P2 Industry Newsletter – September 2025

Note from the Editor

Dear readers,

It feels like this summer flew by so fast! We’re grateful for such an impactful season. Over the past few months, we engaged with multiple companies and professionals through our services, including energy assessments and recently offered technical courses. At CSE3, our goal is to ensure that the resources provided through federal grants are put to work where they are most needed. This fall, we will continue our mission of bringing more professional training opportunities to industry professionals in the manufacturing sector.

This month, we’re bringing to Greenville, a technical course about Environmental Regulations. If you are nearby, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity; if not, consider joining us online. We look forward to a busy fall as we continue our P2 webinar series and conduct on-site facility visits. Don’t miss our upcoming free webinar this month on Cost-Effective Solar Fuels and Green Chemicals and if your company is seeking recommendations to lower energy costs, improve efficiency, or reduce water and waste, we’d also be glad to provide a no-cost assessment for your facility.

Sincerely,

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

Did You Know?

The EPA has Resources for Preventing Illegal Dumping?

Illegal dumping is a problem in many communities across the nation. Dumping waste poses risks to public health and safety, property values, and general quality of life. This often occurs as a result of people trying to avoid fees associated with proper disposal or lack of access to facilities.

In 1998 the EPA initially published their Illegal Dumping Prevention Guide to outline strategies used by communities nationwide to prevent and handle illegal dumping in their community.  The EPA has recently updated their prevention guide with several strategies focusing on technology use and collaboration, such as using apps and GIS maps to track frequent dumping sites and improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies as well as the community with local industry.

Read more about Pollution Prevention Act

Pollution Prevention Tip of the Month

Recovering Waste Heat from Air Compressor

Energy Industry Review

Around 90% of the electricity used to compress air is converted into heat. Most of this heat is dissipated into the compressor room to make sure the compressor does not overheat and to keep the air cool enough for different applications. Adding a waste energy recovery technology can significantly save energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and usually has a short payback period (< 1 year). Typical applications include space heating, by redirecting the heat to warehouses or production areas during cold months and water heating, by using the recovered heat to preheat process water or boiler feedwater.

Read more about Recovering Waste Heat

Unlock Savings and Efficiency in your Facility

CSE3 aims to help North Carolina companies prevent and reduce pollution at the source while maximizing cost savings. With available funding, the center supports companies in optimizing efficiency and reducing environmental impact by offering energy, water and lean assessments for manufacturing facilities at no cost. Our assessments can help reduce your business costs in multiple areas, including energy costs, water consumption, wastewater generation, hazardous materials and emissions.

Schedule an Energy Assessment

News & Updates

A small town in North Carolina is leading the way in local clean energy innovation

Southern Environmental Law Center

A small town in North Carolina, Enfield, is making big moves toward clean energy despite some serious challenges. The town is creating a weatherization hub to teach residents about energy efficiency, planning a 34-acre solar farm, and upgrading its outdated energy infrastructure to reduce power outages. However, things haven’t been easy. Enfield applied for a federal clean energy grant to help fund these projects, but earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Energy canceled 24 clean energy projects, including Enfield’s, due to concerns about costs and returns on investment. Even so, Enfield isn’t giving up. The town is now looking for other ways to fund its clean energy goals, including state grants and private investments.

Read More about Enfield’s Plans

EPA announces $1.7M for Transboundary Watershed Grants

El Pais, Provided by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality shows acid mine drainage in polluted Belt Creek in Montana, on March 7, 2016

The EPA has announced that eight organizations will be receiving $1,749,700 through EPA’s Transboundary Watershed Grant Program to monitor and reduce transboundary mining pollution. This would be taking place in U.S.-British Columbia transboundary watersheds. The EPA’s Transboundary Watershed Grant Program is designed to bring together federal, state, and Tribal agencies to strengthen collaboration and build stronger, more effective approaches to protecting and managing watersheds that cross borders. This funding is going to have a great impact on our communities and environment.

Read more about plastic pollution

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Pursuing Cost-effective Solar Fuels and Green Chemicals

Course: Using Environmental Regulations to Drive Sustainability and Pollution Prevention in Manufacturing

Featuring…Myrna Pacheco
Environmental Engineer at Avient Protective MaterialsMyrna is a chemical engineer with 15+ years of experience in the environmental field.

• Time: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Date: October 17, 2025
• Location: East Carolina University, Isley Hub Room #167

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.

• Register for Ms. Pecheko In-Person (event has passed)
• Register for Ms. Pecheko Online (event has passed)