All News Releases By Date

Kalas Recognized for Commitment to Environmental Improvement

Release Date: 6/24/2005
Contact Information: David Sternberg, 215-814-5548 & Joan Schafer, 215-814-5143

David Sternberg, 215-814-5548 & Joan Schafer, 215-814-5143

PHILADELPHIA – In a ceremony today in Denver, PA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh recognized Kalas Manufacturing, Inc. for enrolling in the voluntary national partnership for environmental priorities.

“As a member of the Lancaster County business community, Kalas has taken steps to go above and beyond environmental compliance. This privately-owned business is committed to finding new and innovative ways to reduce pollution while still making a viable product and earning a profit. That’s no small effort,” said Welsh.

The new voluntary program challenges businesses and manufacturers to become more environmentally aware and to adopt a resource conservation ethic that results in less waste, more recycling, and more environmentally sound products.

Kalas is a leading producer of wire and cable products. Its products range in use from commercial equipment to household appliances. Kalas has already made significant commitments to sound environmental business practices. By joining the national partnership, they have pledged to make further environmental improvements.

As a new waste minimization partner, Kalas has committed to reducing lead at two of its manufacturing plants. The company will reduce lead by substituting current materials with lead-free or reduced-lead raw materials in their manufacturing in Plant 2. This will result in reducing lead by 20 percent or 20,000 pounds by December 2006. Kalas’ commitment for Plant 3 is to reduce lead materials by 25 percent or 7,500 pounds by Dec. 2006, through the redesign of products, and by encouraging its customers to switch from solder products to solder-less products.

By making this commitment to reduce lead in its waste, Kalas Manufacturing, Inc. will be able to reduce disposal and management costs, improve worker health and safety, and decrease the impacts of regulatory requirements. Moreover, by removing lead from their products, Kalas will be able to improve the future environmental liability of others who discard the products at the end of their use.

Waste minimization not only means polluting less, it means saving money, too.
Participating companies throughout America are learning that reducing or eliminating waste can also mean greater production efficiency, an improved image in their community, and increased profits.

EPA created the national partnership for environmental priorities, one of EPA’s family of voluntary partnership programs, in order to reduce 31 highly toxic, priority chemicals found in our nation’s hazardous waste.

This national program seeks solutions that prevent pollution at the source, by recovering or recycling chemicals, which cannot easily be eliminated or reduced at the source.

EPA’s goal is to work with industry and the public to reduce the presence of the 31 priority chemicals in hazardous waste by 50 percent by the year 2005, compared to amounts generated in 1991. For more information about the national partnership for environmental priorities, go to: https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm.