FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2009
Businesses honored for outstanding recycling programs
COLUMBIA - Nine South Carolina businesses and organizations have been honored for their outstanding waste reduction and recycling programs at the first S.C. Smart Business Recycling Program awards luncheon, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.
“Businesses generate between 35 to 45 percent of the nation’s waste stream,” said DHEC Commissioner C. Earl Hunter. “Given that, businesses play an important role in lessening the environmental impact of waste. By implementing some simple waste reduction and recycling practices, businesses can help protect our environment by conserving natural resources, reducing pollution and saving energy.”
According to Hunter, the honorees included:
*Alcoa-Mt. Holly was recognized for its recycling of carbon products that resulted in savings of more than $200,000 in avoided disposal costs. The company also recycles aluminum, paper, plastic and cardboard, as well as including waste minimization and pollution prevention language in all of its purchase orders.
*Bausch & Lomb Inc. (Greenville) was honored for recycling nearly 60 percent of the waste the company generates, buying recycled-content paper and boxes, and park benches made from recycled plastic, and its implementation of a recycling education program for employees.
*Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (Gaffney), which has a zero waste goal by 2010, was recognized for its 95 percent recycling rate that has resulted in keeping more than 4 million pounds of material out of the landfill and a 37 percent decrease in disposal costs.
*Lexington Medical Center was honored for its overall recycling program, donating out-of-date medical supplies to a local animal shelter and switching to green cleaning supplies. Lexington Medical Center also started an environmental purchasing policy focusing on recycled-content paper and ENERGY STAR appliances.
*Kiawah Island Golf Resort was recognized for its comprehensive recycling program that accepts numerous items including electronics, pallets, fluorescent bulbs, paint, plastic bags, batteries, fishing line, pallets and oysters.
Other honorees included Bible Way Church of Atlas Road, McMillan Smith & Partners Architects, Milliken, and Sun Printing.
“Nearly 5 million tons of material were recycled this past fiscal year in South Carolina and businesses like these played a significant role,” Hunter said.
Hunter said special recognition was given to Gretchen Lambert with Studio 2LR and Kay Hampton with Capitol Places for writing a grant application on behalf of the City of Columbia to start a business recycling program in the Congaree Vista. The program kicked off last year and currently has 32 participating businesses.
The S.C. Smart Business Recycling Program is a partnership between DHEC and the S.C. Department of Commerce. The program offers free, confidential, non-regulatory services including site visits, technical assistance, market research and workshops. For more information, visit DHEC’s Web site at: http://www.scdhec.gov/smartbusiness.
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For more information:
Amanda St. John - (803) 896-4234
E-mail - stjohnal@dhec.sc.gov
or
Richard Chesley - (803) 896-4209
E-mail - cheslerl@dhec.sc.gov
or
Adam Myrick - (803) 898-3884
E-mail - myrickar@dhec.sc.gov
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