14
Technical Assistance
INTRODUCTION
By providing technical assistance to companies to implement cost-effective technologies for reducing or replacing toxic chemicals, toxic chemical use reduction can be
accomplished faster and more efficiently than if individual companies were required
to do it on their own. This is especially true for small businesses. Technical assistance
consists of providing direct assistance to companies and providing a clearinghouse
for industry sectorwide toxic chemical use reduction methods. This chapter provides
examples of the technical assistance program component of various existing toxic
chemical use reduction programs.
MASSACHUSETTS TOXICS USE REDUCTION ACT
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) requires that large-quantity
users of toxic materials participate in a planning process designed to reduce their
wastes and use of toxic chemicals (General Laws of Massachusetts 2007). Technical
assistance is provided by two programs.
The Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) is a nonregulatory agency with the
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs that provides free, confidential, on-site
technical and compliance consultation to manufacturers, businesses, institutions,
and other toxic chemical users in Massachusetts to help reduce or eliminate their use
of toxic chemicals or the generation of hazardous by-products. It also develops toxics
use reduction (TUR) technologies and sponsors workshops and conferences focusing
on TUR for specific industries.
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), through the University
of Massachusetts Lowell campus, is a multidisciplinary research, education, and
policy center established by the Massachusetts TURA and is considered to be the
education and research component of the TURA program. The institute sponsors and
conducts research, organizes education and training programs, and provides technical support to governments to promote reduction in the use of toxic chemicals or the
generation of toxic chemical by-products in industry and commerce (TURI 2003).
MAINE TOXICS AND HAZARDOUS WASTE REDUCTION PROGRAM
The Office of Innovation and Assistance (OIA) offers free compliance, technical,
and pollution prevention (P2) assistance through three main programs: P2 Program,
Small Business Technical Assistance Program, and the Toxics and Hazardous Waste
Reduction Program. The OIA provides on-site technical P2 and small business
215
Technical Assistance
INTRODUCTION
By providing technical assistance to companies to implement cost-effective technologies for reducing or replacing toxic chemicals, toxic chemical use reduction can be
accomplished faster and more efficiently than if individual companies were required
to do it on their own. This is especially true for small businesses. Technical assistance
consists of providing direct assistance to companies and providing a clearinghouse
for industry sectorwide toxic chemical use reduction methods. This chapter provides
examples of the technical assistance program component of various existing toxic
chemical use reduction programs.
MASSACHUSETTS TOXICS USE REDUCTION ACT
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) requires that large-quantity
users of toxic materials participate in a planning process designed to reduce their
wastes and use of toxic chemicals (General Laws of Massachusetts 2007). Technical
assistance is provided by two programs.
The Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) is a nonregulatory agency with the
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs that provides free, confidential, on-site
technical and compliance consultation to manufacturers, businesses, institutions,
and other toxic chemical users in Massachusetts to help reduce or eliminate their use
of toxic chemicals or the generation of hazardous by-products. It also develops toxics
use reduction (TUR) technologies and sponsors workshops and conferences focusing
on TUR for specific industries.
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), through the University
of Massachusetts Lowell campus, is a multidisciplinary research, education, and
policy center established by the Massachusetts TURA and is considered to be the
education and research component of the TURA program. The institute sponsors and
conducts research, organizes education and training programs, and provides technical support to governments to promote reduction in the use of toxic chemicals or the
generation of toxic chemical by-products in industry and commerce (TURI 2003).
MAINE TOXICS AND HAZARDOUS WASTE REDUCTION PROGRAM
The Office of Innovation and Assistance (OIA) offers free compliance, technical,
and pollution prevention (P2) assistance through three main programs: P2 Program,
Small Business Technical Assistance Program, and the Toxics and Hazardous Waste
Reduction Program. The OIA provides on-site technical P2 and small business
215