The Georgia Environmental Partnership
Helping Georgia businesses achieve a competitive edge in the 21st century
The Georgia Environmental Partnership (GEP) is a coalition composed of the:
- Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P²AD), Georgia Department of Natural Resources
- Engineering Outreach Service, University of Georgia
- Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology
Mission
The mission of GEP is to leverage the financial and human resources of its members in order to deliver technical assistance that promotes the adoption of pollution prevention, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance throughout Georgia businesses. GEP seeks to avoid duplication of services and to provide seamless environmental assistance. By drawing on the strengths of each member, the resulting partnership is stronger than the sum of its parts.
Partners
P²AD
P²AD is a non-regulatory state agency that offers a wide variety of technical assistance in the areas of pollution prevention, manufacturing technology, and recycling. Its client base includes small and large commercial operations, institutions, industry, agriculture, and government agencies throughout the state.
Enterprise Innovation Institute
The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute works with Georgia enterprises to help them compete nationally and internationally. It has one of the most comprehensive university-based programs of business and industry assistance, technology commercialization and economic development in the nation. Through its Energy and Environmental Management Center (EEMC), engineers and other professionals located throughout Georgia are ready to assist enterprises in areas of expertise including environmental and safety management, environmental compliance, waste reduction, energy management, and environmental technologies.
Engineering Outreach Service
The Engineering Outreach Service of the University of Georgia provides technical assistance and technology deployment in the agriculture, food processing, textile, pulp and paper, and forest products industries. Programs include byproduct recovery and separation of waste materials, in-plant pilot studies, and waste bioconversion projects.
Programs
On-site Assessments
On-site assessments involve one or more visits by our engineers which focus on evaluating waste-generating processes, characterizing waste streams, and identifying economically viable pollution prevention options. All assistance provided to industry and information obtained during the course of assessments is confidential and only released with the permission of the client.
Byproduct Recovery
GEP assists commercial/industrial clients by seeking the highest-value uses for their byproducts. Mechanisms include recycling assistance through an intranet of 50 technical assistance providers, pilot projects to evaluate alternative uses for byproducts, and identifying new markets for recyclable and reusable materials.
Technology Deployment
GEP assists industry in becoming aware of new and emerging technologies, and opportunities for implementation. Objectives include identifying technology gaps, supporting technology research, and promoting the commercialization of those technologies, including involvement in pilot scale trials and demonstrations at industrial plants.
Environmental Management Tools
GEP will furnish Georgia industries with the tools needed to optimize operations – to achieve improved product quality while reducing operating costs. These tools include:
- A full cost accounting tool offers companies a systematic approach to identifying environmental costs, analyzing cost data, and using environmental cost information in decision making
- An energy management system tool, developed by Georgia Tech, helps organizations identify their true energy needs and reduce energy use
- An environmental management system tool identifies the most important environmental risks in conducting business and puts procedures in place to eliminate or minimize these risks.
GEP Success Stories
Contact GEP
Pollution Prevention Assistance Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
7 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Suite 450
Atlanta, GA 30334-9004
Phone: 800-165-2443 or 404-165-5120
The University of Georgia
Engineering Outreach Service
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
Driftmier Engineering Center
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602-4435
Phone: 706-542-1653 Fax: 706-542-8806
Georgia Institute of Technology
Enterprise Innovation Institute
Energy and Environmental Management Center
760 Spring Street, Suite 330
Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0640
Phone: 404-894-4138 Fax: 404-894-1192