EPA Recognizes 71 Partners for Reducing Waste, Chemicals

• Mar 25, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing 71 universities, government agencies, and private companies for their environmental commitments to reduce waste under the agency’s WasteWise and National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) partnership programs. 

The partners are being honored for environmental achievements to prevent and recycle waste, and for specific programs that go beyond current federal standards to reduce greenhouse gases and remove harmful chemicals.

“WasteWise and NPEP members continue to develop economically sustainable ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste,” said Matt Hale, director of EPA’s Office of Resource, Conservation and Recovery.  “Last year’s partners reported that 11 million tons of materials that would otherwise be waste were eliminated from the waste stream or were recycled. This provides tremendous benefits to the environment.”

WasteWise inducted two of its members, Kitsap County, Wash. and NEC Electronics America, Inc., Roseville, Calif. into the WasteWise Hall of Fame for their sustained program performance over the years.

Since its inception in 1994, WasteWise partners have helped prevent and recycle more than 160 million tons of non-hazardous waste.  Since 2004, NPEP partners have reduced 18 million pounds of priority chemicals, including lead and mercury. 

WasteWise and NPEP are both voluntary programs with a combined total of more than 3,000 members from private and public organizations nationwide. 

Endorser of the Year – Exel – Lockport.

Partner of the Year – College/University: Rutgers the State University of New Jersey; Large Business: Genzyme Corporation – MA Sites; Local Government: City of Clifton, N.J. - Recycling Program; Midsize Business: Frito-Lay Beloit, Wis.; Non-profit: University of Chicago Medical Center; School/School District: Dimensions of Learning Academy; Small Business: FetterGroup; State Government: Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation/Office of Environmental Assistance; Very Large Business: The Walt Disney Company; and Federal Government: U.S. Postal Service - Western Area.

Gold Achievement Awards – Climate Change: Allergan, Inc.; Community Involvement: Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.; Employee Education: Suffolk University; Green Purchasing: Kohl's Department Store; Industrial Materials Recycling: Consolidated Edison Company of New York; New Partner: Harrah's Entertainment's Bally's and Paris Hotel and Casino; Organic Materials Reduction: Thurston County Government; Packaging Reduction: Krueger International, Inc.; Paper Reduction: Better World Books; Product Stewardship: Steelcase Inc.; Public Venue Recycling: San Diego Padres; Workplace Recycling: Southern California Edison.

Honorable Mentions – City of Kansas City, Mo.; U.S. Postal Service - Great Lakes Area; Tennessee Galvanizing, Inc.; Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division; Herman Miller, Inc.; and Seven-Star, Inc.

Below is the list of the 2009 Award Winners (in alphabetical order) for their participation in the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities and their efforts in reducing and/or recycling hazardous chemicals in their organization:

• Aetna Insulated Wire Inc.
• Appalachian Power Company – John Amos Plant
• Appalachian Power Company – Clinch River Plant
• Arrow Group Industries Inc. – Haskell Facility
• Automotive Recyclers Association, Certified Automotive Recycler Program
• Blount International, Inc.
• Bridgestone Americas Motorsports – Firestone Racing
• Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• City of Oxnard
• City of Reno – Public Works Department
• Cobb County Fleet Management
• Con Edison Company of New York
• CR Bard Inc. - Bard Brachytherapy Inc.
• Crystex Composites, LLC
• Duncan Enterprises
• DuPont Titanium Technologies
• Dura Coat Products – Huntsville Facility
• Durand Glass Manufacturing Company Inc.
• Graftech International Holdings, Inc. – Clarksburg Plant
• Metro Circuits, division of PJC Technologies, Inc.
• Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians – Grand Casino Hinckley
• NEC Electronics America Inc. – Roseville FAB
• Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
• Public Service Electric & Gas
• R3 Environmental Management Inc.
• Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems
• Remington Arms Company Inc. – Lonoke Ammunition Plant
• Sanmina-SCI Corporation – Owego Division
• State of Nevada – Motor Pool Division
• Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation - Office of Environmental Assistance
• The Okonite Company Inc., Ashland, R.I.
• The Okonite Company Inc., Richmond, Ky.
• The Okonite Company Inc., Santa Maria, Calif.
• U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory
• U.S. Postal Service, Michigan Districts
• U.S. Postal Service, Pacific Area
• University of Texas Medical Branch
• Valley Chrome Plating, Inc.
• Vishay Intertechnology- Vishay Thin Film, LLC
• West Virginia Bureau of Public Health – Office of Laboratory Services