DEC doles out awards

Frontiersman staff

ANCHORAGE -- The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the DEC "Commissioner's Awards" for outstanding achievement in pollution prevention, according to a recent DEC press release.

Five awards were given around the state. The City of Palmer, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, Schlumberger Technology Corporation, WesternGeco and ABR Inc. were recognized by the program.

"Pollution prevention not only protects our environment and public health, it is also good business," Commissioner Michele Brown said. "Eliminating, reducing and reusing what we otherwise throw away can have a big impact on our community, our state and our country. These organizations and businesses have shown outstanding commitment to 'doing it right.'"

The Commissioner's Pollution Prevention Award encourages Alaska businesses and organizations to step forward with creative, pollution prevention solutions. Over the years, this award has recognized a variety of innovative industrial, regulatory and non-regulatory pollution prevention projects and initiatives.

"Those applying for the award realize that pollution prevention lowers costs by using materials more efficiently and saving money on fuels and waste disposal," Brown said.

ABR Inc. from Fairbanks used $6,000 worth of carbon credits to help Ryan Middle School install solar panels in the school. ABR gives employees daily monetary incentives for using non-fuel alternative transportation to get to work. The company uses environmental friendly cleaners, recycled office supplies and hybrid cars as company vehicles.

"Although we have a long way to go, our conservation efforts help us sustain our core ideology: measuring success with a triple economic, social, and environmental-bottom line," said company representative Bob Ritchie.

Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council is dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Yukon River Watershed. Forty-two communities are involved in efforts such as collecting lead acid batteries, purchasing oil burners, re-using household hazardous waste, removing abandoned vehicles and recycling.

WesternGeco designed and built a portable Hydrocarbon Recovery and Disposal System (HRDS) unit to remove hydrocarbons from contaminated snow. The onsite process saves the company $9,000 per month.

Schlumberger Technology Corporation was recognized for using engine hot glycol circulation systems and the Alaska Materials Exchange program to encourage businesses to find alternatives to throwing valuable materials into landfills.

"Receiving the commissioner's award for environmental excellence encourages us to continue on our quest and reassures us that we are headed in the right direction," said company spokesman Graeme Lawrie.

The City of Palmer was honored for its sanitary wastewater sludge management program.

"The personnel responsible for the Palmer Municipal wastewater treatment plant operations developed a cost effective process to increase the quality of plant effluent, eliminate a waste by-product, and at the same time manufacture top soil for the city's public works projects," said Rick Koch, director of city public works.