DES MOINES – Project requests are currently being accepted from companies interested in participating in the Iowa DNR’s 2025 Pollution Prevention (P2) Intern Program.
**The deadline to submit a project request is Friday, December 6, 2024.**
Since its inception in 2001, more than 200 companies, hospitals, universities, and government agencies in Iowa have participated in the program, leading to more than $120.2 million in savings through improved efficiency and enhanced environmental performance.
This service places top engineering students in Iowa facilities that are looking for cost-effective ways to cut or eliminate waste from their operations to improve environmental performance, and ultimately save money. The interns analyze current systems, research alternative processes or technologies, and develop strategies to improve resource utilization.
The 2024 interns recommended improvements that could save companies more than $3.4 million dollars annually. While on-site, the interns initiated improvement plans that will save the host companies more than $969,000 annually. These projects will conserve water and energy, reduce chemical usage and hazardous waste, divert waste from landfills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Annual environmental reductions generated in 2024 include:
- 36,716,712 gallons of water
- 2,292.49 tons of hazardous waste
- 44,220 kWh
- 1,074,694 therms
- 1,599.15 MTCO2e
Project request forms are available at www.iowap2interns.com, or you can download a copy of the request form (.docx). Program advisors are available to help with developing project requests.
For more information on the Pollution Prevention Intern Program, visit: www.iowap2interns.com.