In 1992, in anticipation of the emerging national and global trend toward product stewardship, pollution prevention, and green consumerism, a group of forward-thinking researchers at the University of Tennessee (UT) established the Center for Clean Products (CCP).
CCP is a multi-disciplinary research center dedicated to the development, evaluation, and adoption of clean products and materials. The Center is housed within UT's Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment.
CCP staff members bring a combined 40 years of experience to partnerships with industry and other stakeholders, working to improve the environmental performance of a wide range of consumer products and manufacturing systems. Through these partnerships, CCP has assisted industry leaders in adopting a life-cycle perspective, incorporating environmental concerns into the earliest phases of product design, and making clean production a cornerstone of their corporate culture.
News
CCP's Director, Catherine Wilt, was named by Waste & Recycling News to a list of "25 Influential Women in Environmental Management" who have worked to eliminate gender barriers in their field. The article was published on March 30, 2009.
Catherine Wilt was appointed by the Chancellor to serve on the University of Tennessee's Committee for the Campus Environment.
Toy manufacturers wishing to demonstrate environmental
leadership and a commitment to safeguarding children’s health can now pursue certification to North America’s first and only third-party environmental toy standard. CCP was a key participants in the development of the standard. Read the news release.
Features
EPEAT Standards Development—The Center for Clean Products will manage the public process to develop environmental standards for up to four additional electronics product categories, beginning with imaging equipment and televisions.
Electronic Environmental Benefits Calculator, Version 2.0 - The University of Tennessee, with support from Abt Associates and Dillon Environmental Associates, developed this calculator (under a cooperative agreement with US EPA) to assist in estimating the environmental and economic benefits of purchasing EPEAT-registered products. This calculator tool is currently available in an Excel Spreadsheet format. In 2009, EPA plans to make the Calculator available as a web-based tool.