The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mid-Atlantic region this week welcomed three new members to the region’s Sustainability Partnership in a signing ceremony at United States Steel Corporation’s Keystone Industrial Port Complex.

KIPC, the developer of the industrial complex which targets eco-based businesses, joined two of its tenants -- AE Polysilicon and Abington Reldan Metals --as the newest members of EPA’s Sustainability Partnership Program. AE Polysilicon develops materials for use in the production of solar energy and Abington Reldan Metals reclaims metals used in computers and electronics that otherwise become toxic waste.

“Today, these companies begin a partnership with EPA on the journey to a sustainable future,” said William C. Early, acting regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region. “By joining together we can begin to manage resources in a way that considers the impact they will have on the environment throughout their entire lifecycle.”

The Sustainability Partnership is an innovative pilot developed by EPA’s mid-Atlantic region to create one-stop-shopping for organizations that use large quantities of energy, water, and natural resources, and contribute to the region’s waste stream. Members often find that the program helps them save money and also makes good business sense. The partnership employs a holistic approach to evaluate environmental aspects of each organization and to identify ways to minimize adverse affects on the environment.

“As part of United States Steel Corporation, Keystone Industrial Port Complex shares our company’s core values – including environmental stewardship – and puts those values to work every day,” said Michael J. Hatcher, vice president-procurement, raw materials and real estate for U. S. Steel. “The Sustainability Partnership provides companies and organizations like ours with a unique way to build a public-private partnership that will allow the goals of both partners to be realized.”

KIPC occupies a portion of the former U. S. Steel - Fairless Works. Since 1993, EPA, the Department of Environmental Protection and U. S. Steel have been working together to develop and implement a voluntary clean-up at the brownfield site with an eye on eventual reuse. At its peak in the 1950s, the site employed nearly 10,000 people. By the early 1990s, less than 100 employees remained.

Today major portions of the site have been remediated and those that remain are being cleaned up under EPA and PADEP supervision as new tenants are acquired.

Since its inception, redevelopment at KIPC has generated more than 1,500 jobs, with 450 being “green” jobs. Other tenants located at the site include companies who recycle concrete and asphalt for reuse; companies who take the coal residuals from power generation and create roofing materials and future tenants who are locating a plant at KIPC to create bio-fuel from algae.

Partners will receive intensive follow-up assistance from EPA to help develop sustainability plans, implement voluntary programs and collect quantitative environmental results data. Partners may benefit from reduced purchasing and disposal costs and improved operating efficiency.

For more information, visit the Sustainability Partnership webpage.