Use the EMAP Building Block Approach to Green Your Business
Message from EMAP Director Christopher Lynch

Recently, we have noticed an increased number of inquiries from businesses wanting to “go green.” In response to the high levels of both interest and confusion surrounding the topic, EMAP has developed an easy-to-follow building block approach for small businesses looking to go green. By considering each “block,” you can approach going green as a strategy to be applied to your entire business model.

Going green is an extremely broad term. In general, for a business to become “greener” (i.e. more sustainable), it would have to reduce its impact on the environment. Increased sustainability can be accomplished in a range of ways; changing light bulbs, putting solar panels or a green roof on a building, and implementing a recycling program are examples of ways a business can become green. Going green is not just a feel-good strategy; by improving efficiency and long-term sustainability, businesses can also reduce costs and increase their bottom line.

There is a wealth of information available to business owners interested in sustainability. However, it can be overwhelming to determine which solutions are best for your situation. With this in mind, each EMAP building block considers a different aspect of sustainability (see below). Our team of environmental professionals can provide one-on-one consulting assistance to help you identify opportunities to make your practices greener and can explain the short-term and long-term costs and benefits of various sustainability strategies. In addition, we are developing a “Green Portal” on our website (www.askemap.org/gogreen) as a resource for small businesses interested in sustainability.

This special issue of The First Stop is designed to introduce the building block approach, as well as to highlight some of the small businesses we have assisted that are well on their way to going green. With the help of our environmental consultants, many EMAP clients—representing different types of small businesses throughout Pennsylvania—have implemented elements of the building block approach by putting in place innovative sustainable practices to improve their operations, save money, and reduce their environmental impacts. Scroll down to see some of the ways we are helping small businesses go green, and contact us today at 877-ask-emap to begin greening your business.

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The EMAP Building Block Approach (www.askemap.org/gogreen)

	Determine ways to decrease your energy use, increase efficiency, and possibly get “off the grid” entirely. Contact EMAP for a utility bill analysis, energy assessment, and to identify funding opportunities.
	Carefully choose how you use, reuse, and dispose of materials. Incorporate green building techniques. Contact EMAP for a free waste audit at your facility.
	Build a strong foundation for your business by practicing smart environmental management, which starts with regulatory compliance. Contact EMAP for compliance assistance and to schedule a free on-site visit.
	Think about what you buy and use; how it affects your customers, your employees, and the environment. Contact EMAP for assistance identifying opportunities to green your purchasing.

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Textile Facility Receives Air Compliance Assistance

After receiving a letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), a plant engineer at a Pennsylvania textile facility contacted EMAP for air quality assistance. Like many employees at small manufacturing companies, this engineer was required to play several roles: he was tasked with overseeing Environmental Health & Safety issues in addition to his daily plant and process engineering duties. Even environmental professionals sometimes experience difficulty making sense of the multiple federal, state, and local environmental regulatory requirements. For a plant engineer with many operational responsibilities, it was overwhelming. EMAP consultant Andrew Radcliffe reviewed the DEP letter, which indicated that the facility needed to file an Air Inventory report. As is often the case, the employee had most of the necessary compliance items but due to a recent change of ownership and associated staff transition at the facility, he did not have knowledge or access to all of the historic records. Mr. Radcliffe met with the plant engineer and assisted the facility with completing the required report.

While working with the client, Mr. Radcliffe realized that the facility was in need of permit renewal. He began assisting with the renewal application and through the process, found that the facility needed to file an additional permitting form. One of the facility’s previously permitted sources had been out of service for more than one year, and the proper planning was not conducted to allow for the source to be brought back into service. After filing the appropriate permitting paperwork, the source was approved to be brought back into service.

Through the help of EMAP, this textile manufacturer is now operating in compliance with air quality regulations. Perhaps more importantly, the plant engineer is equipped with the tools and information so that he may independently submit reports and permit applications in the future.

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EPI Receives $500,000 to Use Recycled Materials

As owner of Engineered Plastics Incorporated (EPI) in Erie, Kurt Duska has a passion for pursuing unharnessed sources of recyclable materials. His latest project will tap into large sources of materials otherwise considered “waste,” such as shrink wrap from shipped materials, plastic hospital IV bags, and purged plastic material from injection presses.

With the assistance of EMAP consultant Joseph Nordstrom at the Gannon University SBDC and EMAP Associate Director Nancy Crickman, EPI applied for and received a Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development grant of $500,000 from the Pennsylvania DEP. The funds, which will be supplemented with $150,000 from Mr. Duska, will enable him to buy equipment that can recycle plastic in almost any form into plastic pellets for reuse in new plastic products.

By utilizing typically discarded materials, EPI has the potential to:

• remove 2,500 tons of non-biodegradable plastic from landfills;
• create 7 to 10 new jobs;
• reduce demand for natural resources by using recycled materials;
• eliminate high energy demands from virgin material production;
• decrease the generation of air pollutants including nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other hazardous air pollutants (HAPs); and
• supply an economically viable source of plastic for future consumption.

EMAP helped Mr. Duska evaluate the economic and technical feasibility of recycling materials currently incinerated or sent to landfills. Environmental consultants also acted as an intermediary between EPI and Pennsylvania regulatory agencies to help educate the client about applicable regulations. Mr. Duska will continue to rely on EMAP for assistance in executing his vision to educate other businesses and provide an outlet for difficult to recycle products; thereby reducing the environmental impact of the plastics industry in the region.

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Yellow Springs Farm Saves With Solar

Yellow Springs Farm promotes land stewardship through the propagation and sale of native plant species. The farm came to the Kutztown University SBDC with a broad vision of becoming energy efficient.

EMAP consultant Jeremy Hancher assisted Yellow Springs Farm with a financial analysis of their proposed 4.9 Kilowatt photovoltaic system. The electricity generated from the solar energy system would provide approximately 56 percent of total electricity use. Mr. Hancher helped the company determine project costs and estimate the simple payback. He recommended applying for a Small Business Advantage Grant from the Pennsylvania DEP to help offset the costs and shorten the payback period. With EMAP assistance, Yellow Springs Farm applied for and received the full $7,500 requested. By implementing the solar project, the company will generate approximately 5,440 kWh “off the grid.” This will reduce electricity costs by nearly $780 per year, with a payback
period of about 2-3 years.

EMAP will assist Yellow Springs Farm with additional energy improvements. To this end, EMAP helped the business apply for another source of Pennsylvania DEP funding: a loan through the Small Business Pollution Prevention Assistance Account (PPAA). This program provides two percent loans to small businesses undertaking projects that reduce waste, pollution, or energy use. PPAA loans will fund 75 percent of the eligible project cost, up to a maximum of $100,000.

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Online Materials Exchanges

Pennsylvania Material Trader provides an opportunity for businesses to connect with each other to save money on waste disposal and raw material costs.

Pennsylvania Manure Trader is an online resource for farmers and others looking to buy, sell, or give away manure.

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