Food Processing Workshops for Industry Offered

December 1, 2005

The DNR's Pollution Prevention Services invites you to participate in a workshop to learn how pollution prevention (P2)techniques and environmental management systems (EMS) can assist food processing facilities in improving both environmental compliance and their bottom line. Cost is $30 per person.

The DNR's Pollution Prevention Services provides confidential nonregulatory environmental technical assistance at no cost to businesses and industry institutions and government agencies or large quantity generators (LQG) or toxic release inventory (TRI) reporters.

Many of Iowa's food processors have already increased both profits and compliance by implementing P2 and EMS. For example, a meat processing company that participated in a 15-month joint EMS/P2 project with the Iowa Waste Reduction Center and Pollution Prevention Services subsequently reported that, a year after implementing its EMS, it had already saved $637,000 and reduced its solid waste volume by 28 percent. The company is anticipating tripling its reduction of wastes and increasing savings in the second year of operating under the EMS.

In addition to providing a basic framework for developing EMS and identifying and implementing P2 techniques, the workshop will feature industry experts who will share their experiences with EMS and P2. They will provide ideas for workshop participants on how a P2-based EMS helps in targeting key options for reducing costs and improving environmental performance. Just think of the possibilities: more efficient energy use, more efficient water use, reduced wastewater discharges, reduced waste volumes, reduced air emissions, reduced cost of waste management and pollution control.

Agenda

EMS: Overview of basics, Keep it simple, How to sell to management, How to determine signs of an excellent EMS.

Pollution Prevention: Overview & relationship to EMS, Energy efficiency, Water use, Information sources for alternative more efficient technologies.

Compliance: What's new in regulations for the food processing industry? How to keep abreast of emerging compliance requirements.

Technical Assistance and Resources: Where to go for help with: Compliance assistance, P2 assistance, EMS assistance. State resources: What Iowa's technical assistance providers do, Resources & capabilities, Contact person & information How to get the right EMS consultant: Website sources & other resources.

November 30, 2005
Cedar Rapids
Registration: 8:30 a.m .; Workshop: 9:00 - 4:15
Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Training & Outreach Services
A map can be found at:
www.kirkwood.edu/ktos/facilities.html

December 1, 2005
Ames
Registration: 8:30 a.m.; Workshop: 9:00 - 4:15
Iowa State Center
Scheman Building
A map can be found at:
www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/southeast.asp

To register, contact the DNR's Jeff Fiagle at 515.281.5353 or Jeff.Fiagle@dnr.iowa.gov