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About MnTAP
Business Services
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The Minnesota Technical Assistance
Program (MnTAP) is an outreach program at the University
of Minnesota that helps Minnesota businesses develop
and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and cost to improve public health and the environment.
MnTAP provides free technical assistance
tailored to your business. By reducing waste and increasing
efficiency you can save on disposal and raw material
costs, and decrease regulatory compliance burdens. You
also will create healthier and safer working conditions
for your employees.
Established in 1984, MnTAP is funded primarily by a pass-through
grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Prevention
and Assistance Division to the University of Minnesota School of
Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences. As part
of the University, MnTAP has no regulatory responsibilities or
obligations.
Impact
In 2007, MnTAP responded to over 1,000 requests for assistance and site visits. The companies who worked with MnTAP last year have reduced more than one million pounds of waste and emissions, and saved over $1.8 million in raw material and disposal costs. Additionally, these companies have conserved over 14 million kWh and 475,000 therms annually.
Over the past five years, MnTAP has responded to over 5,000 requests for assistance and site visits and helped companies reduce over 33 million pounds of waste and emissions, and conserve 59 million gallons of water, 16 million kWh, and nearly 500,000 therms. These companies have realized cost savings of over $6 million.
Business
Services
Telephone Assistance
Staff may be able to answer questions over the telephone,
such as who provides aqueous cleaning equipment or low
VOC coatings. Staff can also refer you to other resources,
like regulatory information and energy saving programs.
Site Visits
When solving waste issues at
your facility requires more than a simple answer over
the telephone, you may benefit from a site visit. A
MnTAP staff member will visit your facility to gain
a better understanding of your processes and to identify
strategies for improving efficiency and reducing waste
at your facility. Call for assistance or to request
a site visit.
Customized
Research
MnTAP staff may have encountered problems similar to
yours. Our library houses over 4,000 publications for
staff reference. But, when new problems are posed, MnTAP
staff does customized research to find answers. Staff
has access to the University of Minnesota resources,
as well as connections to industry experts across the
country.
Intern
Program
Through the student intern program MnTAP hires and pays
college students with technical backgrounds to work
full-time for three months at your company developing
effective waste reduction solutions. Students gain experience
problem solving for waste issues while you get specific
solutions to enhance efficiency and prevent pollution.
Materials
Exchange program—The Business Reuse Network
The Materials Exchange program links companies that
have excess reusable goods, that otherwise would be
disposed of, with companies who can use them. In the
last five years, the Materials Exchange has helped businesses
save about $3 million and exchange over eight million
pounds of material.
Information
Resources
MnTAP offers over 100 technical
publications including fact sheets, vendor reference
lists and case studies. MnTAP also publishes a free
newsletter, Source.
Presentations & Workshops
Have us work with your company or trade association
to develop an industry-specific presentation or workshop.
Attend one of our workshops or conferences and learn
more about reducing waste.
Environmental
Planning
MnTAP can help you find solutions that contribute to
your pollution prevention planning, Environmental Management
Systems (EMS) and ISO certification process.
Early
Project Involvement
Call us to participate in project planning for expansions,
relocations, new product lines and process upgrades.
Our technical staff can provide input on ways to achieve
your goals and reduce waste.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How are you different than other assistance
providers? MnTAP is a well-established program that
has been at the University of Minnesota since 1985.
The majority of our technical staff has concentrated
on a specific industry for five or more years. Many
of them come with experience in the industry sectors
they serve. All technical staff have engineering or
science degrees.
How
far can you take a project? MnTAP can help carry
a project through to implementation when a company demonstrates
commitment. We can work on implementing projects with
help from student interns or through MnTAP staff
working with company teams. We also make referrals to
grant programs and consultants.
How
much time do you need? We know you're busy. Depending
on your questions and situation, you could get a quick
answer over the telephone or we may suggest a
visit to your facility. But, we'll work to fit
your schedule's demands.
How
much does MnTAP charge? MnTAP services are provided
at no cost to make finding waste reduction opportunities
easier. MnTAP is partially supported through industry
fees.
Will
an inspector be automatically sent out after MnTAP visits
my company? No, MnTAP and the regulatory agencies
are separate entities. Our goal is to offer you suggestions
for waste reduction and pollution prevention, not to
enforce laws or regulations.
MnTAP's Pollution Prevention Time Line
This time line lists past environmental disasters—and the environmental organizations and regulations that were spawned as a result of the desire to prevent these disasters in the future. It also chronicles MnTAP's role in providing pollution prevention assistance to Minnesota businesses.
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