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News from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute
at the University of Massachusetts Lowell 
September 2014 
Come to Our Open House!

TURI is having an Open House on on Tuesday, September 30, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at our office in the Wannalancit building at 600 Suffolk Street, 5th Floor, East Campus

 

Please join us for refreshments, learn about new initiatives at TURI and engage in great conversations.

 

Environmentally Friendly Auto Body Shop Practices

 

912 Auto Center in Dorchester is demonstrating its water-based paints and safer paint gun wash solution.


 

September 16 and September 23, 10 AM to Noon. Each session is the same; select one. Two CE credits are available. Attendance is free but registration is required.

 

Science Advisory Board Meeting, September 17, 

12:30 PM, Saltonstall Building, Boston.

 

TURA Advisory Committee Meeting, September 19, 

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

 

TURA Administrative Council Meeting, September 19, 

1:00 - 3:00 PM

 

Save the date


November 20 for the Continuing Education Conference in Marlborough.

 

See the entire 2014-2015 TURA Training Schedule.

 

Other Events of Interest

 

Ribbon cutting for Jamaica Plain's first professional wet cleaner, J&P Cleaners, on September 11. More information.

 

Massachusetts Green Careers Conference, Marlborough, October 1. More information.

 

New England Surface Finishing Regional Conference, Hyannis, November 7. More information.

August's Featured Resource: GreenScreen 

The GreenScreen Practitioner Advanced Training begins October 1.



TURI's free bi-weekly e-bulletin features previews of recent publications and websites relevant to reducing the use of toxic chemicals.

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TURI FY 2015 Grants

Industry Grants

International Rectifier, 
Leominister, MA has been awarded a TURI industry incentive grant to convert from using nPB (n propyl bromide)for industrial parts cleaning to using an aqueous or semi-aqueous process.


Academic Research Grants

TURI has awarded three academic research grants to teams at UMass Lowell.

Prof. Gu
Zhiyong Gu, Associate Professor, 
Chemical Engineering, for investigation
of the mechanical properties of nanosolder enabled lead and halogen free solder paste.


Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Associate Professor, Plastics Engineering, for investigation of formaldehyde-free thermosets.



Meg Sobkowicz-Kline, Assistant Professor, Plastics Engineering, for elimination of organic solvents in biobased, biodegradable latex coatings.


Community Grants

FY 15 Community Grantees


For the Fiscal Year 2015, TURI has awarded grants to these community- based projects:

  • Jamaica Plain Cancer Free New Economy - Phase two of this transformational project will include community work on public policies that advance toxics use reduction and working with retailers on safer cleaning and disinfecting.
  • Girls Going Green, "Naturally Beautiful", Lowell - This program at the YWCA in Lowell will develop a series of interactive workshops about safer personal care products for youth.
  • Metro West Prevention & Wellness Partnership: Healthy Homes Initiative - A regional coalition of towns will create tool kits and other resources for healthy household cleaners to reduce pediatric asthma.
  • Transition of Public Land Management to Organic Land Care, Springfield - This project is for the development of a  systems approach to organic land care that can be deployed across the city of Springfield. 
  • Full Circle Earth - Full Circle Earth's goal is to create a regional and state-wide model for reducing pesticide use, including establishing a community education learning center.
With the help of Jamaica Plain New Economy, J&P Cleaners opened a wet cleaning facility on September 11.

TURA Policy Update

 

The Administrative Council has voted to designate five chemicals/categories of chemicals as Higher Hazard Substances: dimethylformamide, toluene diisocyanates, hydrogen fluoride, cyanide compounds and 1-bromopropane (n-propyl bromide). This designation would lower the reporting threshold to 1,000 lb/year for TURA-covered facilities using these chemicals. Once regulations have been proposed, there will be a 21- day public comment period. 

 

The Administrative Council is also considering an adjustment to the TURA fees. Annual fee adjustments, required by the Act, have not been implemented since the inception of the program. At its next meeting, the Council will discuss three options for increasing fees.  All the options would provide revenues sufficient to meet the minimum mandatory statutory requirements.  The program is recommending an option that provides for mitigation of higher fees, particularly on smaller businesses.   

 

Questions about either of these proposals can be directed to Executive Director of the Administrative Council, Rich Bizzozero, at [email protected].

 

TURA Program Celebrates 25 Years


 

Twenty five years ago, the Massachusetts legislature passed landmark legislation - the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA). Today, the TURA Program is considered a model environmental policy by other states and countries. The program's success is due, in large part, to the dedicated professionals who are Toxics Use Reduction Planners. TUR Planners continue to help companies reduce toxic chemical use and costs, improve the health and safety of workers and the public and support the competitiveness of Massachusetts businesses. The TURA Program gratefully recognizes TUR Planners this 25th anniversary year.


 
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the TURA program, we are recognizing:

  • Massachusetts companies that are realizing economic growth while protecting health and the environment through Toxics Use Reduction (TUR).
  • Massachusetts organizations that have achieved TUR in their communities.
Do you know a company or organization that has demonstrated leadership in Toxics Use Reduction? Has your company or organization demonstrated leadership in Toxics Use Reduction? If so, we want to hear from you.  


If you have questions, please contact Pam Eliason or Joy Onasch at TURI.

TURI Staff Publications

 

Mark Myles and University of Massachusetts Professor George Joseph received an award, Best Paper, Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Section from the American Accounting Association for their paper, "The Moulder Company: Alternative Toxics Use Reduction Strategies"