Title 10.1. Conservation
Chapter 14. Virginia Waste Management Act
Article 3.3. Pollution Prevention Program.
§ 10.1-1425.10. Definitions.As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Pollution prevention" means eliminating or reducing the use, generation or release at the source of environmental waste. Methods of pollution prevention include, but are not limited to, equipment or technology modifications; process or procedure modifications; reformulation or redesign of products; substitution of raw materials; improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training, or inventory control; and closed-loop recycling, onsite process-related recycling, reuse or extended use of any material utilizing equipment or methods which are an integral part of a production process. The term shall not include any practice which alters the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or the volume of an environmental waste through a process or activity which itself is not integral to and necessary for the production of a product or the providing of a service, and shall not include treatment, increased pollution control, off-site or nonprocess-related recycling, or incineration.
"Toxic or hazardous substance" means (i) all of the chemicals identified on the Toxic Chemical List established pursuant to § 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11001 et seq. (P.L. 99-499), and (ii) all of the chemicals listed pursuant to §§ 101(14) and 102 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq. (P.L. 92-500).
1993, c. 459; 1994, c. 169.
§ 10.1-1425.11. Establishment of pollution prevention policy.It shall be the policy of the Commonwealth (i) that the Commonwealth should encourage pollution prevention activities by removing barriers and providing incentives and assistance, and (ii) that the generation of environmental waste should be reduced or eliminated at the source, whenever feasible; environmental waste that is generated should be reused whenever feasible; environmental waste that cannot be reduced or reused should be recycled whenever feasible; environmental waste that cannot be reduced, reused, or recycled should be treated in an environmentally safe manner; and disposal should be employed only as a last resort and should be conducted in an environmentally safe manner. It shall also be the policy of the Commonwealth to minimize the transfer of environmental wastes from one environmental medium to another.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.12. Pollution prevention assistance program.The Department shall establish a voluntary pollution prevention assistance program designed to assist all persons in promoting pollution prevention measures in the Commonwealth. The program shall emphasize assistance to local governments and businesses that have inadequate technical and financial resources to obtain information and to assess and implement pollution prevention measures. The program may include, but shall not be limited to:
1. Establishment of a pollution prevention clearinghouse for all available information concerning waste reduction, waste minimization, source reduction, economic and energy savings, and pollution prevention;
2. Assistance in transferring information concerning pollution prevention technologies through workshops, conferences and handbooks;
3. Cooperation with programs at baccalaureate institutions of higher education to develop pollution prevention curricula and training;
4. Technical assistance to generators of toxic or hazardous substances, including onsite consultation to identify alternative methods that may be applied to prevent pollution; and
5. Researching and recommending incentive programs for innovative pollution prevention programs.
To be eligible for onsite technical assistance, a generator of toxic or hazardous substances must agree to allow information regarding the results of such assistance to be shared with the public, provided that the identity of the generator shall be made available only with its consent and trade-secret information shall remain protected.
1993, c. 459; 1994, c. 169.
§ 10.1-1425.13. Pollution prevention advisory panels.The Director is authorized to name qualified persons to pollution prevention advisory panels to assist the Department in administering the pollution prevention assistance program. Panels shall include members representing different areas of interest in and potential support for pollution prevention, including industry, education, environmental and public interest groups, state government and local government.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.14. Pilot projects.The Department may sponsor pilot projects to develop and demonstrate innovative technologies and methods for pollution prevention. The results of all such projects shall be available for use by the public, but trade secret information shall remain protected.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.15. Waste exchange.The Department may establish an industrial environmental waste material exchange that provides for the exchange, between interested persons, of information concerning (i) particular quantities of industrial environmental waste available for recovery; (ii) persons interested in acquiring certain types of industrial environmental waste for purposes of recovery; and (iii) methods for the treatment and recovery of industrial environmental waste. The industrial environmental waste materials exchange may be operated under one or more reciprocity agreements providing for the exchange of the information for similar information from a program operated in another state. The Department may contract for a private person or public entity to establish or operate the industrial environmental waste materials exchange. The Department may prescribe rules concerning the establishment and operation of the industrial environmental waste materials exchange, including the setting of subscription fees to offset the cost of participating in the exchange.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.16. Trade secret protection.All trade secrets obtained pursuant to this article by the Department or its agents shall be held as confidential.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.17. Evaluation report.The Department shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the appropriate committees of the General Assembly. The report shall include an evaluation of its pollution prevention activities. The report shall be submitted by December 1 of each year, beginning in 1994. The report shall include, to the extent available, information regarding progress in expanding pollution prevention activities in the Commonwealth.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.18. Pollution prevention grants.The Department may make grants to identify pollution prevention opportunities and to study or determine the feasibility of applying specific technologies and methods to prevent pollution. Persons who use, generate or release environmental waste may receive grants under this section.
1993, c. 459.
§ 10.1-1425.19. Inspections and enforcement actions by the Department.A. The Department shall seek to ensure, where appropriate, that any inspections conducted pursuant to Chapters 13 (§ 10.1-1300 et seq.) and 14 (§ 10.1-1400 et seq.) of this title and Chapter 3.1 (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.) of Title 62.1 (i) are multimedia in approach; (ii) are performed by teams of inspectors authorized to represent the air, water and solid waste programs within the Department; and (iii) minimize duplication of inspections, reporting requirements, and enforcement efforts.
B. The Department may allow any person found to be violating any law or standard for which the Department has enforcement jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce the use or generation of toxic or hazardous substances through pollution prevention incentives or initiatives and, to the maximum extent possible, implement the plan as part of coming into compliance with the violated law or standard. This shall in no way affect the Commonwealth's ability and responsibility to seek penalties in enforcement activities.
1994, c. 169.