Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. News Releases

Federal Green Challenge Winners Save Taxpayers’ Money and Promote Efficiency

August 21, 2019

Contact Information
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (August 21, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes federal facilities for conserving resources and saving taxpayers’ money as part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC). The challenge is a national effort under the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program, which encourages federal agencies to lead by example in reducing the federal government's environmental impact.

“EPA is recognizing facilities across the federal government for their leadership in improving waste management, conserving water, and other important efforts to improve environmental outcomes,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Their accomplishments not only reduce the federal government’s impact on the environment but also save taxpayers millions of dollars.”

In fiscal year 2018 (FY18), Federal Green Challenge participants reduced their environmental impact throughout the waste stream process, including:

  • Sending more than 235 tons of end-of-life electronics to third-party certified recyclers.
  • Reducing transportation costs by nearly $23 million.
  • Using approximately 536 million fewer gallons of potable water.
  • Decreasing paper purchasing by nearly 2,800 pounds.
  • Diverting an estimated 675,000 tons of waste from landfills.

EPA is recognizing the following top performers with national Federal Green Challenge awards for their significant efforts in improving the efficiency of their facilities in FY18:

Improvement by Target Area – Highest Increased Percentage Over Previous Year

  • Waste:
    • The Drug Enforcement Agency, Southeast Laboratory (Miami, Florida) recycled 4.11 tons of material.
  • Electronics:
    • Department of Energy, East Tennessee Technology Park (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) recycled 16.2 tons of electronic equipment with a third-party recycler.
    • The Drug Enforcement Agency, Southeast Laboratory (Miami, Florida) purchased 27 units of Gold level EPEAT certified registered equipment and enabled power management monitoring on 98% of the units.
  • Purchasing:  
    • The Drug Enforcement Agency, Southeast Laboratory (Miami, Florida) reduced printer and copier paper purchased by 700 pounds.
    • Department of Veterans Affairs, Manchester Medical Center (Manchester, New Hampshire) created an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Pollution Prevention Policy.
  • Water:
    • Department of Veterans Affairs, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Decatur, Georgia) reduced its water consumption by 1,000,000 gallons.
  • Transportation:
    • Department of Veterans Affairs, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Decatur, Georgia) incorporated 356 electric, hybrid and alternate fuel vehicles into their operations and implemented an employee ride share program, saving employees over $964,000 and reducing carbon emissions by more than 2,308,000 pounds.
    • Department of Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, California) increased sustainable electric vehicle charging infrastructure for its growing fleet of electric vehicles.

For more information on the Federal Green Challenge and this year’s winners, please visit www.epa.gov/fgc.

Related Links

  • Headquarters | Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)
  • Read other EPA News Releases about Awards and Recognition
  • Read other EPA News Releases about Trash and Recycling
  • Read other EPA News Releases about Water
Contact Us about News Releases
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 30, 2023
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.