P2 Industry Newsletter – August 2025

Note from the Editor

Summer has been a meaningful season for us at CSE3, marked by numerous opportunities to connect with industries across North Carolina. We’ve continued supporting facilities through energy, water, and lean assessments, while also delivering impactful technical courses on energy efficiency and ISO environmental management standards. We’re grateful for the continued connections and the trust you place in us to support your sustainability goals. We remain committed to helping companies reduce their environmental impact.
Thanks for reading!

Marly Irby, PhD
Environmental Specialist – Pollution Prevention
Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering
East Carolina University

Did You Know?

The U.S. Has Had a Pollution Prevention Act Since 1990?

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established a national policy framework for managing waste and preventing pollution, setting forth a clear hierarchy of environmental priorities. At the top of this hierarchy is source reduction (the most preferred strategy), emphasizing that pollution should be prevented or minimized at its origin wherever feasible. When prevention is not possible, the next preferred approach is to recycle materials in an environmentally safe manner. If recycling isn’t feasible, then treatment is the next option, with disposal or release into the environment considered a last resort. Facilities subject to TRI reporting must submit detailed data on pollution prevention and recycling efforts. This includes the quantity of each toxic chemical entering the waste stream, amounts recycled, implemented source reduction practices, and production-related changes that may influence waste generation.

Reference: DuPont, R. R., Theodore, L., & Ganesan, K. (2019). Pollution prevention: The waste management approach for the 21st century. Taylor & Francis Group

Read more about Pollution Prevention Act

Pollution Prevention Tip of the Month

How Improving Power Factor Improves Energy Efficiency

Image credit: plantengineering

Power factor (PF) is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1, defined as the ratio of real power (kW) to apparent power (kVA). In simple terms, PF measures how effectively a manufacturing plant uses electrical power, comparing the usable power (kW) to the total power supplied (kVA). A low PF means more electricity must be generated and delivered for the same usable power, leading to higher energy costs and unnecessary strain on the power grid. To avoid penalties from the local utility company, the PF should be maintained as close to unity (1.0) as practical for the entire manufacturing plant. Improving PF, often through installing capacitors in the electrical system, reduces wasted power and increases efficiency. From a pollution prevention standpoint, a higher PF lowers the total electricity demand, which in turn reduces fossil fuel use at power plants, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and decreases air pollution.

Read more about Power Factor

News & Updates

EPA Adds 18 Chemicals to Safer Chemical Ingredients List

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added 18 new chemicals to its Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), bringing the total to 983. This move supports safer chemistry, innovation, and transparency. The SCIL includes chemicals that meet the EPA’s Safer Choice program criteria for human health and environmental safety. By expanding the list, the EPA helps manufacturers find safer alternatives to older chemicals and supports clean air, land, and water goals under the Powering the Great American Comeback initiative.

Read More About the 18 Chemicals Added to Safer Ingredients List

Plastics pollution is surging: the planned UN treaty to curb it must be ambitious

Image Credit: Ed Wray/Getty

Global plastic production is projected to double by 2050, with less than 10% of plastic waste currently recycled, much of it single-use. New research shows that nanoplastics, particles smaller than 1 micrometre, are widespread in the North Atlantic, potentially amounting to 27 million tonnes in just the ocean’s upper layers. Some countries have already taken action. The European Union adopted a single-use plastics directive, aiming to collect 90% of all plastic bottles for recycling by 2029, with interim targets and requirements for recycled content in PET bottles.

Read more about plastic pollution

Pollution doesn’t take a summer vacation, and neither do we

This year, CSE3 has been actively engaged in delivering webinars, technical courses, and workshops focused on pollution prevention and green energy manufacturing. This summer alone, we hosted six technical courses on energy efficiency, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 in Greenville and Sanford, NC. We also conducted several energy assessments for facilities in the area, serving companies in the polymer materials, cosmetics, and biopharmaceutical sectors.

Read more about our latest highlights

Schedule an energy assessment

Upcoming Technical Courses

Using Environmental Regulations to Drive Sustainability and Pollution Prevention in Manufacturing

Featuring…Myrna Pacheco
Senior Environmental Engineer at Bridgestone

This technical course provides participants with a general overview of major air, water, waste regulations as well as pollution practices relevant to industrial facilities. From the outset, you’ll be guided through each regulation, establishing a framework for the rest of the course. You’ll learn how these regulations apply to your organization and explore practical compliance and pollution prevention (P2) strategies that you can implement at your facility. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with valuable resources to help maintain compliance and support your sustainability goals.

Myrna is a seasoned chemical engineer with over 15 years of experience in the environmental field. With a solid educational foundation that spans studies in Mexico, Germany, and the United States, Myrna has developed a global perspective and expertise in addressing complex environmental challenges. Complementing her engineering background, Myrna holds a master’s degree in legal studies along with certifications in Environmental Law & Policy and Oil & Gas Law & Policy.