Chester County VA Center Wins EPA Award For Waste Diversion

COATESVILLE, PA — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized a federal facility in Chester County for conserving resources and saving taxpayers’ money as part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC).

The Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Coatesville — part of the EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region — is receiving the Region’s Federal Green Challenge Award.

According to the EPA the center won the Waste Diversion Award.

The center diverted waste and put it back into productive reuse by recycling 1,450 tons of materials, sending 17.5 tons of wood waste to shred into an absorbent material which is processed at an environmental recovery center; and composting all grass clippings, leaves, and wood from downed limbs and trees.

Additionally, the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona won the Innovation Award

The challenge is a national effort under the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program, which encourages federal agencies to lead by example in reducing its environmental impact.

In fiscal year 2018, FGC participants reduced their environmental impact by:

• Sending more than 235 tons of end-of-life electronics to third-party certified recyclers.
• Reducing transportation costs by more than $23 million.
• Using approximately 536 million fewer gallons of potable water.
• Decreasing paper purchasing by nearly 2,800 pounds.
• Diverting an estimated 675,000 tons of waste from landfills.

"We need innovative, sustainable practices to reduce waste, improve efficiency, save energy and reuse valuable resources," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio. "I applaud all of the agencies doing this good work, and congratulate Veterans Affairs and its Medical Centers in Altoona and Coatesville who will receive this year’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Federal Green Challenge Awards."

The Federal Green Challenge is a voluntary, yearlong commitment in which federal participants focus on finding more ways to efficiently manage their resources to reduce the costs of building operations, maintenance, and supplies.