GE on Board with EPA Waste-Reduction Programs

GE has established itself as an appliance manufacturing giant, but now the colossal company is looking to downsize its eco footprint.

This spring, GE announced additional participation in two of EPA’s voluntary programs designed to help companies become more sustainable.

EPA’s WasteWise program is a waste-reduction initiative and the SmartWay Program aims to decrease transportation-related emissions. GE was already an Energy Star and Responsible Appliance Disposal Program partner.

“Customers care about the environmental impact of the products they purchase, and at GE, we’re committed to reducing that impact,” said Mark Shirkness, the company’s general manager of distribution services, on GE’s website.

By enrolling in the WasteWise program, GE has made a commitment to dramatically reduce waste by purchasing recycled materials for production and by ensuring that recyclable materials from existing GE products don’t end up in landfill.  To date, GE reports it has  already reduced landfill waste of appliances by 318,000 pounds monthly and that reduction is estimated to equate to more than 3.8 million pounds annually.

The SmartWay Program, established in 2004, helps companies improve fuel efficiency and develop emission reduction strategies. According to GE, inbound appliances and appliance products travel approximately 144 million miles throughout the US, annually. The program has set big goals for its partners.

“By 2012, the SmartWay Transport Partnership aims to save between 3.3-6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year, which would eliminate at least 33 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and up to 200,000 tons of NOx emissions per year,” the EPA says on its website.

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