SAN FRANCISCO - Today, the E.P.A. Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld presented the Federal Green Challenge award to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Western Lab for increasing its electronics recycling in excess of any other federal agency in 2014. Mr. Blumenfeld presented the national award at the DEA National Lab Directors Conference.
"We applaud DEA's waste reduction achievements and hope they inspire more organizations to keep electronics from ending up in landfills," said Jared Blumenfeld, E.P.A. Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "Through their hard work, the staff at the Western Lab achieved amazing results - recycling and donating thousands of pounds of electronics in just one year."
"Last year presented a unique opportunity for the Western Lab to participate in the electronic recycling plan at an unprecedented level. Our environmental management team quickly acknowledged the challenges that the relocation of our Lab would bring to our traditional recycling activities," said DEA Western Lab Director Bryan Henderson. "This challenge was utilized as an opportunity to make significant contributions to the recycling plan as the team identified and streamlined the equipment necessary to complete our mission. Through dedicated teamwork with several DEA components we were able to exceed our goal and contribute in a positive manner to the Federal Green Challenge recycling program."
In 2014, the Western Lab recycled and donated in excess of 8,200 pounds of electronics - resulting in a nearly ten percent increase over its baseline from the previous year, an increase greater than any of the over 400 Federal Green Challenge participants nationwide. This was accomplished using a certified electronics recycler to collect and recycle electronic equipment with no useful life and donating operational lab instruments to colleges and universities. The lab also held e-waste collection events and recycling education activities to increase awareness among staff members.
Responsible electronics recycling can reduce the environmental and human health impacts from improper recycling, divert waste from landfills, help provide quality reusable and refurbished equipment to those who need them, reduce energy and water use, and prevent environmental harm associated with mining and processing of new materials. Certified electronics recyclers must meet high environmental and safety requirements by maximizing reuse and recycling, minimizing risks to human health and the environment, ensuring safe management of materials by downstream handlers.
The Federal Green Challenge is a national effort under EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Plan encouraging federal offices to reduce their environmental impact. Agencies strive for yearly enhancements in waste, electronics, purchasing, water, energy and transportation. In 2014, agencies diverted over 390,000 tons of waste from landfills, saved nearly 80 million gallons of water, sent 450 tons of end of life electronics to certified recyclers, and saved U.S. taxpayers over $24 million.
Learn more about the Federal Green Challenge:
www.epa.gov/fgc/awards/2015.html
Learn more about electronics recycling:
www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm
