Sample Questions Pollution prevention means not creating waste in the first place and reducing the use of toxic chemicals as inputs into business operations. Pollution prevention is different from "pollution control" or "waste management" (including recycling, treatment, burning, and disposal), which are less preferred methods to protect the environment. These strategies only stop waste chemicals from entering the environment after they have been unintentionally created.

The five sample questions on pollution prevention can help you distinguish between real reductions in pollution and reductions which only occur on paper, and can help you gain additional information about facility environmental practices and performance. Feel free to edit the questions before posting them for a company to respond.

The two sample questions about an unusual event will enable you to see if a company has an acceptable explanation for an accident or other event, and whether it has a system in place to investigate problems and prevent them in the future. Begin your questioning by describing the event, including what occurred, when it occurred, and where, being as specific as possible. Feel free to edit the questions before posting them for a company to respond.