DEEP Recognizes Businesses For Environmental Stewardship

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today recognized 23 Connecticut businesses and individuals for their efforts to protect the environment and natural resources during a GreenCircle awards ceremony at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wallingford.

“For the past 15 years, GreenCircle Awards have called attention to the voluntary efforts of businesses, organizations, and individuals, that have played a very real role in improving the environment of our state,” said Daniel C. Esty, Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. “Through the GreenCircle awards we are able to recognize the good works being done by so many people to improve the quality of life in Connecticut and build a sustainable future for our state.”

Since the Agency launched the GreenCircle Award Program, approximately 1050 individuals, businesses, schools and organizations have been recognized for making a real difference in preserving natural resources and protecting the quality of the state’s air, water and lands.

Businesses that were recognized include:

Gzen, Branford, CT: A fully sustainable restaurant and a ZERO waste establishment. Gzen uses 90 percent organic ingredients and 100 percent vegan ingredients which are found locally within 25 miles of the restaurant. Many of the ingredients for the food served are grown on Shadle Farm, the owner’s organic farm in Durham. Shadle Farm composts 100 percent of the waste from the business and runs 100 percent on solar energy.

Chapman Manufacturing, Durham, CT: Implemented a new recycling program including a machine oil separator that is used to remove fine metal particles from their used machine oils. This enables them to continue to reuse the oil on a daily basis. All of their fluorescent light bulbs, batteries and computer/electronics are recycled and unnecessary office equipment and chairs are donated to the Goodwill.

Environmental Office Solutions, Inc., East Hartford, CT: Supports efforts of businesses, government agencies and consumers to recycle cell phones as well as used toner and inkjet cartridges from printers, copiers, facsimile, and multifunction printers. The company is now certified to R2:2008 (Responsible Recycling Practices). All cardboard, stretch film and soft plastic packaging is baled and sent for recycling and in the first five months of last year, close to 170,000 lbs. of these materials were recycled.

Horst Engineering, East Hartford, CT: Invested in solar PV electric power system four years ago that has generated a total of 176,264 kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy. Their 128 rooftop solar panels provided 46 percent of the power used by the company. Through their membership in 1% for The Planet, they support 20+ environmental non-profits including the Appalachian Mountain Club, Connecticut Forest & Park Association, and Riverfront Recapture.

United Steel, Inc., East Hartford, CT: Installed Sonical fuel treatment systems on two diesel powered trucks that produced a 19% efficiency improvement in diesel fuel usage during the test period. The company also transitioned from paper drawings to the use of laptops in the fabrication shop, eliminating hundreds of thousands of sheets of blueprints annually.

Eagle Valley Eco Fuel, Inc., Ellington, CT: Converts manure and stall waste into a biomass heat source. The daily operation recycles solid waste and provides a clean, renewable energy source as a final product. Farms with greenhouses that use this product for heat, cut their energy consumption in half.

GreenShare Technology, Farmington, CT: Provides low cost computers and training to those who cannot afford new technology. Unwanted computers from businesses, organizations and individuals are repurposed for schools, libraries, students, and people with disabilities for home use. GreenShare volunteers have contributed more than 1,500 hours to saving unwanted computers and has provided more than 110 free computers to those in need.

Bull Metal Products, Inc., Middletown, CT: Reduced cardboard waste by 12% with a HSM Profi Pack Machine that reuses corrugated cardboard as packing material for shipping their products. A Jenfab part washer is now in use that reduces water consumption by 9%. Natural gas space heaters in the facility have been outfitted with Honeywell timer/temperature controls to automatically shut off during off hours.

PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., Shelton, CT: Implemented energy conservation and reduction efforts by retrofitting and installing high efficiency lighting and “green” chillers. The company received ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems Certification and OHSAS 18001 Health and Safety Certification. The company also implemented a Pollution Prevention Plan that eliminated mercury from its manufactured products.

NRG Energy, Inc., South Norwalk, CT: Implemented educational programs including the Environmental Student Detective Program in Norwalk that teaches students to use environmental indicators to locate sources of contamination and broken sewage pipes. The work of students has helped stop major sources of contamination into Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound. A Diamond Back Terrapin Turtle Restoration Project was also initiated with support from SoundWater Environmental staff that protects the eggs of nesting turtles.

Aptar, Stratford, CT: Reduced its electricity consumption with an energy efficient cycling generated dryer that was installed on a compressed air system, resulting in an average annual savings of 143 metric tons of CO2. Finding and repairing compressed air leakages resulted in a savings of 45.5 tons of CO2. Installation of solenoids on assembly machines decreased the consumption of electricity by 15% and compressed air by 29%.

Aptar, Torrington, CT: Reduced its electricity consumption and offset 615.8 metric tons of CO2 by continuing efforts to install high efficiency equipment and performing an annual compressed air leakage survey. Examples include replacing two hydraulic molding machines with electric molding machines that saved 243 metric tons of CO2 and installation of six micro molding machines that resulted in a savings of 122 metric ton equivalents of CO2.

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wallingford, CT: Implemented natural resources, environmental awareness, recycling, and energy conservation projects. The wildlife team helped expand two nature trails and developed a pond management program. For over five years the company has participated in a waste minimization and recycling program that encourages recycling efforts. The company supports water conservation and energy management initiatives that include installation of solar and LED lighting in their parking lot and adding controls to chillers that optimize equipment to high efficiency levels.

Coilplus, Waterbury, CT: Implemented ISO 14001:2004 and a single stream recycling program that recycles ink cartridges, CFL bulbs, and batteries. Coilplus has also hosted an onsite electronics recycling event with Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA).

Philson, Inc., Watertown, CT: Holds annual employee river clean-up days. Philson participates in the Northeast Utility Process Re-engineering for Innovation and Manufacturing Efficiency (PRIME) program that uses LEAN principles to reduce solid and hazardous wastes while increasing energy efficiency.

Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC, Windsor, CT: Participated in projects that resulted in 20% reduction in water use. As part of their ISO 14001 targets and objectives, electricity and water usage were reduced. Another energy efficient project was a KAIZEN event that improved the cycle time throughout the end plug machining area.

GreenCircle recipients are presented a certificate of commendation and recognized publicly for their efforts. The GreenCircle Program is an on-going award program and award categories are for both common and innovative activities in the environmental field. For a list of GreenCircle award recipients and a description of the program, visit the DEEP website at: www.ct.gov/deep/greencircle .