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New EPA Report Shows Environmental Achievements of Performance Track

Release date: 05/14/2008

Contact Information: Dave Ryan, (202) 564-4355 / ryan.dave@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - May 14, 2008) EPA today released its 6th Annual Progress Report for the National Environmental Performance Track (Performance Track) program showing that since its inception in 2000, members have collectively saved enough energy to power 46,000 homes for one year, enough greenhouse gases to offset the annual emissions of 57,000 cars, and prevented solid waste equivalent to that produced by 553,000 households yearly.

To date, the combined environmental efforts of all Performance Track member facilities have resulted in significant cumulative savings, including:

  • Reductions of greenhouse gas emissions by 309,780 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
  • Increases in use of recycled materials for production processes by 559,991 tons
  • Reductions in water consumption of 5.2 billion gallons

"EPA applauds our Performance Track partners who are achieving environmental results beyond mandated requirements," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By committing to conservation, these leading companies are proving that what's good for the environment is also good for the bottom line."

Performance Track has 533 members — ranging from major corporations to small businesses and representing a variety of industries across 49 states and Puerto Rico — who have voluntarily collaborated with EPA to establish goals for environmental improvement. Performance Track is unique among environmental programs in that it works with members to improve performance among a variety of environmental activities -- such as water and energy use, land and habitat protection, air emissions, waste reduction -- throughout the product lifecycle, rather than focusing on just one specific pollutant or environmental issue.

Performance Track is a public-private partnership that encourages continuous environmental improvement through environmental management systems, community outreach, and measurable results. Members must have a sustained record of compliance with environmental laws, and commit to maintaining that level of compliance throughout their membership in the program. Since inception in 2000, Performance Track members have set more than 3,500 goals for environmental improvements, many of which will achieve environmental results in areas that are not covered by current regulation, such as energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, or water use.

More about Performance Track results: epa.gov/performancetrack/results/

More about Performance Track: epa.gov/performancetrack/