EPA Lauds Exel for Sustainability and Waste Reduction

June 11, 2013
Exel’s Lockport, N. Y., distribution center purchases green products, converts waste into energy, reuses finished goods and composts.

Exel, part of the supply chain division of Deutsche Post DHL, received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2012 WasteWise Small Business Partner of the Year award for the sustainability program at its Lockport, N. Y., distribution center. This is the fourth U.S. EPA award the Exel Lockport facility has won since 2007.

The 250,000-square-foot customer distribution center purchases green products, converts waste into energy, reuses finished goods and composts. It has achieved zero waste to landfill, preventing approximately 11,500 tons of trash from ending up in landfills since the program began seven years ago. The site’s sustainability efforts have also resulted in a reduction of 17,600 metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions, the equivalent of taking more than 3,600 passenger vehicles off the road for a year in the United States.

“We started rethinking the concept of waste in 2004 in partnership with DuPont,” said John Ruth, general manager, Exel.

The Exel Lockport Facility was selected for the award from the WasteWise Program’s more than 2,700 partner companies/organizations. Every year, the EPA recognizes approximately 25 of their best performing organizations in the sustainability area.  The award is given annually to recognize WasteWise Partners who make noteworthy accomplishments in waste prevention, recycling and green purchasing.