Excellence in Pollution Prevention Recognized

CALGARY – Canada’s environment is a little bit cleaner due to the outstanding efforts of seven organizations that have shown innovation and leadership in pollution prevention. 

The following organizations were honoured today at an awards luncheon hosted by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME): Aurum Experience Ltd.; Informco Inc.; Novopharm Limited; City of Toronto, Waste and Storm Water Quality Unit; Labour Environmental Alliance Society; Mountain Equipment Co-op – Winnipeg Store; Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries.   The presentation is in conjunction with the national roundtable hosted by the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention.

"The award winners have demonstrated significant results in avoiding or minimizing the creation of pollutants or waste at source," stated the Honourable Dr. Lorne Taylor, Minister of Environment for Alberta.  "They emerge as leaders in pollution prevention and set a world-wide example for business to follow."

Awards were given in the categories of Small, Medium and Large Business; Organization/Institution/Group; Innovations; and Greenhouse Gas Reductions.  The winners were presented with a specially designed award and logo that they may use, signifying their status as a CCME Pollution Prevention award winner.

The CCME Pollution Prevention Awards program was established in 1997 to support CCME’s emphasis on preventing pollution at the source, rather than cleaning it up or treating it later.  Additional information about the Awards Program can be viewed on the CCME website at www.ccme.ca.

CCME is the major intergovernmental forum in Canada for discussion and joint action on environmental issues of national and international concern.

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For further information, contact:

Anjanette Tomac, CCME Secretariat, (204) 948-2757 or (204) 793-6422

Alan Ernst, Aurum Experience Ltd., (403) 721-2117

Sarah Cashman, Informco Inc., (416) 285-1700

David Windross, Novopharm Limited, (416) 291-8888

Vic Lim, City of Toronto, Waste & Storm Water Quality Unit, (416) 392-2966

Mae Burrows, Labour Environmental Alliance Society, (604) 669-1921

Corin Flood, Mountain Equipment Co-op, (250) 837-7120

Trish Ritthaler, Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries, (780) 525-8010 or (780) 689-6359