CYPRESS, Calif. (January 28) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the accomplishments of WasteWise partner organizations across the nation. ECOS, located in Cypress, Calif., is the EPA Pacific Southwest regional winner. As one of EPA’s longest-running voluntary programs, WasteWise celebrated its 27th year in 2021. Over the years, WasteWise partners prevented and diverted close to 249 million tons of waste from landfills and incinerators, preventing more than 488 million tons of associated greenhouse gas emissions, and saving close to $13.7 billion in avoided landfill tipping fees.
“The WasteWise program highlights the impact of business resource conservation and climate change leadership,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA congratulates ECOS on being California’s WasteWise award winner and celebrates their commitment to developing and implementing zero waste practices.”
“The realities of climate change and our impact on the earth can no longer be ignored. For over 50 years, our mission has been to protect the health of people, pets and the planet, and zero waste manufacturing is an important way we’re achieving that mission,” said Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President & CEO of ECOS. “Shoppers tell us it’s important to them, too – they want to buy products from companies that are doing more to reduce their impact on the environment. I hope our success will inspire other companies to reduce waste in their operations to help protect our beautiful, shared planet.”
ECOS has been a pioneer in the manufacturing of environmentally friendly household and commercial cleaning products since 1967. Over the last 50 years, sustainability has played a key role in their business, and ECOS boasts a zero waste policy company-wide and extends this throughout their supply chain and consumers.
In 2020 ECOS had a 97.8% landfill waste diversion rate, recycled over 106 tons of materials, and reused or returned over 100 tons of material, as well as donating 4.9 tons of unused or unmarketable product to local non-profit organizations. Their zero waste efforts saved them over $18,000 a year in waste disposal costs.
On a national scale, EPA recognizes WasteWise partners in several data categories for the best overall improvement in waste prevention and recycling activities when compared to the previous year. This year, EPA also recognizes winners in narrative categories who achieved exemplary waste reductions in their organizations and businesses.
The WasteWise award winners achieved noteworthy accomplishments, such as reprocessing N95 respirators, implementing Sustainable Purchasing Guidelines at a university, and reusing shipping containers for return trips to avoid waste.
More information about each winner is available at: https://www.epa.gov/smm/wastewise#AwardsandAwardWinners
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