All News Releases By Date

U.S. EPA AWARDS BAY AREA BUSINESSES FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION

Release Date: 9/17/1996
Contact Information: Bill Glenn, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1589

    (San Francisco) -- In an event highlighting Pollution Prevention Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) honored four Bay Area companies in Sunnyvale today for outstanding continuing efforts in pollution prevention.

     "These companies have demonstrated what is becoming more and more evident throughout the business community -- that innovative pollution prevention methods work and go hand in hand with economic viability," said Frederick J. Hansen, deputy administrator for the U.S. EPA.

     The Pollution Prevention Awards, a new regional U.S. EPA program, were presented to IBM Corporation's Storage Systems Division, San Jose, which develops and manufactures information storage products; Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space, Sunnyvale; Monsanto Company's Avon plant, Martinez, which produces catalysts; and, Larry's AutoWorks, an automotive repair shop in Mountain View.

     "This award is the result of a sustained, cooperative effort by our various business units that began in 1987," said Joel Suty, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space vice-president, Operations. "Our goal has been to significantly reduce our toxic emissions, provide a safer work place, and maintain the high quality and reliability of our critical products. We've very proud that we have succeeded in all these areas and we remain dedicated to finding innovative ways of reducing pollution and protecting our environment."

     "We are pleased that U.S. EPA is recognizing our pollution prevention results," said Mario DiGiovanni, plant manager for Monsanto Co. "What this plant has accomplished since 1982 has been done in the spirit of the Monsanto pledge which aims in part to reduce all toxic and hazardous releases and emissions, working toward an ultimate goal of zero effect.

      "What it takes to do that at the plant level is to continue to focus on that ultimate goal while identifying and addressing each contributor to the plant's overall waste stream. Success comes from managing the details," DiGiovanni added.

     "Almost every job we do in an automotive shop involves  handling liquids removed from customers' vehicles," said Larry Moore, president and general manager of Larry's AutoWorks. "These liquids are hazardous due to the metal particles they contain. By using proper cleanup and recycling methods, we eliminate the possibility of these liquids getting into the environment."

     "IBM Corporation is committed to pollution prevention, and the IBM San Jose site's success is due to management support and sustained efforts by our engineers throughout the facility to change manufacturing processes for environmental benefit and cost reduction," said Stan Ciraulo, general manager for the Storage Systems Division, San Jose Site.

     The four firms were recognized for their pollution
prevention efforts in the following areas:

     Larry's AutoWorks:

     * Floor drains have been sealed in the service area to      
       prevent discharge to the sewer system, and the floor was  
       coated with epoxy to prevent contaminants from seeping    
       through the floor and into the soil at the automotive      
       shop, which began its pollution prevention program in      
       1992.

     * Mops that absorb oil are used to mop up oil from spills    
       and are rung out and added to crankcase oil that is then  
       recycled.

     * Pollution prevention videos are shown to employees.

     * A mailer with pollution prevention practices and tips are
       sent to customers.

     IBM Corp.:

     * CFCs, methyl chloroform, and a hydrocarbon solvent have    
       been eliminated in the cleaning and drying process        
       throughout the site during the past decade.

     * Nickel discharge has been greatly reduced because a        
       process that generated the nickel was eliminated.

     Lockheed Martin in Missiles & Space:  
   
     * In a program that began in 1987, fluids used to clean      
       spacecraft components and other parts were changed from    
       chemical-based fluids to water-based and alkaline          
       cleaners.
     
     Monsanto Company:

     * Air emissions were reduced by 75 percent and solid waste  
       by over 90 percent since 1982 by altering its dust        
       collection system to capture dust that would otherwise by
       released.

     * Materials used in the firm's processes were changed to    
       ones that produce less waste.

     * Recycling process materials.
 
     Pollution prevention encompasses many different activities that reduce or eliminate generation of pollutants and waste at the source. These include product reformulation or substitution of materials that use less toxic materials, the use of new technologies or procedures that save natural resources or energy, and modified processes or practices that reduce the amount of pollutants released.
 
                         #     #     #