Design for the Design for the EnvironmentEnvironment

Improving Improving Health & EnvironmentalHealth & Environmental

Decision MakingDecision Making

What Design for the What Design for the Environment (DfE) DoesEnvironment (DfE) Does

Partner with industry to assess, design, and Partner with industry to assess, design, and adopt products, processes, and management adopt products, processes, and management systems that aresystems that are• CleanerCleaner• Cost-effectiveCost-effective• SaferSafer

Since 1990, partnered with Since 1990, partnered with 14 sectors14 sectors• Affecting more than 140,000 companies Affecting more than 140,000 companies

and 2 million workers nationwideand 2 million workers nationwide

DfE Spurs Risk Reduction & DfE Spurs Risk Reduction & Environmental ImprovementEnvironmental Improvement

By providing critical toxicity, exposure, By providing critical toxicity, exposure, and risk information,and risk information,

•DfE guides private sector DfE guides private sector innovationinnovation•DfE helps companies better DfE helps companies better understand and manage understand and manage their chemicalstheir chemicals

Why was DfE Created?Why was DfE Created?

Regulations are essential but Regulations are essential but limited to clear cut riskslimited to clear cut risks

Regulations partition problems Regulations partition problems and can often promote and can often promote avoidance rather than best avoidance rather than best practicespractices

Public demand for participation, Public demand for participation, informationinformation

Why was DfE Created?Why was DfE Created?

Sector-based approach Sector-based approach rather than traditional rather than traditional chemical-by-chemical chemical-by-chemical approachapproach

Encourage pollution prevention, risk Encourage pollution prevention, risk reduction, and continuous reduction, and continuous environmental improvementenvironmental improvement

DfE SectorsDfE Sectors AdhesivesAdhesives Auto refinishingAuto refinishing Auto supply chainAuto supply chain ElectronicsElectronics Dry cleaningDry cleaning

Industrial laundry Industrial laundry detergentsdetergents

MarinasMarinas PrintingPrinting

DfE ApproachesDfE Approaches

Cleaner Technologies Cleaner Technologies Substitutes AssessmentSubstitutes Assessment

Formulation Formulation ImprovementImprovement

Best PracticesBest Practices

Life-Cycle Life-Cycle AssessmentAssessment

Greening the Supply Greening the Supply ChainChain

Integrated Integrated Environmental Environmental Management SystemsManagement Systems

Partnership CriteriaPartnership Criteria

Important, unresolved environmental or Important, unresolved environmental or human health riskhuman health risk

DfE approaches are applicableDfE approaches are applicable Interested, strong Interested, strong

partnerspartners Commitment to Commitment to

measure resultsmeasure results

DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement

Screen printingScreen printing• Half of the screen printers interviewed switched to a Half of the screen printers interviewed switched to a

cleaner reclamation product and several supplier cleaner reclamation product and several supplier indicated the project affected their R&D strategyindicated the project affected their R&D strategy

Printed wiring boardsPrinted wiring boards• From 1995 to 1997, the percent of manufacturers From 1995 to 1997, the percent of manufacturers

using cleaner “making holes conductive” using cleaner “making holes conductive” technologies doubled, from 15% to 30%technologies doubled, from 15% to 30%

– Each year, this saves 400 million gallons of water and 15 Each year, this saves 400 million gallons of water and 15 billion BTUs of energy, and reduces use of formaldehyde billion BTUs of energy, and reduces use of formaldehyde by 240,000 lbsby 240,000 lbs

DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement

Auto-RefinishingAuto-Refinishing• Increased use of more efficient spray guns Increased use of more efficient spray guns

and control technologyand control technology• Material cost savings of 29% on average Material cost savings of 29% on average

($4,000/shop/yr); offsets capital costs($4,000/shop/yr); offsets capital costs• Lower diisocyanate exposure to workers and Lower diisocyanate exposure to workers and

neighboring communityneighboring community• Reduced VOC emissions of 31% (281 Reduced VOC emissions of 31% (281

lbs/yr/shop)lbs/yr/shop)

DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement

Dry cleaningDry cleaning• Use of perchloroethylene dropped Use of perchloroethylene dropped

37% from 1997 through 200137% from 1997 through 2001

Adhesives in foam furnitureAdhesives in foam furniture• Use of methylene chloride dropped Use of methylene chloride dropped

83% from 1997 through 200183% from 1997 through 2001

DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement

Integrated EMSIntegrated EMS• Increased chemical risk management focus Increased chemical risk management focus

in EMSsin EMSs• Increased use of cleaner technologies, Increased use of cleaner technologies,

improved compliance, increased resource improved compliance, increased resource efficiencies, reduced waste, increased efficiencies, reduced waste, increased recycling, and improved worker safetyrecycling, and improved worker safety

DfE Achieves Environmental DfE Achieves Environmental ImprovementImprovement

Industrial & Institutional LaundryIndustrial & Institutional Laundry• Formulators learn to ask their suppliers key Formulators learn to ask their suppliers key

EH&S questions on chemicalsEH&S questions on chemicals• 14 new eco-friendly detergents have entered 14 new eco-friendly detergents have entered

the market. Annual benefits from just one of the market. Annual benefits from just one of these include these include – 100+ million gallons of water saved along with the 100+ million gallons of water saved along with the

energy to heat itenergy to heat it– 340,000+ gallons of toxic chemicals eliminated 340,000+ gallons of toxic chemicals eliminated

from usefrom use

“…“…It has been It has been encouraging to see how encouraging to see how much a ‘cooperative much a ‘cooperative spirit’ can accomplish.”spirit’ can accomplish.”

Leif Anderson, Vice-President, Leif Anderson, Vice-President, Anderson Chemical CompanyAnderson Chemical Company

For More InformationFor More Information

Visit our website at Visit our website at www.epa.gov/dfewww.epa.gov/dfe or or call us at 202-564-8780.call us at 202-564-8780.

Order publications through the Pollution Order publications through the Pollution Prevention Information ClearinghousePrevention Information Clearinghouse• Email: Email: ppic@epa.govppic@epa.gov• Telephone: 202-566-0799Telephone: 202-566-0799