November 10, 2008—Twenty-six EPA WasteWise partners and 29 National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) partners are being recognized for their environmental achievements in reducing greenhouse gases and preventing harmful chemicals from entering the environment. Both US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs work with organizations to achieve environmental benefits beyond regulations. In addition, 13 students and professionals are being honored through the Lifecycle Building Challenge for their contribution to sustainable building design.
The 2008 WasteWise Award Winners are: Hall of Fame
Los Angeles Unified School District
United States Postal Service–Alabama District Endorser of the Year Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Partner of the Year
- College/University: Eastern Illinois University
- Large Business: Steelcase Inc.
- Local Government: Kitsap County, WA
- Midsize Business: NEC Electronics America, Inc.–Roseville Facility
- Nonprofit: Bronson Healthcare Group
- Small Business: Accent Construction, LLC
- State Government: Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation/Office of Environmental Assistance
- Very Large Business: Limited Brands, Inc.
- Federal Government: US Postal Service–Dallas District
Gold Achievement Awards
- Climate Change: Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.
- Community Involvement: Genzyme Corporation–Massachusetts
- Employee Education: Delta Air Lines, Inc.
- Industrial Materials Recycling: DTE Energy
- New Partner: Matterhorn Nursery, Inc.
- Organic Material Reduction: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Packaging Reduction: Krueger International, Inc.
- Paper Reduction: Damascus Elementary School
- Public Venue Recycling: Seven-Star, Inc.
- Recycling in the Workplace: Raytheon Company
Partner of the Year Honorable Mention
- Small Business: Exel Inc.
Gold Achievement Honorable Mention
- Employee Education: Guardian Automotive Trim, Inc.–Evansville Plant
- Public Venue Recycling: Port of Portland, Portland International Airport
- Industrial Material Recycling: Webcor Builders.
WasteWise partners have used innovative waste management methods to reduce and recycle more than 150 million tons of waste. By decreasing the demand on raw materials, WasteWise partners have shown that they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower costs.
NPEP partners are taking significant steps in reducing or removing priority chemicals, such as lead and mercury. This year’s award winners reported reductions of more than 9 million pounds of priority and other environmentally harmful chemicals, far exceeding the amount reported last year.
The Lifecycle Building Challenge, which partners EPA, the Building Materials Reuse Association, the American Institute of Architects, Southface, West Coast Green, and StopWaste.Org, invited professionals and students nationwide to submit designs and ideas that support cost-effective disassembly and anticipate future use of building materials. The designs extend the lifecycle of building materials and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of new building materials.
