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Blount, Inc. Facility in Milwaukie, Oregon Joins EPA Partnership, Pledges to Reduce Hazardous Waste

Release Date: 06/05/2008
Contact Information: Domenic Calabro, EPA Waste Reduction, (206) 553-6640, calabro.domenic@epa.gov; Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Portland, Oregon – June 4, 2008) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked the entry of Blount, Inc. (Blount) in Milwaukie, Oregon into the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP). NPEP is a voluntary program that encourages public and private organizations to form partnerships with EPA to reduce the use or release of 31 priority chemicals beyond what is required in environmental regulations. These chemicals are long-lasting, highly-toxic substances that can harm humans and the environment. Blount is the fourth company in Region 10 (Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington) and only the second company in the State of Oregon to join EPA’s NPEP program.

Blount’s goal is to reduce its use of lead at its Milwaukie, Oregon facility from 4,000 lbs. in March 2008 to 2,600 lbs. by June 2009. Blount intends to achieve this goal by finding an alternative to one of its parts cleaning processes. Blount believes that adopting a new process, using alternative chemicals, and investing in new equipment will enable the Milwaukie facility to reduce its use of lead by 35 percent.

“Using innovative approaches to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals is a good environmental strategy,” said Socorro Rodriguez, EPA’s Oregon Operations Office Director. “By joining this program, Blount, Inc. is not only protecting public health and the environment, but showing good economic and business sense.”

Blount is an international company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Blount manufactures and sells many of its products under the Oregon® brand name, including saw chains, guide bars, sprockets and maintenance accessories for chainsaws; blades and small engine replacement parts for lawnmowers; and trimmer line, heads and blades for trimmers and brushcutters.

“We will continue to look for opportunities to improve our products and our business to the benefit of our customers, our employees, our community, and our environment,” said James Osterman, Blount, Inc. Chairman and CEO. “Entry into the NPEP program is just one way we demonstrate this commitment.”

The EPA NPEP program’s goal is for EPA to work with industry to reduce the use or release of the priority chemicals by four million pounds by 2011. There are over 174 NPEP enrollees nationally.

For more information about Blount, Inc, visit: www.blount.com or www.oregonchain.com

For more information about NPEP program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm

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