EPA recognizes SGS

(EPA press release)

Richmond, VA - In a recent ceremony held in Richmond, VA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Director for the Office of Solid Waste Maria Parisi Vickers recognized SGS, Inc. for being the first company in the Richmond area to enroll in the voluntary national waste minimization partnership program.

"As a member of the greater Richmond community, SGS, Inc. has taken steps to go above and beyond environmental compliance. The company is committed to finding new and innovative ways to reduce pollution while still making a great product and earning a profit.  That's no small effort," said Vickers.

The new voluntary program challenges businesses and manufacturers to become more environmentally aware and to adopt a resource conservation ethic that results in less waste, more recycling, and more environmentally sound products.

As a new waste minimization partner, SGS, Inc. has committed to eliminate the amount of lead waste generated in two of its manufacturing processes. By replacing the lead anodes in its chrome strip operation and replacing lead anodes in the chrome plating operation with titanium strips, SGS will eliminate approximately 310 pounds of lead waste per year by May 2005.

Southern Graphics Systems, Inc., a business of Alcoa, supplies photographic and digital images and manufactures flexographic printing plates and rotogravure cylinders for the packaging printing industry. As a business of Alcoa, the company has an aggressive pollution prevention program that includes a goal of 50 percent reduction in waste generation by 2007.

In 2002, SGS, Inc. implemented a source reduction technique to improve process efficiency by replacing the de-chrome process with a new tank system and alternate de-chrome solution. This process change reduced hazardous waste generation by 92 percent (more then 8300 gallons annually), eliminated 54,000 gallons of wastewater per year, and saved the company more than $16,500 annually.

Waste minimization not only means polluting less, it means saving money, too. Participating companies throughout America are learning that reducing or eliminating waste can also mean greater production efficiency, an improved image in their community, and increased profits.

EPA created the national waste minimization partnership program, one of EPA's family of voluntary partnership programs, to focus efforts on reducing 30 highly-toxic, priority chemicals found in our nation's hazardous waste.

The national waste minimization partnership program focuses on finding solutions that prevent pollution at the source, and by recovering or recycling these chemicals where they can not easily be eliminated or reduced at the source.

EPA's goal is to work with industry and the public to reduce the presence of the 30 priority chemicals in hazardous waste by 50 percent by the year 2005, compared to amounts generated in 1991.