EPA Selects 43 Charter Members From the Southeast in the National Environmental Achievement Track Program.

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2000

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today the selection of 43 businesses and facilities in the southeast as charter members in the National Environmental Achievement Track.

The program recognizes and rewards businesses for exceeding environmental protection requirements.

Nationally, 225 companies were selected. The roster of companies in the program includes small businesses and large corporations, representing the automotive, pharmaceutical, sports equipment, food processing, chemical and petroleum industries, to name a few.

The facilities and corporate headquarters are located in 38 states and Puerto Rico. Among the 225 charter members are municipalities and branches of the federal government. Charter members in the southeast include the following:

Alabama Aaron Oil Company Incorporated, Saraland 3M Guin, Guin JVC Magnetics America Company, Tuscaloosa McNeil Specialty Products Company, McIntosh

Florida Cordis Corporation, W 60th Ave., Miami Lakes Cordis Corporation, 14000 NW 57th Court, Miami Lakes Indiantown Cogeneration LP, Indiantown Vistakon Incorporated, Jacksonville

Georgia Torrington Company, Dahlonega Blue Circle Aggregates Douglasville Quarry, Norcross Torrington Company, Sylvania Collins and Aikman Floorcoverings, Dalton Rockwell Automation Industrial Computer Business, Duluth TDK Components USA Incorporated, Peachtree City Torrington Company, Cairo Southwire Carrollton Building Wire Plant, Carrollton Sony Music Entertainment Incorporated, Carrollton JH Williams, Columbus Johnson and Johnson Consumer Products, Royston SI Corporation, Chickamauga Ethicon Incorporated, Cornelia Noramo, Athens

Kentucky Matsushita Electric Motor Company, Berea Dow Corning Corporation Carrollton Site, Carollton

Mississippi Kerr McGee Chemical LLC, Columbus

North Carolina Swift Eckrick Incorporated, Wallace IBM Research, Triangle Park Blue Ridge Paper Products Incorporated, Canton

South Carolina Torrington Company, Walhalla Bridgeston Firestone South Carolina Company, Graniteville Torrington Company, Honea Path Torrington Company, Clinton Alice Manufacturing Foster, Easley Spicer Heavy Systems, Lugoff Alice Manufacturing Arial, Easley Alice Manufacturing Ellison, Easley BMW Manufacturing Corporation, Greer Rhodia Incorporated, Spartanburg Alice Manufacturing Elliean, Easley

Tennessee Snap On Elizabethton Plant, Elizabethton Snap On Johnson City Plant, Johnson City Bridgestone Firestone Incorporated Warren Plant, Morrison

Achievement Track companies and facilities have strong records in environmental management with more waste recycling and greater reductions in air and water pollution than are legally required. They have reduced their energy consumption by millions of kilowatts per year, and are committing to an average of 22 percent improved energy efficiency in the future. Commitments for future water use reductions average 31 percent. Some companies have even exceeded in virtually eliminating discharges to surface water, while others are significantly reducing discharges to groundwater to protect underground drinking water supplies. Waste reduction at these facilities is projected to average 44 percent per year, representing millions of pounds of saved resources as process and packaging materials are recycled or reused. Others are significantly reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to help protect the ozone layer, and some will cut their output of toxic air pollutants in half.

Based on several state leadership programs and numerous EPA innovation efforts with states, businesses, and community and environmental groups, the Agency has learned that innovations in environmental management can be used to create strategic business opportunities and advantages while maximizing the health and productivity of ecosystems and communities.

The expectation is that the program will motivate other companies and facilities to achieve similar improvements, and complement existing regulatory activities. The program has been designed so that criteria for participation are proportional to the benefits and that small, medium and large facilities will participate. Emphasis is being placed on continued environmental improvement, effective state/EPA partnerships, and the need to inform and involve citizens and communities.

The National Environmental Achievement Track is the first level of the new National Environmental Performance Track program. EPA plans to launch the second level of the program, the Stewardship Track, in May 2001. The National Environmental Performance Track program was established by EPA to recognize and encourage top environmental performers--those businesses which go beyond compliance with regulatory requirements.

Further information on the National Environmental Performance Track, and the process for being recognized for similar achievements, is available at: www.epa.gov/performancetrack.