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Xerox Facility in Wilsonville Joins EPA’s Partnership, Pledges to reduce Hazardous Waste

Release Date: 11/20/2006
Contact Information: Domenic Calabro, EPA, (206) 553-6640, calabro.domenic@epa.gov Tony Brown, EPA, (206) 553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Wilsonville, Ore. – Nov 20, 2006) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked the entry of Xerox’s Office Group, in Wilsonville, Ore., into the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP). Xerox is the first Region 10 (Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington) company to join EPA’s NPEP program.

Xerox has committed to discontinue the use of lead-based solder in prototype circuit boards, transition to no-lead solder paste and switch to no-lead solder in their wave solder flow machine. This change will eliminate lead waste from several of Xerox's printer manufacturing processes.

“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, Xerox is not only protecting public health and the environment, but showing good economic and business sense.”

“Xerox has a long history of doing its part to not only design environmentally smart systems for our customers but also minimize the environmental impact of our operations,” said Tim Williams, President, Xerox Office Group. “Xerox’s Wilsonville campus is honored to be the first company in the Pacific Northwest accepted into the EPA National Partnership for Environmental Priorities Program.”

NPEP is a voluntary waste minimization program that encourages public and private organizations to form voluntary partnerships with EPA to reduce the use or release of 31 priority chemicals beyond the requirements of environmental regulations. These chemicals are long-lasting substances that can harm humans and the environment.

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 100 NPEP enrollees nationally.

Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause a wide range of adverse health effects. In babies and children, exposure to lead can result in delays in physical and mental development, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities. In adults, long-term exposure can cause kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and cancer.

In addition to the EPA NPEP program, Xerox also supports the EPA Climate Leaders, Energy Star, WasteWise, and National Environmental Performance Track programs. For more information about Xerox, visit www.xerox.com.

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