Kansas e-tips


Upcoming environmental-related events and information for Kansas businesses are listed below. If your facility has environmental compliance or pollution prevention questions, give us a call at 1-800-578-8898 or email us at  sbeap@ksu.edu. 
Hot Topic

No-cost, short-term pollution prevention intern

The K-State Pollution Prevention Institute (PPI) is seeking companies who would like to utilize the knowledge and expertise of a K-State engineering intern this summer for a single-day or short-term project at no cost. This will result in a brief report, complete with estimated environmental and cost savings, helping industry make business decision related to project implementation. This pollution prevention (P2) intern, called a "circuit rider," will work on a variety of short-term (one- to three-day) non-regulatory projects investigating reduction in hazardous waste, and use of energy, water, raw materials and other ingredients. Any industry sector involved with P2 projects is encouraged to apply, but PPI is especially interested in working with food and beverage manufacturers, and TSCA or hazardous material chemical reduction for industry, institutions and communities.

 

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply now by filling out a one-page interest form and emailing it by May 1 to Lynelle Ladd, lladd@ksu.edu. Contact her with any questions at 800-578-8898. 
Apply now for KDHE Environmental Stewardship Award

Being recognized locally and regionally for environmental stewardship and pollution reduction efforts made by your company is a great way to promote your image to the public, improve customer relations and engage employees in company culture.
Formerly called a Pollution Prevention, or P2, Award, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is now accepting Environmental Stewardship Award applications through June 3, 2019. The awards ceremony will be held at the 2019 Kansas Environmental Conference the state's premier environmental event. This year's conference will feature multiple tracks and be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan, Kansas, Aug.14-15.
National prescription drug take-back day
The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced its prescription drug take-back day for April 27, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of unwanted medications. 
To find a collection site in your area, go to the DEA website and use your zip code to search for local take-back locations.
 
DEA statistics for October 2018 indicate the following:
  • 4,770 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies participated in the program.
  • 914,236 pounds of unwanted medications were collected. 
Improper disposal of prescription drugs can increase drug abuse and crime, as well as negatively impact the environment. For more information on improper disposal and the environment, read the EPA article: Don't Flush! Why Your Disposal Method Matters.
Clean air aware
After a long cold snowy winter, the weather in much of Kansas is finally feeling like spring. In celebration of pursuing the great outdoors, EPA's AirNow and its partners have announced Air Quality Awareness Week (AQAW) 2019 April 29 through May 3, 2019. The theme this year is Check the AQI and Get Outside. During this week, EPA will feature daily topics on the AQAW website including information about health aspects of clean air, the air quality index, and global and local air quality. The website will go live on April 29.
To send information about AQAW events planned in your area, contact Debra Lee at lee.debra@epa.gov or to view local and national AQAW, see the events webpage.
Upcoming events

April 23-24:  Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference , Kansas City, Missouri
Aug. 14-15:  Kansas Environmental Conference , Manhattan, Kansas
Important dates to remember

Tier II reporting due annually March 1
Class I and II air emission reports and fees due annually April 1
TRI reporting due annually July 1
April 2019

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About us

Established in 1989 within the College o f Engineering at Kansas State University, the Pollution Prevention Institute (PPI) has been providing environmental compliance and pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to Kansas and Region 7 industries, communities and institutions for 30 years.
 
Entirely grant-funded, PPI provides a number of services including, P2 technical assistance, P2 engineering interns, P2 and environmental-compliance training. 

PPI partners with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to host the Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program known as SBEAP and with U.S. EPA to support the National SBEAP .