US EPA PHOTO
(From left to right) James Chow (EPA Region 1 Manager, Technical Enforcement Office), Deborah Szaro (EPA Region 1 Deputy Regional Administrator), Ronald Fiume (Environmental, Health & Safety Engineer, PerkinElmer), Elizabeth Honcharik (Senior Manager, Environmental, Health & Safety, PerkinElmer), Dennis Deziel (EPA Region 1 Administrator)
BOSTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently recognized PerkinElmer Health Sciences Inc. of Shelton for the company’s work on behalf of the environment.
The company was among 25 recipients in New England to receive a 2019 Environmental Merit award.
“The New England individuals, businesses, and organizations recognized today have shown dedication to the environmental and public health in their communities,” said EPA New England Administrator Dennis Deziel. “We are proud to present awards to these stewards of New England’s air, land and water.”
The Environmental Merit Awards, given for work or actions done in the prior year, are awarded in the categories of individual; business (including professional organizations); local, state or federal government; and environmental, community, academia or nonprofit organization.
PerkinElmer, which designs and manufactures lab equipment, makes its products in a way that minimizes adverse health and environmental impacts throughout a product’s life-cycle.
Its instruments have helped identify trace levels of lead and other materials in water, detect toxic air conditions, and screen soil to identify volatile organic compounds.
The instruments are designed to consume fewer resources, and the company has removed hazardous substances, such as mercury, from all its products.
For the past three years, employees have participated in an Earth Day household hazardous waste collection, bringing in more than 20,000 pounds of waste.
In the last three years, employees also spread 181 wheelbarrows of mulch at the Beardsley Zoo, removed 2,000 pounds of trash and 25 contractor bags of plastic bottles from the Naugatuck River, replanted 2,000 strawberry plants at Massaro Community Farm, and dug 2,160 square feet of garden beds.
Through recycling, PerkinElmer has diverted 4,957 pounds of nitrile gloves and disposable garments from landfills.
The Shelton facility has limited it its carbon footprint through upgrades that include a new high efficiency cooling tower, lighting upgrades to LED, upgrading boilers to an efficient natural gas system and removing four 20,000-gallon oil tanks.
The company also built a telepresence conference center to eliminate unnecessary travel. PerkinElmer works to improve human and environmental health around the world.
