216
Toxic Chemicals
assistance, manages innovative P2 programs, conducts literature searches and
financial analysis of P2 projects, and assists in identifying cleaner technologies.
TECHNICAL RESOURCES FOR ENGINEERING
EFFICIENCY PROGRAM
The Technical Resources for Engineering Efficiency (TREE) program began in 1998,
when it was recognized that a system was needed to work with companies in a proactive manner to keep them from falling out of environmental compliance and to
assist in reducing resource use. It is a voluntary program offered by the Washington
Department of Ecology and was designed to look at the overall operations of a facility
and identify specific areas that can be altered to improve both environmental performance and industrial efficiency. This involves conducting site visits, interviews,
and research and writing reports. Once potential improvements are identified, it is
up to the company to implement the changes. The suggested changes are targeted at
inefficiencies and waste minimization at the facility. Examples of suggested changes
include reusing water, chemicals, or other materials; chemical substitutions; combining multiple processes into one process; changing the order of processes in an operation; improving housekeeping and maintenance; working with outside organizations;
and implementing other systematic and organizational changes.
BASIS FOR PROGRAM
The TREE program is a voluntary process designed to benefit individual companies.
Assistance is targeted to industrial facilities that do not have their own engineering
staff available. TREE has worked with facilities consisting of 4 to 500 employees.
If a company feels that its organization could profit from an analysis, it is their
responsibility to contact the TREE team. Once a company contacts the Washington
Department of Ecology, they meet for an initial evaluation. During this meeting,
they discuss site specifics and the expectations of both the company and the TREE
team. Based on this meeting and any other information provided by the company,
the team decides whether their resources match the needs of the company and if they
will be able to increase the efficiency of operations at the company. The company
also decides if it is interested in pursuing the evaluation or project. Some companies
that might wish to take part in this program will not be able to do so. The needs of
the company have to match the resources of the team for an analysis to be effective.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Once a company is selected to work with the program, it is assigned a team of three to
five TREE members. The composition of the team varies depending on the specific
issues at the company.
The TREE team has personnel with expertise in chemical engineering, water and
wastewater treatment, solid waste minimization, water resources, air emission treatment, and spill prevention. The company that is undergoing an assessment provides
Toxic Chemicals
assistance, manages innovative P2 programs, conducts literature searches and
financial analysis of P2 projects, and assists in identifying cleaner technologies.
TECHNICAL RESOURCES FOR ENGINEERING
EFFICIENCY PROGRAM
The Technical Resources for Engineering Efficiency (TREE) program began in 1998,
when it was recognized that a system was needed to work with companies in a proactive manner to keep them from falling out of environmental compliance and to
assist in reducing resource use. It is a voluntary program offered by the Washington
Department of Ecology and was designed to look at the overall operations of a facility
and identify specific areas that can be altered to improve both environmental performance and industrial efficiency. This involves conducting site visits, interviews,
and research and writing reports. Once potential improvements are identified, it is
up to the company to implement the changes. The suggested changes are targeted at
inefficiencies and waste minimization at the facility. Examples of suggested changes
include reusing water, chemicals, or other materials; chemical substitutions; combining multiple processes into one process; changing the order of processes in an operation; improving housekeeping and maintenance; working with outside organizations;
and implementing other systematic and organizational changes.
BASIS FOR PROGRAM
The TREE program is a voluntary process designed to benefit individual companies.
Assistance is targeted to industrial facilities that do not have their own engineering
staff available. TREE has worked with facilities consisting of 4 to 500 employees.
If a company feels that its organization could profit from an analysis, it is their
responsibility to contact the TREE team. Once a company contacts the Washington
Department of Ecology, they meet for an initial evaluation. During this meeting,
they discuss site specifics and the expectations of both the company and the TREE
team. Based on this meeting and any other information provided by the company,
the team decides whether their resources match the needs of the company and if they
will be able to increase the efficiency of operations at the company. The company
also decides if it is interested in pursuing the evaluation or project. Some companies
that might wish to take part in this program will not be able to do so. The needs of
the company have to match the resources of the team for an analysis to be effective.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Once a company is selected to work with the program, it is assigned a team of three to
five TREE members. The composition of the team varies depending on the specific
issues at the company.
The TREE team has personnel with expertise in chemical engineering, water and
wastewater treatment, solid waste minimization, water resources, air emission treatment, and spill prevention. The company that is undergoing an assessment provides