Cleaner Greener Production Programme (CGPP)

CGPP6 Call - May 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency has funding available in grant aid under Phase 6 of the Cleaner
Greener Production Programme (CGPP6) and the EPA National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP)
to assist organisations to become cleaner and greener.
If your organisation wants to improve its environmental performance, profits, efficiency and public
image, then the CGPP is for you.
The aim of the CGPP is to encourage better business practices, helping to reduce the consumption of
resources and minimise environmental burden through process and product innovation. This provides
a win-win solution as organisations become more economically and environmentally sustainable.

• Production
• Performance
• Consumption
• Procurement

The available grant-aid will range from €5,000 to €40,000 depending on project scope. For details see http://www.epa.ie/researchandeducation/research/funding/current/

Background

The Environmental Protection Agency launched the Cleaner Greener Production Programme (CGPP) in 2001 as a grant scheme to encourage Irish organisations to implement cleaner greener practices. The philosophy of the programme is that prevention is better than cure.

The projects challenged organisations to produce goods and services in more environmentally friendly ways, targeting the minimisation of emissions through cleaner production methods. The objective was to achieve a balance between economic activity and protection of the environment.

Since 2001 the EPA has committed over €7 million to 89 organisations that have received part funding for demonstration projects under this programme. Companies commit to developing demonstration projects that reduce their environmental impact and are applicable across the business sector. Environmental performance is fast becoming a marketing tool and there is an increasing demand for environmentally sound products and services both in the EU and across international markets.

The long-term aim is to try to ensure that cleaner greener production and eco-efficiency become the established norm in Ireland. The EPA hope that other businesses will learn from and build on past success stories and that will work towards CGPP’s tagline objective: “Better Business in a Better Ireland”.

Find out more about the CGPP Programme on the CGPP website.

What is Cleaner Greener Production?

Cleaner Greener Production is...

the application of integrated preventive environmental strategies to processes, products and services to increase overall efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment, for example:

• Production processes: conserving raw materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw materials and reducing the quantity and toxicity of all emissions and wastes
• Products: reducing negative impacts along the life cycle of a product, from raw materials extraction to its ultimate disposal
• Services: encouraging and supporting the development of higher environmental performance in the service sector, by incorporating environmental concerns into designing and delivering services
• Eco-Design: developing new products with reduced environmental impact on a life cycle basis (from raw material sourcing, through production and use, to end of life burdens).  Eco-Design is also intended to embrace such concepts as improved recyclability, ease of repair and re-use, and improved durability.

Cleaner Greener Production requires...

New attitudes, better environmental management and evaluating available technology options. It is essential  to take good environmental practice to the stage where it is an inherent part of any business operation.

Learn More….

• Read the CGPP Summary Report (Phase 2)
• EPA-funded projects in the Environmental Technologies area

More Information….

on the CGPP Programme, please contact Lisa Sheils