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Pennsylvania Company Commits to Reduce Waste and Reduce Chemical Use

Release Date: 08/16/2007
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 14, 2007) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region recognized Precoat Metals in McKeesport, Pa., for committing to reduce waste and manufacture more environmentally-sound products.

“Precoat Metals is joining companies across the country in meeting EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge to find flexible, yet more protective ways, to conserve our natural resources through waste reduction,” said Abraham Ferdas, director of the region’s Waste and Chemicals Management Division. “Today, Precoat Metals committed to reducing the priority chemical naphthalene in its manufacturing processes by reformulating or redesigning its products. These efforts will help protect public health and the environment.”

Under the EPA partnership, Precoat Metails, which used approximately 20,000 pounds of naphthalene in 2005 in the manufacture of its organic coatings, has committed to reducing that number by 2,000 pounds. As a result, the total amount of naphthalene stored at and disposed of from the facility will be reduced.

Precoat Metals is one of the largest coil coaters in the world, and the largest coater of building products in the U.S. The company applies protective and decorative coatings to coils of steel and aluminum, servicing customers in the building, container and manufactured product markets.

EPA created the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program, one of several voluntary partnership programs to reduce 31 highly toxic, priority chemicals found in our nation’s waste. The agency’s goal is to work with industry and the public to reduce the presence of these chemicals in waste by 10 percent by the year 2008, compared to amounts generated in 2001. For more information about this program, go to www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm