Last call for host company applications! 

Do you know an engineering, environmental science or life science student looking for a summer internship? 

Send them our way! Applicants will need at least a junior standing by the start of the summer internship, including graduate students. Interested students can learn more and apply on our website.

Fink assumes role as PPI Director

This month, Arthur Fink will assume the role of director of K-State's Pollution Prevention Institute. Fink has been with PPI since 2017 as an environmental specialist.

"As new and old environmental impacts alike continue to affect Kansas citizens and businesses, I'm looking forward to continuing my service with PPI to help industries in Kansas remain compliant with environmental regulations and helping them to use energy and other resources as efficiently as possible," Fink said.

Join us in welcoming Arthur to his new role!

Featured Host Company: K-State Veterinary Health Center

Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center, or VHC, is a full-service veterinary teaching hospital that employs more than 50 veterinarians and 100 staff members. VHC noticed there was well-documented data for water usage in human health care, but this was not the case for animal care. With the assistance of PPI interns, VHC installed commercial water meters on hoses and sinks in the Large Animal Teaching Hospital, or LATH, to measure water usage. After restrictors were installed, weekly consumption of water in the LATH reduced by 13% during the period monitored, reducing from an average of 15,957 gal/wk to 13,883 gal/wk.

The work of PPI interns resulted in VHC receiving a 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. 

Additional VHC projects and their results are documented in case summaries by 2024 intern Carrie George and 2023 intern Gabby Maroulis.

Proposed rule to protect workers from exposure to C.I. Pigment Violet 29

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a new rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act to protect workers from inhalation exposure to C.I. Pigment Violet 29, or PV29, a chemical that presents the risk of lung damage.

PV29 is a powder, slurry or paste that can be used to create ink for commercial printing, and as a pigment for paints, coatings, basecoats, plastics and rubber products. The EPA's 2021 risk evaluation indicated that prolonged exposure to PV29 powder can lead to lung toxicity, impairing the lungs' ability to deliver oxygen to the body.

If finalized, the rule would require respiratory protection and cleaning programs in workplaces where PV29 is used in its dry powder form. PV29 already incorporated into paints, coatings or other materials isn’t damaging to the lungs like the dry powder form.

Learn more about the PV29 proposal >

Save the date for the 2025 Kansas Environmental Conference

August 12-14 in Manhattan

Mark your calendar to join us! Learn from and network with both private and public sectors. Come hear presentations about program and regulation updates, emerging issues and technological innovations.