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Raytheon Becomes First Corporate Sponsor of Industry-State-EPA Pollution Prevention Program for Metal Finishers

Release Date: 08/20/2001
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office (617-918-1008) Amy Hosmer, Raytheon (781-860-2423) Chuck Chaitovitz, Strategic Goals Program (703-354- 2172)

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Raytheon Co. has become the first corporate sponsor of the agency's National Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program, an innovative national partnership between environmental regulators and the metal finishing industry with proven results in environmental improvements.

The National Metal Finishing Strategic Goals program is a cooperative effort among the EPA, 21 states, 84 local government agencies (primarily publicly-owned wastewater treatment facilities) and over 400 metal finishers across the country, including 50 in New England. Participants have set ambitious goals for environmental improvements in seven areas, such as water and energy usage and waste production. The program, started in 1998, has resulted in nationwide reductions in sludge shipments to landfills by over 1 million pounds, wastewater discharges by 380 million gallons and organic chemical releases by 700,000 pounds.

"Raytheon should be congratulated for taking a leadership role in becoming the first corporate sponsor of the Strategic Goals Program, and bringing together the strengths of industry and regulators like EPA," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "Raytheon's participation has already helped recruit companies who might not have responded to an EPA invitation. And Raytheon's expertise is going to help a lot of these companies meet their environmental goals."

"Improving environmental, health and safety performance is a wise investment," added Ken Tierney, Raytheon's director of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS). "Raytheon is actively pursuing innovative programs that help our suppliers improve their EHS performance."

As part of its sponsorship, Raytheon hosted a meeting of New England participants in the program at the company's Lexington headquarters on June 21. The company will host a second meeting on October 11. Raytheon will be disseminating information on its environmental successes, mentoring smaller facilities and providing expertise for workshops and other teaching opportunities. EPA, Raytheon and the Strategic Goals Program are discussing other ways for Raytheon to further the goals of the initiative.

The Strategic Goals program provides a forum for cooperation among industry and regulators. Industry participants can receive information on best practices and environmental improvements, free non-enforcement environmental audits, technology evaluation programs and site transition guides. Participants in the national program have already achieved significant environmental results, compared to a standardized 1992 baseline. They include:

• 41 percent reduction in water usage
• 14 percent reduction in energy usage
• 77 percent reduction in Toxic Release Inventory releases
• 58 percent reduction in metals released to water and air
• 36 percent reduction in hazardous sludge sent to landfills.