EPA New England Press Releases You are here: PR # 97-10-15 EPA, MASSACHUSETTS HONOR LEADING RECYCLERS Contact: Leo Kay, Press Office, (617)918-4154 For immediate release: October 22, 1997; Release # 97-10-15 BOSTON - EPA-New England Administrator John P. DeVillars and Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Secretary Trudy Coxe joined leading business and municipal recyclers from throughout the region today to recognize their continued waste reduction efforts as part of the EPA's WasteWi$e Program. The EPA launched WasteWi$e in 1994 as a voluntary partnership program designed to help businesses find practical methods for reducing municipal solid waste. More than 630 organizations are currently members of the program, 54 of which are headquartered in New England. In 1996, reporting New England partners prevented more than 1.6 million pounds of waste, saving over $155, 000 in disposal and purchasing costs. They also collected more than 36 million pounds of recyclables and purchased over 7 billion pounds of recycled content products, worth more than $20 million. The organizations we are recognizing today serve as proof positive that Yankee ingenuity is alive and kicking in New England's environmental and business community the result: a better environment and savings to business, DeVillars said. The WasteWi$e program is an excellent fit fo...