P3: Partners in Pollution Prevention

  • 2023 P3 group
    2023 P3 group
  • 2019 P3 group
    2019 P3 group
  • 2018 P3 group
    2018 P3 group

Providing businesses innovative, economical and environmentally friendly solutions for a sustainable future.

P3 Team Mission Statement
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Partners in Pollution Prevention (P3) program has helped both area college students and Nebraska businesses since 1997. P3 is an outreach assistance program operated by the University of Nebraska Extension and College of Engineering and funded by the USEPA Region 7, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and a wide variety of businesses and industrial partners.

Undergraduate student interns provide one-on-one Pollution Prevention assistance to Nebraska businesses by performing waste assessments or other waste reduction and resource conservation projects, and providing each client with a written report detailing waste minimization suggestions. Clients who have participated in this program over the years range from small businesses such as dry cleaners and auto body shops to large manufacturing plants and agriculture producers.

The P3 program has made a difference to the bottom line of many Nebraska businesses. We have assisted a total of approximately 833 clients from 1997 through 2023, while cooperating with a wide range of environmental and business assistance providers and partners. The program has worked in 95 different Nebraska communities ranging from Scottsbluff, to South Sioux City, to Omaha, helping Nebraska businesses save a potential $42 million dollars through waste reduction and resource conservation and divert over 315 million pounds of solid waste from landfills. Based on follow-up reassessments with recent clients, 53% of all recommendations made by the students were actually implemented.

Unique to this program, P3 also has educational and outreach components. Over 400 interns have participated in the program since 1997 and thousands have heard the message that “Pollution Prevention means Good Business.” Today, the program continues to help Nebraska businesses reduce waste and strive for sustainability.

Summer 2024 - New Interns Needed!

The P3 program is looking to fill about 14 paid summer internship positions. P3 offers Junior and Senior-level engineering, science, and agriculture students the chance to apply their knowledge and skills to help reduce pollution for Nebraska businesses.

For the summer 2024, we are specifically looking for:
  • Students to work on sustainable manufacturing projects (6 positions, most clients are located outside of the Lincoln and Omaha. Locations may include Alliance, Broken Bow, Fairbury, Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Lincoln, and Beatrice).
  • Students to work with the Nebraska Industrial Assessment Center to help multiple manufacturers improve their energy efficiency (8 positions based out of Lincoln with extensive travel in Nebraska).
Are you ready to find out more or how to apply for a summer internship? See the “Candidate Credentials” page!

Seeking Industrial Sponsors for the Summer of 2024

UNL Partners in Pollution Prevention (P3) program is actively seeking Nebraska businesses to consider participating in the Summer 2024 internship program. This is an awesome opportunity to develop innovative, economical and environmentally friendly solutions for a sustainable future. Click here to see the impacts made by the P3 program, or contact Matthew Jorgensen for additional information at 308-293-5884, or e-mail him at mjorgensen@unl.edu.