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EPA Recognizes Material Sciences Corp. for Reducing Waste

Release Date: 10/20/2004
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543 & Joan Schafer, 215-814-5143

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543 & Joan Schafer, 215-814-5143

PHILADELPHIA – In a ceremony today in Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Wayne Naylor U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mid-Atlantic regional deputy director, recognized Material Sciences Corporation for being the first business in the Morrsiville-area to enroll in the voluntary national partnership for environmental priorities.

“As a member of the greater Morrisville community, Material Sciences Corp. has taken steps to go above and beyond environmental compliance. The business is committed to finding new and innovative ways to reduce pollution while still making a viable product and earning a profit. That=s no small effort,” said Naylor.

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, the Material Sciences plant has committed to the reduction of naphthalene waste by working with its paint supplier and customers to provide a naphthalene-free coating on a large percentage of its products. The company coats rolled steel with various colored paints which are ultimately formed into appliances, lighting fixtures, garage doors, and swimming pools. By providing this product substitution, the company will reduce reported naphthalene waste by 25,000 pounds by the end of 2004.

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 partnership for environmental priorities, one of EPA=s family of voluntary partnership programs, in order to reduce 30 highly toxic, priority chemicals found in our nation=s hazardous waste.

This national program seeks solutions that prevent pollution at the source, by recovering or recycling chemicals, which cannot 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. For more information about the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, go to https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm.