By Brenda Polk
HOUGHTON, MI-Researchers at Michigan Technological University have joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create a Chemical Industry Compliance Assistance Center.
"The EPA has a program that is establishing assistance centers around the country to give small businesses assistance in understanding and complying with environmental regulations," says Compliance Center Co-Director, James Baker, an MTU research engineer. The newest addition, a center for the chemical industry, is being established by a collaborative effort of MTU, Batelle/Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, and the University of Wisconsin Solid Hazardous Waste Education Center.
Assistance will be primarily in the form of an interactive, on-line help desk, so that information will be available across America. "Our plan is to have September 1998 as the official launch of the web site," says Baker. "For those companies who don't have access to the internet, fax and hotline services will also be available. Pollution prevention will be the main focus for helping companies reach compliance."
"When chemical manufacturers are on their way toward reaching compliance, a cleaner environment will follow," says Baker. "The U.S. chemical industry is the country's lead exporter and this will make the industry more competitive globally. It'll be healthy for jobs and export revenue, but the main focus is that we're trying to keep facilities open and reduce the environmental impact of their operations."
The EPA's $855,000 cooperative agreement is intended to establish a self-sufficient center within three years.