Three GreenCircle awards go to area businesses
Fairfield County companies received three of 28 “GreenCircle” environmental awards bestowed by the state of Connecticut, which since 1998 have recognized volunteer efforts.
Local recipients included Efficient Lighting & Maintenance Inc. of Brookfield; Branson Ultrasonics Corp. in Danbury; and EMSAR based in Stratford.
Efficient Lighting & Maintenance helped customers recycle spent mercury-added lamps, thermostats, batteries and ballasts containing PCBs, helping their customers save an estimated 5.7 million kilowatt hours of energy.
Branson hired an outside auditor to identify energy conservation opportunities, cutting $60,000 from its annual bill.
EMSAR, a maker of spray pumps and dispensers, partnered with A Greener Solution to recycle all secondary materials, cutting its trash generation by two thirds.
Workplace graduates green class
More than 15 Bridgeport residents completed the four-week Green-Up Bridgeport Training program, offered by The Workplace Inc. under a $4 million federal grant.
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program trained participants for careers in green construction, building energy systems, resource management and transportation.
Training at Environmental Management Geological Consultants Inc., students trained for licenses covering weatherization, asbestos removal, lead safety, construction safety and other topics.
Studies also included a “green survey 101” class offered at the University of Bridgeport helping them understand the additional training needed to move up the career ladder.
MerrittView gets Energy Star
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency bestowed the Energy Star certification on MerrittView, a multi-tenant office building in Norwalk owned by Malkin Properties.
To earn the Energy Star designation, properties must meet strict energy performance standards set by EPA covering energy use, expenses, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Malkin Properties”™ strategies include energy-efficient fixtures and appliances; reduced water use; recycling; green cleaning and pest control solutions; and environmentally friendly carpeting and wall coverings.
Malkin Properties is based in New York City and owns several office buildings in Fairfield County and Westchester County, N.Y.
PCB violations brings fine
The owner of an inoperative Bridgeport brass facility is paying $52,000 to settle a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigation into PCB violations.
The Fairfield-based Connecticut Transfer and Recycling Co. L.L.C. (CTC) owns the former Bridgeport Brass Co. facility in Bridgeport. In 2008, CTC hired a waste transporter to pump out waste oil from an electrical transformer and two 55-gallon drums located at the facility. CTC”™s waste oil was not initially identified as containing PCBs and was mixed with waste oil from other companies by the waste transporter and sent off to be recycled. PCBs, however, were discovered in the combined waste and eventually traced back to the waste oil from CTC”™s facility.
