EMS at Our Philadelphia Office

Philadelphia Office EMS Quick Finder
Philadelphia EMS Home Summary Scope Policy Facility Team Aspects of Our Operations	Impacts of Our Operations Significant Aspects Goals Manual Procedures Programs Workplans	Operational Controls Audits Corrective Action Management Review Definitions Legal and Other Requirements Schedule	Training ISO and Other Certifications Accomplishments Green Lease What Our Employees Can Do Make a Suggestion

1650 Arch St.
Philadelphia

Trash and Recycling

The building our office is located in has recycled an average of 160 tons per year of paper, cardboard, plastic, cans, and bottles - about 40% of our waste. Our building manager also recycles all the fluorescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lights in our building.
In addition, our office manages the recycling of our computers, toner cartridges, batteries, phones and more (PDF) (1 pg, 16.5K, About PDF)!
Our office has recently set the goal to “strive for 45” – to increase our recycling rate to 45% or more.

Paper Use

Since 2005, our office has been using 100% recycled content, 100% post-consumer fiber, paper made by a chlorine-free process. Since 2003, we have reduced our paper use by 30% and saved tens of thousands of dollars. However, we are still using about 500 sheets of paper per person per month. Even though we use “green” paper it still requires resources and energy and we continue to evaluate ways of reducing our paper use.

Computers

Since 2003, our office has saved hundreds of thousands of kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity by activating "sleep mode" on our computers and monitors. Since then, we have been able to hold the line on power use by ever more powerful computers by eliminating the use of cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and replacing them with liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors. We also only buy Energy Star and EPEAT computers. Finally, we have replaced some desktop PCs with laptop computers and docking stations that are very energy efficient in addition to being portable.
Since 2006, our office has been a member of the Federal Electronics Challenge that promotes environmentally preferable purchase, use and disposal of electronic devices. Utilizing the Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition (READ) contract our office has sent thousands of CPUs and monitors to approved recyclers for deconstruction and reuse of materials contained in the equipment.

Energy

EPA is the first major federal agency to purchase green power equal to 100 percent of its estimated annual electricity use nationwide. Green power can be defined as energy from indefinitely available resources and whose generation has zero/negligible environmental impacts.
Since 2003, through conservation, our office has saved enough electricity to power over 26 houses!
Our building’s management is now a member of our EMS Team. The building manager applied for and were successful in attaining an Energy Star certification for the regional office building. In 2009, the building replaced bulbs and ballasts in stairwell lights that will save enough electricity to power a house each year.
Greening EPA - Philadelphia provides information on BTU, energy and water consumption of our facility.

Vehicles

In 2004, the Regional office purchased our first hybrid vehicles. ALL of our passenger vehicles are now either hybrid (gas/electric), that get good fuel economy, or Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) which can run on E85 (85% ethanol), a renewable fuel, as well as gasoline. In 2009, we used over 7,265 gallons of E85.
In 2009, we sets goals to reduce our petroleum consumption by 2% and use 100% E85 in our FFVs. According to EPA Headquarters’ fuel consumption data for the Regional office, in 2008 and 2009 the Regional office reduced their petroleum fuel usage by over 33%.

Revision History

Originally written September 2004

Revised February 2009

Revised November 2009

Author: EMS Team/EMS Coordinator
Reviewed and Approved: Senior Management