September 29, 2006

Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester congratulated officials at Steelcase, Inc. of Grand Rapids today on receiving the Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Award by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable in Washington, DC.

“This award recognizes Steelcase’s continuing commitment to pollution prevention practices that benefit the company, its community, and all of Michigan,” said Director Chester. “The company's actions demonstrate that we can have both a healthy environment and a healthy economy throughout our great state.”

Steelcase’s environmental accomplishments include creating the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified manufacturing facility, using metal finishing operations that are free of all volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reducing hazardous waste generation by 99 percent since 1990, and targeting 100 percent water based wood finishes by the end of 2006.

Steelcase has also been a member of the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership since 1998 and is a recent recipient of the DEQ’s Neighborhood Environmental Partner award.

For more information on the DEQ’s Pollution Prevention Partnerships, go to: http://www.michigan.gov/deqp2partnerships.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised September 29, 2006 by Pat Watson