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K and L Microwave Recognized as the First Company in Maryland to Join National Environmental Program

Release Date: 6/29/2005
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 Salisbury, Md., Environmental Protection Agency mid-Atlantic Region Deputy Director Wayne Naylor recognized K & L Microwave, Inc. for being the first company in Maryland to enroll in the voluntary national partnership for environmental priorities.

“As a member of the Salisbury business community, K & L has taken steps to go above and beyond environmental compliance. This leading manufacturer is 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. “In a new era of common understanding and shared goals, voluntary partnerships like this are an essential way of advancing environmental protection.”

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.

K & L Microwave, Inc. is a leading producer of RF and Microwave Filters used in defense electronics and commercial wireless communications systems. Its products are used in satellite communications, radar, radio communications, missile guidance systems, air traffic control, and cellular communications.

K & L has a history of sound environmental business practices. They have been registered ISO 14001 (the voluntary international standard for environmental auditing, performance evaluation, labeling, and life-cycle assessment) since January 2003. They have had an active recycling program for the past five years in which they have recycled more than 700 tons of metal (equivalent to 200 elephants) including aluminum and brass. K&L has invested in designing and building a new plating shop and water treatment system which has resulted in going from discharging 30,000 gallons/day to zero discharge using a closed loop water treatment system, and they have reduced electric power usage by installing new technology machines and energy efficient equipment with future reductions expected.

Today, by joining the national partnership, the company has pledged to make further environmental improvements.

As a new waste minimization partner, K & L has committed to reducing lead from 400 pounds/year to 50 pounds/year by 2006 by substituting non-leaded solders and non-leaded tin where possible in its manufacturing processes.

By making this commitment to reduce lead in its waste, K & L Microwave, Inc. will be able to reduce disposal and management costs, improve worker health and safety, and decrease the impacts of regulatory requirements. Moreover, by removing lead from their products, K & L will be able to improve the future environmental liability of others who discard the products at the end of their use.

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 31 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 31 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.