Welcome to the TRSP²OST. This e-newsletter provides a forum for sharing program activities with our stakeholders, including funding partners, program clients and consultants, and for recognizing the pollution prevention accomplishments of our manufacturing clients.

Environmental concerns are now considered to be a top priority by Canadians. Newspapers report daily on global warming, the dangers to human and ecological health posed by toxics, the impact of smog on the health of children and the elderly, the increased demands for clean drinking water, and the rising costs associated with safe treatment and disposal of wastes.

Many people in environmental agencies and industry are grappling with fundamental questions of how to protect the environment and community without undermining the financial viability of government and industrial operations. Environmental advocates argue for stronger regulations, rigorous enforcement, and more comprehensive reporting. Environmental visionaries are challenging society to find ways of being sustainable on both the production and consumption cycles. However, government and industry alike are facing the need to deliver more and better programs with fewer resources.

How can we get out of this conundrum of needing to do more, with less? How can we improve our environmental performance while reducing our costs? Pollution prevention provides a practical framework and discipline.

The Toronto Region Sustainability Program provides pollution prevention technical assistance for small to medium sized manufacturers throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Our clients come from a variety of industries: printing, packaging, metal finishing, chemical manufacturing, auto parts, food, paint, among others. We are striving to grow the program by increasing the number of clients and number of participating municipalities.

The results are positive. Each manufacturer which has gone through the program has found innovative and effective solutions that reduce its ecological footprint while reducing its on-going operational costs. Most of the pollution prevention solutions are practical, relatively low cost, and result in positive benefits to the environment and workplace.

Please read the articles that follow, and learn about the experiences of our program clients in reducing wastes, reducing costs, and reducing regulatory exposure. They are true pollution prevention leaders.

Fred Granek, Vice President,
Toronto Region Sustainability Program

Program Results

A model for municipal partnership: Vaughan Manufacturers Sustainability Program

The City of Vaughan is growing rapidly, both in citizenry and as a hub for industry. This growth is accompanied by an increased risk of detrimental environmental impact unless proper measures are taken to accomodate the growth responsibly. Recognizing their responsibility to protect ecosystem and human health, The City of Vaughan has renewed its partnership with OCETA and the TRCA to continue the fostering of sustainable business practices through the Vaughan Manufacturers Sustainability Program...Read more

Prokleen saves $200,000 by optimizing cleaning processes

Through diversion and reuse of residual chemical and food materials, Prokleen Washing Services, a tanker truck cleaning facility in Oakville, Ontario, has vastly improved their wastewater treatment system, reducing hazardous wastes, process wastes, volatile organic compounds, methylene chloride and water consumption...Read more

Toronto Region Sustainability Program client recognized for environmental achievements

Metalon Technology Ltd - a small family owned metal coatings facility in Orangeville, Ontario - won an Environmental Excellence Award for 2006 from the Dufferin County Chamber of Commerce.

The senior management team at Metalon was honoured to be recognized by the Dufferin County Chamber of Commerce for their commitment to environmental sustainability and continuous improvement through a number of initiatives including participation in the Toronto Region Sustainability Program...Read more

Colour Innovations sets the bar for continuous improvement in sustainable printing practices

Colour Innovations, a Toronto- based lithographic printing company, is setting an example in the industrial printing sector by adopting low-impact environmental solutions to its pre-press and pressroom processes.

Aware of increased public demand for accountability on environmental issues and the printing sector's vulnerability to impending regulatory scrutiny, Colour Innovations became pro-active at an early stage...Read more

Planting P2 Seeds in York Region

In the last two years, over 1,200 stakeholders have been engaged in pollution prevention (P2) outreach activities through the Ontario Trillium Foundation funded York Sustainability Program delivered by OCETA. Pollution prevention awareness generating stakeholder workshops have been a major component of the community outreach activities through this program.

OCETA in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2) has delivered seven successful workshops in Richmond Hill, Markham, Newmarket, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville, East Gwillimbury and Aurora...Read more

Greening at work and at home
By Linda Varangu, Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2)

Pollution Prevention is an attitude and way of thinking that can be applied to all things at all times, whether you are working or at home. One of the ways we help promote pollution prevention at the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention is by developing and delivering novel support programs that aim to eliminate barriers to change...Read more

• 2007 Environmental Printing Awards
  February 21st, 2007, Toronto, Ontario
• Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) Spring Meeting
  March 13 & 14, 2007, Chicago, Illinois
• 8th York Region Stakeholders Pollution Prevention Workshop
  April 2007
• National Environmental Partnership Summit 2007
  May 7-11, 2007, New Orleans, Louisiana
• 11th Canadian Pollution Prevention Roundtable & 2007 CCME P2 Awards
  June 13-15, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba