MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support was named an Environmental Protection Agency Safer Choice Partner of the Year during a recent virtual ceremony.
The Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards recognize contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who have shown outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products that meet the Safer Choice program’s standards.
To qualify for the Safer Choice label, a product must meet EPA’s Safer Choice Standard, which includes stringent human and environmental health criteria. The Safer Choice program currently partners with nearly 400 formulator-manufacturer partners who make about 2,000 Safer Choice-certified products for both retail and institutional customers.
The NAVSUP WSS Hazardous Material Control and Management and Pollution Prevention Department was honored for their efforts to advance the use of chemicals that meet the Safer Choice criteria. Through a research and development project funded by the Navy Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration program, the command developed and conducted a pilot project to determine if naval installations could increase the purchase of environmentally-friendly cleaning products while still meeting Navy performance requirements.
“As one of the largest buyers of products and services within the government, the Navy works hard to ensure that every purchase meets the applicable Federal sustainable procurement preference programs and includes the purchase of Safer Choice products,” said NAVSUP WSS Director of Engineering and Product Support Directorate, Capt. Mark Angelo.
The pilot program was conducted over a six-month period at Naval Air Station Oceana in Norfolk, Va., and Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, Ca. The team identified existing Safer Choice products in the Department of Defense supply system and added 118 more, increasing the number of Safer Choice products available for purchase by 347 percent. The products were available for purchase in the web-based Hazardous Material Management Tool.
Team members also conducted on-site communication campaigns at each installation and distributed “Clean with Green” flyers to promote the benefits of choosing and using Safer Choice products.
The pilot resulted in a purchase increase of Safer Choice cleaners by 1,500 percent, while decreasing newly added hazardous cleaners by 25 percent over the previous fiscal year at the installations. Ten percent of cleaners purchased at the pilot sites were Safer Choice products, compared to zero percent from the previous fiscal year.
“In the end, the pilot introduced up to 34,000 people to the Safer Choice program, and overall it was a resounding success,” said Angelo. “We are honored to have been selected as a Safer Choice Partner of the Year, and we look forward to increasing our impact in this area in the future.”
NAVSUP WSS is one of eleven commands under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP's mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.
For more information about the Safer Choice program, visit: www.epa.gov/saferchoice.
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2020 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 383456 |
| Location: | MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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