October 2003

Pall Trinity Micro Wins 2003 Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention and Waste Reduction and Recycling

The New York State DEC has announced that Pall Trinity Micro of Cortland has won the 2003 Award For Environmental Initiatives for Pollution Prevention, Waste Reduction and Recycling for its outstanding efforts in protecting New York's natural resources.

DEC Commissioner Erin Crotty said. "The organizations receiving these awards are demonstrating that pollution prevention is an achievable and profitable strategy. By developing more efficient and cost-effective methods of preventing pollution, we are preserving our natural resources for the benefit of future generations."

Commissioner Crotty presented the award to Pall Trinity Micro and other winners during a ceremony at the Albany Marriott Hotel in Albany. The ceremony was part of the New York State Pollution Prevention and Recycling Conference. The Pollution Prevention Awards honor practices that go beyond regulatory requirements and are successful in reducing or eliminating pollution at its source. Each year, awards are given to organizations in the following categories: small, mid-size and large businesses; federal, state and local governments and educational institutions; and trade associations or other business/industry groups.

Applications are judged by a panel of members from business, environmental, academic and government organizations and were selected based upon each project's success in reducing toxic and hazardous pollution, as well as the overall environmental record of the applicant, the economic benefits of the project, the extent of employee participation, management commitment and the applicability of the project to other businesses or organizations.

Since 1997, the Governor's Awards for Pollution Prevention have recognized 62 companies and organizations whose projects have led to the elimination of more than 30 million pounds of hazardous waste, more than 45 million pounds of solid waste, and approximately 200 million pounds of atmospheric gases.

Applicants for the Governor's Waste Reduction and Recycling Awards were judged on their overall reduction and recycling achievements, the economic and community benefits of their programs, the extent of employee participation, and the applicant's overall environmental record. Awards are presented in two categories: Achievement of Excellence and Innovation.

Pall Trinity Micro won the Governor's Award in the large company category. Located in Cortland, Pall Trinity Micro employs approximately 636 and manufactures disposable and cleanable filter elements, filtration systems, filter housings and metal filter media. The company assembled a team to identify and address environmental issues. The team identified and developed programs to reduce waste generation in four program areas: reduced waste Oakite 33; reduced wastewater; reduced grit blast waste; and recycled plastic media cores. These projects resulted in the reduction of 4.8 tons of hazardous waste, the reduction of more than 10 million gallons of non-hazardous wastewater, the reduction of more than 31 tons of non-hazardous industrial waste and the recycled and reused material that would otherwise be sent to a landfill with an annual savings of nearly $264,000.