The Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM) (formerly the Acquisition Pollution Prevention program) was established in 1998 by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters and Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  It is operated under NASA’s Applied Technology Office.  The TEERM identifies and validates sustainable pollution prevention technologies through joint activities that enhance NASA mission readiness and reduce risk while minimizing duplication and associated costs.

TEERM projects commonly involve two or more NASA stakeholders in the planning and execution of laboratory or field testing of commercially available replacements for hazardous materials currently used by NASA.  This collaborative approach to solving environmental problems benefits project members in multiple ways:

• Resources are shared, which reduces the cost to test and qualify alternatives
•  Increases technical confidence in alternatives identified and tested
•  Improves the overall technical quality of the effort through knowledge sharing
• Accelerates implementation of qualified alternatives

The TEERM also provides NASA representation to pollution prevention entities outside of NASA.  Within the U.S., the NASA TEERM Manager is a member of the working group for the U.S. DoD’s Joint Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP).  The JG-PP was chartered by the Joint Logistics Commanders to serve as the military’s focal point for qualifying new materials and processes to reduce or eliminate hazardous materials in Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and NASA applications.  JG-PP establishes partnerships to foster cooperation, leverage limited resources, avoid duplication of effort, and reduce total cost of ownership.  The NASA TEERM supports JG-PP activities and liases with project managers on JG-PP projects to ensure NASA interests are addressed.

The TEERM also works closely with Air Force Space Command on pollution prevention projects. Space Command and NASA have similar types of activities, which readily lends itself to joint projects to identify and qualify alternative materials. Internationally, NASA is party to the Joint Statement between NASA and the Portuguese Ministry of the Environment. In support of this agreement, the TEERM cooperates with the Portuguese Institute of Environment, through the Centro Para Prevenção da Poluição (Center for Pollution Prevention-C3P), and other international participants on pollution prevention matters of common interest.

The NASA TEERM Manager and the NASA Headquarters TEERM Lead provide centralized leadership for the TEERM. Contractor ITB, Inc. provides technical and engineering support.

The TEERM welcomes new ideas for addressing high-priority pollution prevention projects within NASA. If your program or facility has an environmental problem that a JG-PP or TEERM project is not addressing and which may be shared by two or more Centers, please contact:

Chuck Griffin
NASA TEERM Program Manager
Technology Programs and Partnerships Branch
Mail Code: KT-A2
John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
Phone: 321-867-6225
Fax: 321-867-2050
Email: chuck.griffin@nasa.gov

David A. Amidei
NASA HQ TEERM Lead
NASA Headquarters
Building: HQ, Suite: 1800MB
Washington, DC 20546-0001
Phone: 202-358-1866
Fax: 202-358-2861
Email: damidei@nasa.gov