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Utah Department of
Environmental Quality
Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company managed to cut its water use by 40,000 gallons a day while it manufactures pipes used largely to supply drinking water. The Provo company also reduced 100 tons of pollutants by switching to a water-based pipe coating.
Those efforts, along with the similar successes of five other companies and organizations along the Wasatch Front, were praised at the Utah Pollution Prevention Association’s annual luncheon on September 27.
Rick Sprott, executive director of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), praised Pacific States and others for going above and beyond regulatory requirements. “You walk the walk,” he told the group. “You are the environmental heroes.”
Bruce Allen (ATK Facilities Engineer),
Kalene Bradley (ATK Environmental Compliance Officer),
Rick Sprott (Director, DEQ),
Judy Moran (U of U, Vice President, Utah P2 Association)
The Outstanding Achievement award was presented to Pacific States for implementing four projects that resulted in huge environmental benefits. Environmental Manager David Georgeson said the projects also made economic sense. “We looked at the low-hanging fruit and found leaks. By implementing a control system for cooling and casting, we were able to cut our water usage by 40,000 gallons a day.”
ATK Aerospace Structure Division’s pollution prevention team reviewed the company’s purchasing processes and made changes that reduced its non-hazardous and hazardous waste and increased recycling. “ATK takes environment very seriously,” said Company spokeswoman Kalene Bradley.
La-Z-Boy Utah, last year’s Outstanding Achievement recipient, reduced landfill disposal by 53 tons. It also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 14 percent by finding more ways to reduce pollution.
Utah Transit Authority reduced the idling of their diesel busses by two-and-a-half hours a day per vehicle and saved $1 million in fuel and labor costs while reducing air pollution in the process. “People look to UTA to be a leader in environmental issues,” said Jerry Benson, chief operating officer.
Another government agency, Salt Lake Valley Landfill, was recognized for creating a power plant that converts methane gas, created by the decomposition of garbage, into electricity enough to power 2,000 homes in Murray City. “It’s awesome we can use this gas in a beneficial way,” said Tom Burrup, the landfill’s environmental manager.
And, Great Salt Lakekeeper was honored for a four-month cleanup last year of the Jordan River Parkway. Nearly 500 volunteers collected 40,000 pounds of garbage and debris from a 23-mile stretch of the river. The cleanup is an on-going project, said Jeff Salt, executive director. Discarded tires, shopping carts and aluminum beverage cans were removed and carted away to the landfill for disposal or recycling.
Also, the Pollution Prevention Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to reducing pollution through practical, cost-saving measures, honored Sonja Wallace of DEQ for efforts in forming the organization in 1991.
“These businesses and organizations are truly leaders in their fields,” said Leah Ann Lamb, director of Planning and Public Affairs. “This Association tries to show that businesses can improve their bottom line and reduce pollution at the same time.”