first Marine Debris conference, which was held in February in Virginia Beach;

• Exhibiting program information at the VCU Environment and Sustainability Conference in January, the Virginia Manufacturers Association Industry Environmental Conference in September, and the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Conference in October;

• Presenting nineteen Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards awards at the Environment Virginia symposium in April; and,

• Presenting the first ever Virginia Green tourism conference in December at the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach

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