Four Pennsylvania companies were included in sixty-one organizations given WasteWise Awards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week as part of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Program.

The award winners contributed significant efforts in reducing and recycling materials, and reducing or eliminating priority chemicals in products and waste, including lead, mercury and cadmium. The organizations, included utilities, schools, electronic and chemical companies, and consumer product manufacturers, among others.

EPA gave awards to 25 National Partnership for Environmental Priorities members for reducing or removing significant priority chemicals, such as those noted above. The Pennsylvania companies include:

· The General Electric Bridgeville Glass Plant in Bridgeville Pennsylvania, produces specialty glass tubing for lighting applications. GE Bridgeville eliminated 86,000 pounds of lead from the manufacturing process through material substitution as part of GE's Ecomagination Initiative.

· Kalas Manufacturing: Plant #2 in Denver, Pennsylvania, produces and distributes electrical wire and cable products for various markets. Kalas reduced 80,000 pounds of lead by switching to the use of lead-free materials in the production of copper wire.

· Kalas Manufacturing: Plant #3 in Denver, Pennsylvania, produces and distributes electrical wire and cable products for various markets. Kalas reduced 21,000 pounds of lead by switching to the use of solderless terminals in the production of engineered cable.

· Sony Technology Center - Pittsburgh manufactures large screen color televisions. This year, Sony recycled 34,465 pounds of lead by separating lead waste at the source of generation and using it as a material in the glass manufacturing process.

· Sylvin Technologies, Inc. in Denver, Pennsylvania, designs and manufactures custom PVC compounds for wire and cable markets. Last year, Sylvin received an NPEP Achievement Award for reducing 125,244 pounds of lead from the manufacturing process. This year, Sylvin is recognized for eliminating an additional 99,508 pounds of lead and becoming a lead-free facility.

Pennsylvania had more winners in this category than any other state.

The partners' combined efforts reduced or eliminated 144 pounds of dioxin, 4,335 pounds of PCBs, 26,750 pounds of mercury, and more than 1 million pounds of lead. Partners reduced or removed lead in automotive components, glass tubing, fluorescent lights, filters, wire, and cable products, automotive lighting, printing plates and cylinders, PVC compounds, and cathode ray tubes. One NPEP partner recycled 66,000 mercury-containing bulbs.

For more information visit the WasteWise website and the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Program website.

NewsClip: Montgomery County Business Lowers Utility Bills, Reduces Waste

10/20/2006