Stories
Y-12 Closes the Circle
The Y‑12 National Security Complex has received a 2006 White House Closing the Circle (CTC) award for its Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle team's efforts. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive presented the awards at ceremony in Washington.
The CTC awards recognize outstanding achievements of federal employees and their facilities for efforts that resulted in significant contributions to or have made a significant positive impact on environmental stewardship.The awards focus on waste prevention, recycling and green purchasing activities under several executive orders.
Y‑12 was recognized for the efforts of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle team, which initiated the transfer of approximately 2,250 pounds of excess abrasive media to the Sandia National Laboratories for reuse; recycled 6.8 metric tons of excess fire extinguishers to a local recycling vendor; transferred excess generators to support nuclear non-proliferation and the Department of Homeland Security efforts; and recycled more than 127 tons of wooden pallets and other materials.
Y‑12 has had an established Pollution Prevention Program for several years; however, in the spirit of continual improvement, Y‑12 personnel identified areas in which partnering with other organizations would increase source reduction, reuse, and recycling. With strong management support, Y‑12 established the multiorganizational Reduce, Reuse, Recycle team, including business, operations, support and legal functions.
In fiscal year 2005, just within the recycling function, Y‑12 implemented 70 projects reusing or recycling 21,000 tons of materials with an estimated cost avoidance of $1.67 million.
Since 1993, Y‑12's Pollution Prevention Program has completed more than 525 activities, including on-going recycling projects that resulted in the elimination of more than 1.42 billion pounds of waste at an estimated cost avoidance in excess of $39 million.
“Sustainable environmental performance has become an integral part of how we do business in the federal government,” said Mr. Ed Piñero, the Federal Environmental Executive. “These award-winning programs and individuals truly exemplify how our management and operations can be made more sustainable through enhanced environmental stewardship.”
This year, 20 CTC winners and 11 honorable mentions were selected from nearly 200 nominations in the areas of environmental management systems, pollution prevention, recycling, green product purchasing, alternative fuels, sustainable building and electronics stewardship. The awards were presented at the White House.
Created by executive order, the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive OFEE assists agencies with such sustainable practices as implementing environmental management systems, purchasing green products, constructing sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, and waste prevention and recycling.