P3 - 2007 Project Overview

In the summer of 2007, 15 student interns participated in UNL’s Partners in Pollution Prevention Program. Students worked with businesses to research methods of reducing waste and preventing pollution. They also assisted with a wide variety of environmental projects focusing on education, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management. Each student prepared a report of proposed improvements, detailing the economic and environmental benefits of implementing their suggestions.

The following project overviews describe the interns' projects and recommendations.

Industrial Placement (one student-one business)

1. Gregory Arthur – Lincoln Water System
   Reduced water use by performing landscape irrigation water assessments of City high summer water users; conducted a lighting assessment.
2. Sean Brozek – Duncan Aviation
   Developed a system for investigating industrial solvent chemicals used to determine process modifications or material substitutions to make the processes more sustainable; identified method for reducing industrial rag use.
3. Carol Faulbaber – Archer Daniels Midland
   Conducted a Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) feasibility study to determine potential impacts for supplementing coal use with TDF; conducted waste assessments for fly ash and bed ash, Styrofoam cups, and waste corn cobs.
4. Deborah Hemphill – ASAlliances Biofuels – ASA Albion, LLC
   Created a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan; identified other pollution prevention (P2) opportunities for waste reduction and energy savings.
5. Damon Mar – Dutton-Lainson Company
   Reduced consumption of city water for non-contact cooling processes in brazing and plating rooms, improved compressed air system and conducted general waste assessment.
6. Cassie McBride – Tri-Con Industries, LTD
   Developed storm water pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs) for two facilities to minimize pollution of storm water; conducted general waste assessments.
7. Katie Ring – Cornhusker Energy Lexington
   Prepared a draft Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP); investigated the feasibility of capturing biogas from the nearby waste water treatment plant (WWTP) to reduce electricity use; and conducted general waste assessment.
8. Tom Soucie - Molex
   Investigated solid waste streams to minimize wastes, including alternatives for aerosol can products, increased cardboard recycling, increasing storage through pallet shelving, and identifying a new recycling vendor; improved the compressed air system to reduce electricity use.
9. Lauren Tietgen – NuCor Nebraska
   Evaluated opportunities for reducing energy use in electric arc and melting furnace operations; recommended improvements to solid water recycling program.

Small Business (one student-several regional businesses)

1. Melissa Golden –McCook, NE
   Studied of compressed air use, rubber/cardboard/yarn recycling, and conducted a general pollution prevention assessment at a McCook business; participated in public education projects for Red Willow County, such as making presentations and radio public service announcements.
2. Brandi Munsinger – WasteCap Nebraska
   Conducted market research and performed baseline surveys for EPA’s WasteWise program; compiled general waste assessment was for the Nebraska National Guard Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS).
3. Jason Thoendel – Lancaster County Extension
   Conducted waste assessments focused on reducing energy consumption and solid waste disposal at several small businesses in the area; participated in public education projects such as making presentations and writing pollution prevention newsletter articles.

Industrial Assistance (team of students-complex industrial projects)

1. Dean Herl
   Assisted several businesses with a variety of projects, including a system for tracking greenhouse gas emissions, a hazardous waste training module for employees, and a feasibility study for a more sustainable paint rack cleaning process.
2. Keith Derr – Army Aviation Support Facility
   Reviewed existing pollution prevention program and made recommendations for more sustainable program designs and management practices.
3. Mahesh Pun – Nebraska Groundwater Foundation
   Developed model for education of business users of non-community water supply systems focusing on conservation, pollution prevention and groundwater management.