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Steelcase Receives EPA Kudos

The manufacturer is collaborating with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry for a cradle-to-cradle design philosophy.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 10/5/2005 12:00:00 AM

When companies take sustainable initiatives, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency takes note. Office furniture manufacturer Steelcase recently received two awards from voluntary EPA program WasteWise, which recognizes waste prevention, recycling, and manufacturing recycled-content products.

Through the free program, organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the environment.

To carry out its sustainable vision, Steelcase set ambitious goals each year in categories such as waste prevention, recycling, and energy conservation. Corporate-wide policies, ranging from donating cell phones for reuse to employee involvement programs inspiring employees to take steps at work and at home to reduce environmental impact, are also regularly implemented.

In a collaboration with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Steelcase has embraced a cradle-to-cradle environmental design and strategy, aiming to eliminate waste and optimize products and processes so that the materials they use are healthy for humans and the environment.

In addition, Steelcase introduced the Think chair last year--which contains no PVCs, is 99 percent recyclable and made up of 44 percent recycled materials (by weight), in addition to being Greenguard certified.

"Steelcase's dedication to protecting and preserving the environment serves as a steady drumbeat throughout the company, and greatly influences what products are created, how they are created and why," says Allan Smith, director, communications and environmental strategy, of Steelcase.

WasteWise has more than 1,300 corporations, government agencies, universities, hospitals, and other organizations committed to cutting costs and conserving natural resources through solid waste reduction.