The Department of Environmental Quality today welcomed Haviland Enterprises, Inc. of Grand Rapids as the 155th member of the Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) Program. The C3 Program is a voluntary environmental program that recognizes environmental stewardship at Michigan's facilities.

"I would like to congratulate the entire Haviland Enterprises, Inc. team for their work in protecting Michigan's environment," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "Haviland is the first chemical blending, packaging, and distribution company to join the C3 program, and we are excited to have them on board as a C3 designee."

Haviland Enterprises, Inc. primarily provides contract-based blending and packaging, research and development, technical service, compliance training, and supply chain management services to customers throughout the Midwestern United States. It also blends and packages swimming pool chemicals for private label customers.

"Haviland Enterprises Inc., a Grand Rapids business for nearly 75 years, is honored to have achieved recognition as a Michigan Clean Corporate Citizen," said Michael Marmo, Vice President of Operations of Haviland. "As a manufacturer, packager, and distributor of thousands of chemicals, it's especially gratifying that DEQ has cited our efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle! Haviland prides itself on being respectful of the environment, our natural resources, and the Grand Rapids community in which we live."

Haviland has worked over the past three years to reduce solid waste and water consumption, as well as recycling raw materials and packaging supplies and reusing chemicals wherever possible. The company recently recycled a former warehouse building while recovering over 95% of the demolished materials.

Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) designation is made to candidates that adopt facility-specific Environmental Management Systems, have active and on-going pollution prevention initiatives at their facility, and have a consistent record of compliance with state and federal environmental requirements. The C3 program is open to companies regulated under any of Michigan's environmental statutes, and designations are reviewed and renewed on a regular basis.

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 December 10, 2008 by Pat Watson