WASHINGTON, DC – The 2009 recipients of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable’s (NPPR) Most Valuable Pollution Prevention (MVP2) award winners demonstrated that reducing pollution and protecting the environment can also save on the bottom line. Combined the winners reduced pollution by nearly 8829 tons/year, conserved more than 28.0 million kilowatts of energy, and reduced water consumption by 108 million gallons a year, while cutting costs by over $6 million. Jeffrey Burke, Executive Director of NPPR, stated, “These organizations have clearly demonstrated that pollution prevention is beneficial to both the environment and the economy. They are being recognized for their leadership and commitment to promoting a sustainable future.”
The 2009 recipients represent a broad range of backgrounds, including federal government agencies, academia, industries, non-profits, and individuals that have demonstrated significant accomplishments in pollution prevention (P2). These prestigious awards were presented at a ceremony in Washington, DC on September 22, 2009.
Awards are given out for four categories. This years winners for Projects were the U.S. Department of Energy (Strategic Petroleum Reserve) and DynMcDermott Petroleum Operation Company, East Metro Clean’n’Press, Garlock Sealing Technologies, IBM Burlington, Kansas State University Pollution Prevention Institute, and Lubrication Technologies, Inc. The Publications Awards were awarded to three organizations. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services won for their “Making Your Business Greener” workbook; Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) and Kentucky Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (KIESD) took home the award for their joint effort on an issue of Sustain that was dedicated to the topic of “Evolving Pollution Prevention”; and the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) received a Publication award for the 2009 P2Rx Calendar. Jean Waters, P2Rx Coordinator, won the award for Pollution Prevention Champion for her dedication to pollution prevention. Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Robert Jackson from Michigan Department of Energy Labor & Economic Growth and Thomas Vinson from Zero Waste Network.
The MVP2 awards are just one aspect of National P2 Week, which September 21th – 27st. Since P2 Week became a national event in 1995, NPPR has been advancing pollution prevention awareness though its efforts to encourage and promote widespread participation during this week. By sharing information, National P2 Week is a time when organizations can become more competitive, can realize cost savings, and enhance environmental quality.
