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Schirm USA, Inc. joins EPA pollution reduction partnership

Release Date: 02/01/2007
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

Texas company pledges to replace and recycle lights containing mercury

(Dallas, Texas – February 1, 2007) Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency marked the entry of Schirm USA, Inc. into its national partnership for pollution reduction. The company has pledged to complete mercury reduction measures at its Ennis, Texas, facility as part of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Program.

“With each new partner that joins the effort to reduce pollution, we are changing the landscape of our environmental future,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Schirm USA, Inc. has taken its commitment to the environment beyond regulatory requirements, and we hope other Texas companies will be inspired to do the same.”

The National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program encourages public and private organizations to form voluntary partnerships with EPA that reduce the use or release of 31 priority chemicals.  Priority chemicals are long-lasting substances that can build up and cause harm to humans and the environment.

Schirm USA, Inc. entered the partnership by pledging to replace all of the current lighting at its facility with mercury-free light bulbs and to recycle its old mercury-laden lamps in lieu of disposing of them as industrial hazardous waste. Many fluorescent and high intensity lamps on the market today are considered hazardous waste once they are used because of their mercury content.

“Schirm USA Inc. is proud to be among the first Texas partners and the first pesticides formulators in this program,” said Schirm USA, Inc. President and CEO Gus Jones. “Our plan is to continue trying to identify other areas where we can reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in our manufacturing processes.”

More than 100 partners have joined the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program, which has set a goal to work with industry and the public to reduce the use or release of four million pounds of priority chemicals by 2011. There are currently 13 Texas partners in the program. More information on the program and its partners is available at https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/index.htm.

For more information about activities in EPA Region 6, visit www.epa.gov/region6.