Model Pollution Prevention Plan

Establishing corporate commitments to the pollution prevention (P2) planning process is important. In order to get the most out of your pollution prevention planning and broad support from senior management and all staff, a written and formally adopted policy statement from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is suggested. The statement can be incorporated into existing environmental policy statements or stand alone and should include the signatures of the CEO or other senior personnel in the facility.

The name of the individual certifying that the information in the P2 Plan is true and that the facility intends to carry through on commitments to reduce the use and release of substances is required in the Declaration of Preparation, Certification.

Many organizations already have corporate policies, principles or commitments in place which may incorporate issues relevant to P2 Planning. Examples include commitments to water and energy efficiency and conservation, sustainable development, and pollution prevention. Although issues such as resource conservation are not specific requirements of a P2 Planning Notice, implementing P2 activities as a whole for the facility is sound environmental and economic policy and could result in cost savings. 

Documenting corporate or facility environmental policies and principles may not be a requirement of a P2 Planning Notice; however, consolidating this information will help identify synergies and opportunities with existing initiatives in your P2 plan. Some examples could include existing “green team” policies, energy conservation policies etc.

Having an EMS may not be a requirement of the P2 Planning Notice; however, the process and documentation of preparing and implementing a P2 plan is very similar with those required for an EMS and both will complement the other. If your facility has an EMS already established, integrating your P2 plan into an existing EMS may only involve refocusing the EMS toward P2 practices. For example, within your EMS environmental policy, commit to the principles and practices of P2 where feasible. Additionally, ensure the initial environmental review conducted for your EMS is adjusted to be consistent with the focus of a P2 plan. Further examples and guidance on how an EMS and P2 plan can be integrated can be found in the P2 Planning Handbook in Table 3: Integrating Pollution Prevention into an EMS and the Pollution Prevention Planning and Environmental Management Systems factsheet.

Provide information on your facility or organization’s EMS here (if applicable).

Your organization may have already prepared and/or implemented a P2 Plan for another purpose. This may have been a voluntary effort, or a requirement under another government or under another Act of Parliament. If you have previously prepared a plan, provide the details in this section. This information must be reported in the Declaration of Preparation. If you will be using an existing P2 plan you may need to update it to ensure that it meets the requirements set out in the P2 Planning Notice.

Complete the sentence below, as it applies to your facility and provide details as required.

Establishing a P2 Planning team at the start of the P2 Planning process will ensure that all departments or sections will be able to take part as required. The P2 Planning team should have the support of senior management to undertake the activities required to complete your P2 plan. Examples of representatives to include on your P2 team include individuals from operations, planning and development, engineering, and environmental and/or laboratory services.

The pollution prevention planning team was developed as a result of the commitment from upper management. Table 2 lists the members of the P2 Planning team and their areas of responsibility. The P2 Planning team has the authority to undertake activities in relation to this P2 Plan and to utilize resources to achieve appropriate results. The manager accountable for the development of the P2 Plan is indicated in the Pollution Prevention Policy.