E.P.A. Recognizes 40 Organizations for Outstanding Voluntary Waste Reduction

(10/13/04) Forty organizations will be recognized Oct. 14 and 15 in Washington, D.C., for their outstanding waste reduction efforts at EPA's WasteWise 10th Yearly Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Thomas P. Dunne, E.P.A. Acting Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response, will present awards to these groups for their commitment to preventing waste, recycling and buying recycled products. WasteWise, a voluntary partnership plan launched in 1994, has reported reductions of 73 million tons of waste through prevention and recycling efforts. E.P.A. also estimates that since the program's inception, partners have prevented the emissions of in excess of 39 million tons of greenhouse gases, similar to removing 31 million cars from the road for one year. This year's ceremony will feature a WasteWise Hall of Fame to acknowledge 2 partners that have continually reported outstanding waste reduction results throughout their tenure in the program. This is the highest honor members can achieve. General Motors Corporation (GM) will be acknowledged for introducing a resource management plan that compensates waste contractors for achieving the organization's waste reduction goals, rather than just for hauling away debris. This resource management plan has reduced waste 42 percent at many GM facilities. King County, Washington will be recognized for its extraordinary strides in green building initiatives, as evidenced by its achievement of a 97 percent reuse and recycling rate for the Kingdome demolition plan in Seattle. These partners continue to identify innovative waste reduction strategies and serve as role models to other WasteWise partners. The awards ceremony will take place at the Hilton Washington Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Ave. N.W. (202-483-3000). For a complete listing of the 40 organizations that received awards, and for further information about EPA's WasteWise plan and the 2004 WasteWise Yearly Meeting and Awards Ceremony, go to: http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/about/winners.htm or contact the WasteWise Helpline at 1-800-EPA-WISE (372-9473).

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