EPA Awards NASA For Waste Reduction

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA recognized the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas recently for its successful strategic plan and project implementation for increasing municipal solid and organic waste composting. In 2012 the agency increased its composted amount from sixteen tons, which was recorded for 2011, to two hundred and fifty tons, which was recorded at the end of the calendar year.

The plan and project were launched as part of the Federal Green Challenge, an EPA environmental and materials management contest that urges federal departments and agencies to take steps in cutting back their environmental impact and reduce energy use and waste materials disposal fees.

In 2012, close to three hundred federal buildings and divisions cut their environmental impact in a variety of areas. Over the course of the year, the participating groups diverted more than three hundred and sixty thousand tons of waste from landfills, saved over fifty million kilowatts of electricity, close to five hundred thousand gallons of oil, and reduced water waste by one hundred thirty million gallons. All efforts combined resulted in a savings of over thirty one million dollars to US taxpayers.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If your business is spread out over multiple locations it can be hard to successfully your waste and recycling levels. Take a page from the EPA’s play book and encourage some friendly competition between sites! When you increase recycling and reduce waste and energy usage everybody comes out a winner!