Hazardous Waste > Governor's Award > 1995 Winners

Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices

1995 Winners

Earthguard Inc., Redmond

• Landscaping business; employs  5 to 12 during seasons.
• Converted to the Integrated Pest Management concept, reducing use of toxic chemicals, substituting less or non-toxic materials, and using non-chemical measures.
• Installs low water-use, low-maintenance landscapes. Estimates 50% to 75% reduction in water use, virtually eliminates mowing and machine cultivation.
• Soil amendments consistent with "organic" products.
• Establishes bird and wildlife sanctuary areas based on food and habitat.

K2 Corporation, Vashon Island

• Makes snow skis, in-line skates, and accessories; employs 700.
• Reduced air emissions by 68% from 1991 to 1995, while increasing annual average production by 15%.
• Switched to recyclable shrink wrap ski packaging. Use cloth shop towels instead of paper.
• Engineers developed molding processes that are air-cooled rather than water-cooled; save 300,000 gallons of water annually.
• Contributed "almost $50,000" from 1993 to 1994 timeframe to support environmental protection.

Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport

• Keyport Division supports undersea weapons and electronic systems; employs more than 4,000.
• Reduced process-generated hazardous waste by 27% during 1993 and 1994.
• Switched to dry-powdered paint that is free of volatile organic compounds; reduced emissions by 25%.
• Stopped using diethylene glycol to clean torpedo fuel tanks and eliminated an 12,500 pound waste stream.
• Reduced the use of ozone-depleting substances by 69% since 1992.
• Enhanced cyanide oxidation process treats 22,000 gallons of cyanide-bearing wastewater rather than disposing as hazardous waste.
• Uses reclaimed torpedo fuel for more than 95% of its fueling.
• Grinds scrap aluminum for recycling; avoids disposal as hazardous waste and saves more than $1 million.
• Uses local events to educate the community on pollution prevention and other environmental subjects. Planted 1,500 seedlings during 1993 Tree Planting Day.

1995 Continuing Excellence

Fat City German Car, Inc., Seattle

• Automotive repair and service shop; employs seven.
• Switched to a safer solvent that can be recycled and re-used; eliminated water rinsing of solvent-washed parts.
• Switched to non-chlorinated brake cleaner.
• Annually recycles 400-500 gallons motor oil; 100 oil filters; 200 gallons waste coolant; 60 pounds freon; 400 shop towels.
• Extended by 400% the life of the parts cleaning solvent.

Bemis Company, Inc., Vancouver

• Paper converter; employs 360.
• Replaced methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, alcohol, and mineral spirits, with a non-hazardous citrus-based solvent/cleaner.
• Treat flexographic ink washwater in a closed-loop operation. This and other efforts reduced discharged water by 73%.
• Recycle film negatives and all spent lubricants.

Circuit Technologies, Inc., Redmond (now Praegitzer Industries)

• Makes printed circuit boards; employs 160.
• Eliminated the use of chlorinated solvents, toluene-based products,
• Cascading rinses reduced waste by 60-75%.
• Automatic etch feed and bleed system reduced waste by 60-75%.
• Electronic panel sensors rather than manual systems on conveyorized wet process equipment reduced waste 20%.
• High pressure/low volume spray nozzles reduced waste 20-80% compared to conventional nozzles.
• Closed loop resist separation units with filtration extended bath life by 20%.
• Increased production during 1993 and 1994, while saving energy, reducing waste, and increasing recycling.

Washington Army National Guard, Camp Murray

• Camp Murray is Washington Army National Guard headquarters; supports 11,450 guardsmen and others at 35 buildings, 17 maintenance shops, and 38 armories throughout the state.
• Eliminated 93% of the annual waste generation through recycling, solvent substitution, innovative technologies and equipment modifications. Avoided $22,000 in annual disposal costs from 1991 to 1994.
• Reduced the amount of hazardous waste from maintence shops by more than 75% from 1991 to 1995.
• Purchased distillation machines to recycl 100% of solvents – from more than 30,000 pounds to zero.
• Reduced energy use by 29% and avoided $26,000 in annual costs through energy conservation, construction, accounting, and control system.
• Maintained timber stands that sustained a pair of bald eagles and their fledged offspring for the past four years. Removed weeds and debris from creek running through Camp Murray to improve habitat of American Lake.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Granite Goose Project, Pomeroy

• Two hydroelectric dams and 80 miles of the Snake River; employs 100
• Compressed work week reduced commute trips by 20%.
• Reduced generation of hazardous waste by more than 50%; save $10,000 to $15,000 each year.
• Switched to food grade grease instead of petroleum-based grease.
• Switched to lower sulfur content fuel for fish barges.
• Replaced 30 gallons per year of hazardous solvents with non-toxic solvent.
• Replaced underground fuel storage tanks with double-wall, diked above-ground tanks that reduced the risk of soil contamination.
• Control weeds and pests; use pack-it-in, pack-it-out waste system for recreational areas; give environmental awareness presentations at elementary schools; plant trees; installed recycling stations at Project Parks.

1995 Continuing Excellence in Pollution Prevention

The Boeing Company

• Builds commercial jet airplanes; employs approximately 80,500 in Washington.
• From 1991 to 1994, reduced generation of hazardous waste by 70%, or more than eight million gallons per year, and hazardous materials released by 50%, or 8.6 million pounds per year.
• Reduced use of toxic solvents by 75%, by replacing vapor degreasers with aqueous ultrasonic, immersion, and power spray washers.
• Replaced chromic acid anodizing with a boric-sulfuric acid process.
• Product substitution reduced CFC-113 from one million pounds in 1990 to 250,000 pounds in 1994.
• Participates in the regional Industrial Materials Exchange (IMEX) and started internal exchange for surplus hazardous materials. Saved about $200,000 in purchase and disposal costs in 1994.
• Exceeds 50% recycling rate of incoming material.
• Electricity conserved would light 90,000 homes.
• Enhanced stormwater management system; treats two-thirds of all stormwater from the 516-acre site.

Cascade Pest Control, Bellevue

• Reduced use of chemicals overall by promoting Integrated Pest Management techniques. Perimeter treatment alone used 8,400 gallons for 1,200 applications in 1992; reduced to 2,400 gallons for 1,600 applications in 1994.
• Substituting least-toxic alternatives (pyrethrins and pyrethroids) for conventional organophosphate insecticides.
• Promoted these practices to the Washington State Pest Control Association and helped establish the Association’s first Environmental Awareness Committee.
• Educate clients on best management practices and proper disposal for household hazardous waste.