Contacts: Linda McCormick, (505) 277-9511 Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821

February 12, 2003 UNM RECEIVES POLLUTION PREVENTION AWARD FROM CITY The University of New Mexico was recently recognized with the Pollution Prevention Award of Excellence for its campus-wide pollution prevention activities by the Industrial Pretreatment Program and Pollution Prevention Program, a subdivision of the City of Albuquerque’s Public Works Department. The criterion for the award includes superior performance, above and beyond regulatory requirements that accomplished the true spirit and intent of pollution prevention. “As a result of our work with various departments across campus, UNM has received the City of Albuquerque’s Pollution Prevention Award of Excellence,” said Linda McCormick, pollution prevention specialist with Safety, Health & Environmental Affairs or SHEA. “This award wouldn’t be possible without the help of various entities across campus who have received certifications for their participation in the campus five parts per million (PPM) Silver or Pollution Prevention programs.” McCormick accepted the award at a recent City Council meeting on behalf of the University and SHEA, in which the City of Albuquerque recognized UNM’s pollution prevention accomplishments over a one-year time frame from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002. Some of the departments involved in the program that helped UNM win the award include the departments of Art & Art History, Biology, Chemistry and the Physical Plant Department’s Grounds and Landscaping division. “It’s really fun and exciting to go and learn what’s going on around campus on a “chemical user” level,” said McCormick. “We have a lot of interaction with faculty, staff and students throughout campus and we also serve as a knowledge base for resource redistribution between areas on campus.” In UNM’s Pollution Prevention Report sent to the City in early-January, McCormick cited a number of program highlights where the University has made significant strides. These include the removal of significant amounts of elemental mercury across campus for recycling; implementation of a free mercury thermometer replacement program in which non-mercury thermometers are substituted; recycling of “waste” gas cylinders by various manufacturers in the United State that saved UNM an estimated $40,000 by not having to pay for disposal of the cylinders; a surplus chemical program that redistributed more than 2,100 pounds of chemicals; and the reclamation and recycling of four tons of silver containing photographic negatives. In May of 2002, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Pollution Prevention between the City of Albuquerque and UNM was signed which implied a high level of trust in the University to go above and beyond regulatory requirements. Prior to this agreement, UNM was required to maintain a Wastewater Discharge Permit that included semiannual reporting by UNM and semiannual monitoring by the City of UNM’s wastewater discharge at six locations throughout the campus. Wastewater samples were analyzed for corrosives (i.e. pH), organic chemicals, metals and temperature. As a result of the MOU, the Wastewater Discharge Permit was inactivated by the City. The whole process was made possible through the U.S. EPA’s Excellence in Leadership (XL) Pilot Project which the City entered into in February of 2000 and which is intended to encourage enhanced, innovative, and overall superior environmental management at industries, businesses, and institutions. The City also directly benefits by being able to shift much needed resources to pollution prevention activities not otherwise able to be addressed at other locations in the City said McCormick. “Due to UNM’s excellent record with respect to semiannual reporting and wastewater discharge quality, the City no longer requires a wastewater discharge permit,” said McCormick. “They expressed to us that they have confidence we are doing the right thing.” # # #

The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981