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Iowa Businesses Partner with DNR for Pollution Prevention
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Five Iowa businesses are collaborating with the iowa DNR’s Pollution Prevention (P2) Intern Programme to improve operational efficiency and cut costs this summer.
The program places upper-level engineering students at participating companies to conduct assessments, analyze data, research pollution prevention strategies, and offer recommendations. The goal is to help these companies make informed decisions and implement changes that improve their environmental performance.
According to jeff Fiagle, Team Lead for the DNR’s P2 Services team, “Pollution Prevention or ‘P2′ is the process of going back up the pipe to identify the root cause of inefficiency and applying source-reduction strategies to reduce or eliminate waste in a process or system.” Technical advisors provide training and oversight to the interns, guiding them toward long-term solutions that benefit both the habitat and the companies’ bottom lines.
As its inception in 2001, the P2 Intern Program has partnered with over 200 Iowa organizations, including companies, hospitals, universities, and government agencies. These partnerships have resulted in more than $122.5 million in savings through resource efficiency and improved environmental practices.
Environmental benefits
The program has yielded significant environmental benefits, including reductions in:
- 6.5 billion gallons of water
- 286,763 tons of solid/special waste
- 10,493 tons of hazardous waste
- 518.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity
- 27 million therms of energy
“Pollution Prevention or ‘P2’ is the process of going back up the pipe to identify the root cause of inefficiency.”
2025 Participating Companies
The companies participating in the 2025 P2 Intern Program are:
- Kemin Industries (Monks)
- Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, inc.(Eddyville)
- grinnell College (Grinnell)
- JBS USA, LLC (Marshalltown)
- JBS Swift Pork (Ottumwa)
The P2 Intern program is funded through federal grants, solid waste tonnage fees, and cost-sharing arrangements with the host companies.
Pollution Prevention Services also offers confidential, non-regulatory technical assistance, including assessments, infrared thermographic analysis, Environmental management Systems development, workshops, an equipment loan program, and access to a technical resource library.
These services are offered free of charge to help companies reduce expenses,enhance process efficiency,and minimize waste.
For more information, visit www.iowap2interns.com. Case summaries of the 2025 projects will be posted on the website in the fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is pollution prevention?
- Pollution prevention (P2) is reducing or eliminating waste at the source. It focuses on practices that reduce the use of hazardous materials, energy, water, and other resources.
- What are the benefits of participating in the P2 Intern Program?
- Participating companies can improve their environmental performance, reduce costs through resource efficiency, and receive expert guidance from technical advisors and upper-level engineering students.
- How is the P2 Intern Program funded?
- The program is funded through federal grants,portions of solid waste tonnage fees,and cost shares provided by the host companies.
- What kind of technical assistance does Pollution Prevention Services offer?
- They offer confidential, non-regulatory technical assistance, including assessments, infrared thermographic analysis, Environmental Management Systems development, workshops, an equipment loan program, and access to a technical resource library.
- How can my company get involved in the P2 Intern program?
- Visit www.iowap2interns.com for more information and to learn how to apply.
