{"73760":{"#nid":"73760","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Software Tool Helps Companies Prevent Pollution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlthough storm water runoff may not seem particularly threatening, it ranks among the most common sources of water pollution in the United States. Especially at industrial sites, rain and melting snow can pick up a variety of pollutants - ranging from processing chemicals to cleaning solvents - and sweep them into nearby creeks, lakes and rivers.   \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFederal regulation calls for companies engaged in certain industrial activities to obtain a storm water permit and implement a pollution prevention program. Although an important endeavor, this can also be an onerous task, especially for small and mid-sized companies with fewer resources.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo ease compliance headaches, Georgia Tech\u0027s Energy and Environmental Management Center (EEMC) has developed storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) software that streamlines the planning process - reducing time and effort by as much as 80 percent. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFunded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u0027s Office of Water, this Web-based tool initially helps companies determine whether or not they even need a storm water permit. \u0022If you don\u0027t have any pollutants exposed to storm water, you are exempt, but most manufacturers fall into one of the 11 categories that require a permit,\u0022 says Ginny Key, an instructional designer at EEMC. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAvailable at either \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatechstormwater.com\u0022 title=\u0022www.gatechstormwater.com\u0022\u003Ewww.gatechstormwater.com\u003C\/a\u003E or \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatechenvironment.com\u0022 title=\u0022www.gatechenvironment.com\u0022\u003Ewww.gatechenvironment.com\u003C\/a\u003E, the SWPPP software walks companies through a series of questions about their facilities, such as whether they have outdoor fueling stations or loading docks. Then the tool guides companies through:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0095 Assembling a pollution prevention team.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0095 Identifying potential pollutants.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0095 Selecting appropriate best management practices (BMPs) to control pollutants.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0095 Recordkeeping and reporting.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0095 Employee training.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0095 Implementing and updating the plan.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPlans will vary tremendously depending on a company\u0027s internal expertise, the contour of its property, potential pollutants and nearby receiving waters.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome pollution-prevention remedies may require structural modifications, such as installing mechanisms to equipment to prevent fuel spills. Yet many best practices are a simple matter of good housekeeping, point out Ed Hardison and Jim Walsh, EEMC project engineers who helped develop the SWPPP tool. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, wooden pallets used to store equipment or containers may have collected grease or hazardous materials. Preventing pollution in storm water runoff can be easily handled by covering the pallets or taking them inside. Another low-tech remedy: making sure that outside storage drums are covered and not corroded.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen the SWPPP tool presents a best practice, it includes various business factors, such as implementation and maintenance costs, level of difficulty and expertise required. The SWPPP tool also provides contact information about each state\u0027s permitting authority and if there are additional state requirements that must be met.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the program, the SWPPP tool produces a customized plan in a rich-text-format document that can be easily converted to any word-processing system. The program also saves all information and features a revision log, which enables companies to go back to the Web site and modify their plans as they make changes. For example, if they introduce new materials, those considered potential pollutants must be tracked.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of EEMC\u0027s greatest challenges was incorporating complex government regulations into a user-friendly tool. \u0022We wanted to make the process as easy as possible without watering down the information too much,\u0022 explains Greg Rupert, a Web designer and software specialist at EEMC. \u0022I think people will be surprised at how effortless the process is compared to the sophistication of their final plans.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUser-friendliness is critical not only in creating a pollution prevention plan, but also implementing it. \u0022If a regulator visits your facility and finds that you\u0027re not in compliance, you can be fined,\u0022 Walsh says. \u0022These fines typically range from $10,000 to $20,000, which may not sound monstrous, but can really hurt smaller companies.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:john.toon@edi.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejohn.toon@edi.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnical Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ginny Key (404-894-6107); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ginny.key@edi.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eginny.key@edi.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E); Jim Walsh (404-402-3263); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jim.walsh@edi.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejim.walsh@edi.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Ed Hardison (229-430-4210); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ed.hardison@edi.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eed.hardison@edi.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: T.J. Becker\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Web-based system helps in developing storm water pollution prevention plans"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"Georgia Tech pollution prevention experts have produced a new Web-based software tool designed to help U.S. companies develop federally-mandated plans to prevent the pollution of storm water.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new Web site is helping protect water resources"}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2005-11-03 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:34","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2005-11-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2005-11-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73761":{"id":"73761","type":"image","title":"Best practices in fueling","body":null,"created":"1449178012","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:52","changed":"1475894678","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:38"},"73762":{"id":"73762","type":"image","title":"Experts survey fueling area.","body":null,"created":"1449178012","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:52","changed":"1475894678","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:38"}},"media_ids":["73761","73762"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.edtv.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of Economic Development and Technology Ventures"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.gatechstormwater.com\/","title":"Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Tool"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.edtv.gatech.edu\/Default.aspx?alias=www.edtv.gatech.edu\/environment","title":"Georgia Tech Environmental Management Services"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}