The Environmental Protection Agency recognized Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. Monday (9/9) at the national WasteWi$e Forum in Washington, D.C., for the utility's voluntary comprehensive waste reduction program.

PP&L was one of only 47 companies in the nation -- and the only electric utility in Pennsylvania -- to receive the EPA recognition.

PP&L joined the EPA's voluntary waste reduction program, WasteWi$e, in 1995 to enhance the company's effort to reduce and recycle waste and to promote environmentally responsible actions. There are about 480 companies nationally that participate in the WasteWi$e program.

"Since joining WasteWi$e, PP&L has found innovative ways to reduce waste and to benefit the company's bottom line," the EPA stated in its recognition of PP&L. "PP&L has made substantial progress in all three program areas: waste prevention, recycling collection and buying recycled content products."

The EPA program is designed to assist companies in reducing municipal solid waste by providing technical assistance and sharing information on how to improve performance. Companies must qualify for the program by having waste reduction programs.

"One of the reasons we joined WasteWi$e was to bolster our initiatives to reduce waste," said Larry LaBuz, PP&L's WasteWi$e coordinator. "By working with the EPA, we have been very successful. During 1995, we reused millions of pounds of wood, recycled millions of pounds of paper and purchased thousands of pounds of recycled content paper."

PP&L achieved the following through its waste reduction efforts last year:

-- Reused utility poles and cross ties, avoiding disposal of 1.8 million pounds of wood.

-- Refurbished and reused wooden pallets and reels, eliminating 492, 475 pounds of wood waste.

-- Eliminated the use of 188,000 pounds of paper by eliminating unnecessary computer printouts of reports.

-- Collected 1.8 million pounds of paper for recycling.

-- Purchased 155,560 pounds of 100 percent recycled paper, saving PP&L $17,733 by not buying traditional paper.

WasteWi$e members focus on activities that are practical and cost-effective. Under the program, PP&L is required to report to the EPA each year the amount of waste prevented, recyclables collected and recycled products purchased.

Research by EPA and others has shown that conserving materials through waste prevention and recycling saves energy and reduces pollution. The effort also saves businesses money by reducing purchasing and waste management costs.