OASIS interns showcased real-world pollution prevention solutions for local businesses

Key Takeaways from the OASIS 2025 Summer Symposium

2025 OASIS intern symposium
Marina Thompson worked with Ashland Food Co-op where she conducted a waste stream audit to help the Co-op reach their zero waste goals.
Camiron Coco worked at the Rogue Creamery on projects that involved waste audits, emissions tracking, and water reduction strategies.
Abigail Williams (right) worked at Revino identifying new beverage manufacturers interested in reusable glass, and evaluating environmentally preferred chemical wash practices to improve reuse safety and efficiency.
Rohan Keenan worked on a water mapping project for the Oregon Potato Company.
Carlos A Rodarte worked at BRING and focused on energy efficiency in refrigeration.
Robyn Henry worked with the Eugene-based nonprofit BRING Recycling and focused on supporting Food & Beverage Manufacturers in improving refrigeration system efficiency and reducing refrigerant leaks.
Gillian Rutten working at the Oregon Garden to improve the efficiency of the garden’s greenhouse.
Sage Henke worked at Chapul Farms, an innovative agricultural startup in McMinnville.

The Oregon Applied Sustainability Internship (OASIS) program held its highly anticipated Summer Symposium recently, where eight talented interns delivered presentations showcasing their projects aimed at enhancing sustainability for Oregon businesses. You can hear directly from the interns in this 2025 OASIS program video.

With funding from the EPA’s Pollution Prevention (P2) grant, the program is administered through Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). OASIS pairs interns with businesses in Oregon to achieve pollution prevention goals while offering students hands-on experience. The EPA grant helps offset program costs and intern stipends.

Over an intensive 11-week period, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students from universities across Oregon including, the Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Southern Oregon University, Linfield University and Lewis and Clark College, participated in the paid internship program. The interns worked for both small and large businesses in the state’s food and beverage industry. They showcased a variety of practical projects, each designed to make a real difference in pollution prevention and resource efficiency.

Here are some highlights from their impactful work this year:

Comprehensive Water Mapping: Rohan Keenan designed a comprehensive water mapping project aimed at improving operational efficiency and creating a model that can reduce water usage across multiple plants.

Energy Optimization for Small Manufacturers: Robyn Henry and Carlos A. Rodate provided technical assistance and developed training materials for small food and beverage manufacturers like coffee roasters, bakeries, grocery stores and breweries to optimize refrigeration systems to reduce energy costs.

Path to B-Corp Certification: Camiron Coco supported a local creamery in pursuing B-Corp Certification by implementing waste audits, enhancing data management practices and suggesting water efficiency equipment.

Life Cycle Assessment for Organic Soil Amendments: Sage Harris collected data for a Life Cycle Assessment analysis to identify strategies that eliminating byproducts generated during the production of organic soil amendments from black fly larvae.

Reusable Wine Bottle Programs: Abigail Williams worked for a startup aiming to introduce reusable wine bottle programs to wineries; researching methods to reduce toxic chemicals in the bottle-washing process and conducting outreach to attract new customers.

Energy Efficiency: Gillian Rutten recommended a strategy to replace outdated heaters with electric or propane units in a garden greenhouse, boosting overall energy efficiency. An additional recommendation was to build a compost water heater to expand effluent water use.

Waste Reduction at a Local Co-op: Marina Thompson improved food and solid waste management at a local food co-op, emphasizing the value of reusable containers at the hot bar and deli while improving packaging and purchasing policies.

DEQ Senior Toxic Reduction Analyst and OASIS Program Administrator, Lisa Cox, is passionate about the program’s overarching mission and says, “through OASIS, we’ve been able to provide free technical assistance to many businesses across the state. Our goal is to help them achieve their environmental objectives while supporting pollution prevention solutions and environmental workforce development.”

Interns benefited from the guidance of mentors and industry professionals, including engineers, sustainability experts, and scientists. At the end of their internships, they proposed actionable solutions that companies could implement to tackle identified challenges.

Based on the interns’ recommendations, if implemented, businesses could potentially save the following amounts annually:

• 3,497 pounds of solid waste
• 2,669.785 metric tons of CO₂ emissions
• 1,320 pounds of hazardous waste
• 85,516 kilowatt hours of energy
• $287,649 in costs
• 7,720,000 gallons of water

Stay tuned for the next OASIS program.

By Yulia Shipulina, DEQ Pollution Prevention (P2) Program Coordinator

Protected: DRILL – Coos Bay BD Spill – Drill

DEQ is Celebrating 15 Years of Paint Stewardship in Oregon

a silver paint can with yellow and blue paint

2025 marks a significant milestone for paint product stewardship in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Paint Stewardship Program are celebrating 15 years of operation. The stewardship organization, PaintCare, has successfully collected 10 million gallons of leftover paint in Oregon. This achievement is important because  leftover paint makes up the largest volume of materials collected by local household hazardous waste programs. It is estimated that 10% of the more than 7.5 million gallons of architectural paint sold each year in Oregon goes unused.

PaintCare’s stewardship aims to increase opportunities to manage leftover paint properly, offering convenient disposal locations throughout the state where households and businesses can drop off their leftover paint free of charge.

As of July 1, 2025, the Oregon Paint Stewardship Program has accomplished the following:

Created 187 year-round drop-off sites

Collected over 10 million gallons of paint

Hosted 80 PaintCare drop-off events

Managed paint from more than 850 events

Conducted more than 725 large-volume pickups

With a focus on accessibility, community engagement, and responsible waste management, the program enables Oregonians to recycle paint responsibly. Click here to view statewide drop-off locations or upcoming collection events.

To learn more, visit DEQ’s program webpage or PaintCare’s webpage.

By Rachel Harding, DEQ Materials Management Program Analyst

SepticSmart Week is Sept. 15-19, as proclaimed by Oregon’s governor

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek proclaimed Sept. 15-19 to be SepticSmart Week this year, adding to the national awareness campaign to bring attention to the importance of septic system care and maintenance for public health and safety.

“By making efforts to educate the public about septic systems and onsite wastewater Oregonians can achieve the highest possible standard of safe, sanitary and environmentally sound onsite wastewater service,” reads part of Kotek’s Aug. 18 proclamation.

DEQ is taking part in the national campaign and spreading SepticSmart Tips. Our septic DO’s and DON’Ts underscore the messages of the week.

SepticSmart Week has been around since 2013, so this year marks its 13th anniversary. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the annual event to help homeowners, communities, and local governments understand the importance of maintaining septic systems.

The EPA offers these tips to be #SepticSmart:

Think at the Sink!
Learn what not to put down your kitchen sink (such as fats, oils, or greases), properly dispose of food waste and how to use cleaning supplies in moderation.
Keep It Clean! Don’t Strain Your Drain!
Learn about the importance of testing your well water, and its relationship to your septic system.
Shield Your Field!
Learn about your septic system’s drainfield, including how it works, and tips to take care of it.
Protect It and Inspect It!
Learn about a typical septic system inspection, how often an inspection should be performed and considerations for advanced systems.
Don’t Overload the Commode!
Learn about what can be flushed down the toilet, and what should be thrown in the trash.
Pump Your Tank!
Learn about a typical septic tank pump-out service, and how a septic tank works.

Learn more at EPA’s SepticSmart web page.

– Dylan Darling, public affairs specialist

Grants and Incentives Available to Support Cleaner Diesel Transportation

Application period for clean truck and infrastructure grants extended through Sept. 3

An electric vehicle charging station in the foreground with several delivery trucks parked in the background. — Oregon DEQ grants and incentives can help develop electric vehicle charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

ATTENTION DIESEL FLEET AND EQUIPMENT OWNERS! You can apply for a variety of grants to support efforts to reduce dirty transportation emissions across the state through Oregon DEQ’s 2025 Clean Trucks and Infrastructure program.

Empowering Communities: Highlights from the National Climate Planning Summit in Portland

^{Photo caption: Climate planners board the electric school bus that was generously offered as transport from Beaverton School District.}

Climate planners came together in Portland this July to continue learning from one another, building momentum for collaboration, and charting paths forward for this work even in uncertain times. Oregon did not disappoint. The gathering began with a field trip to visit two inspiring local projects. Attendees hopped on a Beaverton School District electric school bus to head over to the first stop, Verde’s community solar project in NE Portland.

The first community solar project of its kind in the area, located on Port of Portland land, provides clean energy to 200 BIPOC and elderly residents in the Cully neighborhood. This initiative not only delivers clean energy but also lowers utility bills, benefitting the community economically. Saolo from Verde highlighted the importance of bringing in community members at the earliest stages of dreaming up the project. Verde serves communities by building environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach, and advocacy. Funded by the Portland Clean Energy Fund, this pilot project will inform future projects will break ground soon.

This is just the beginning of the incredible work happening around the country aimed at reducing climate pollution and strengthening community.

people outside — Photo caption: Saolo, from the Verde Builds team, shares how the community engages
with the project through planting native plants and taking care of the land surrounding the solar panels.

The crew set off again to Portland General Electric and Daimler’s joint vision, Electric Island, to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to charge electric heavy-duty trucks. This site is unique in that it allows for testing of a variety of electric vehicle chargers that are on the market today. From how the electricity makes its way from the grid to the site and then to the chargers and vehicles themselves, this site is constantly collecting lessons on how to improve future sites.

backs of four people two are wearing hats and a 5th person's hand's are showing. — Photo caption: Daimler staff gave a behind-the-scenes look at how Electric Island functions for charging electric vehicles of all sizes.

The field trip was followed by keynote speakers and collaborative workgroups that addressed critical ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plenty of time was also left for sharing out from many states that are doing incredible work to address climate pollution.

Michigan is running a Justice 40 Accelerator Program, a cohort-based program for community-based organizations from Michigan’s Justice40 communities to receive technical assistance and training to apply for and receive available funding successfully. Colorado is tackling industrial decarbonization projects through grants for industry-related emission reduction projects that bring the State closer to its air pollutant emission reduction goals. New Jersey is set to launch a one-stop shop, enabling residents to use to find all rebates and programs in the State to reduce climate pollution. New Orleans came together after Hurricane Ida and dreamt up the Community Lighthouse, powered by solar and storage, a gathering place in each community where neighbors can come when they lose power during extreme weather events. This is just the beginning of the incredible work happening around the country aimed at reducing climate pollution and strengthening community.

…learning from one another, building momentum for collaboration, and charting paths forward for this work even in uncertain times.

Last, but not least, the inspiring speakers from Portland Clean Energy Fund and Vertue Lab left the group with hope and an exploration of what it means to be resilient during difficult times.

The event was made possible by the Convener’s Network, a network that helps states collaborate to overcome challenges, seize opportunities and spur investment and innovation in an advanced energy economy. It is a partnership of the Great Plains Institute, Georgetown Climate Center, Duke Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, Center for the New Energy Economy, Harvard Law Environmental and Energy Law Program, and Atlas Public Policy.

people walking on a bridge — Photo caption: Attendees walk down a ramp towards one of Portland’s most famous spots, the Willamette River.

By Whitney Dorer and Morgan Schafer, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

How’s the air over there?

Preparing for Oregon’s wildfire smoke season

Wildfire season is here and one of the best tools to keep Oregonians informed about how wildfire smoke affects air quality is the Oregon Smoke Blog. This blog is hosted by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and provides near real-time air quality information gathered from 40 monitoring sites positioned around the state.

Oregon DEQ’s Lab participates in APHL National Conference in Portland

A group of students and educators posing together outdoors, some wearing lab coats and holding a sign that reads 'WELCOME'. There are trees and a stop sign visible in the background. — Students and mentors gather for STEM Day activities at the APHL National Conference in Portland.

This year, the Association of Public Health Laboratories National Conference took place in Portland and DEQ’s Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division, also known as the “Lab,” introduced several activities showcasing its work.

United We Thrive: Enhancing Cross Media, Agency Partnerships, and Community Engagement

^{Left to Right: Brenda María Trejo Rosas (Agency Environmental Justice Coordinator, Office of Equity); Renee Trexler (VIP Station Operations Manager); Hillarie Sales (Air Quality Program Coordinator); Chris Varley (Air Quality Public Affairs Specialist) and Valerie Arkell (Water Quality, Basin Specialist).}

On April 23, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality joined organizations from across the state. They gathered at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) to celebrate Pacific Northwest Forests at the OMSI After Dark event in Portland, Oregon. The event drew hundreds of Portlanders eager to engage with the exhibits and organizations and to celebrate the natural wonders of the forests for the 55^th anniversary of Earth Day!

DEQ and Tribes Collaborate on Pollution Control in Grand Ronde

3 people wearing orang vests standing next to each other outside

^{(Left to right: Tribal representatives Mary Lou Soscia and Lindsay McClary, DEQ’s Cat Rhoades)}

DEQ recently partnered with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to host a pesticide and household hazardous waste collection event. The events took place on April 11 and 12 in Grand Ronde. Both the Tribe and DEQ are recipients of EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Toxic Reduction Lead grants, which support environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Columbia River Basin.