Steelcase recognized by EPA for environmental achievements

Grand Rapids, MI— Steelcase, an office environments manufacturer, announced the company received two awards from WasteWise, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that helps United States organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste. Steelcase was honored with a Gold Achievement Award in the Large Business category for Product Stewardship, as well as an Honorable Mention award in the overall Large Business category for the fourth consecutive year. Winners of the WasteWise awards are selected for their accomplishments in waste prevention, recycling collection, and buying or manufacturing recycled-content products.

Highlights of Steelcase’s environmental initiatives in 2004 that contributed to the company being awarded include:

•The introduction of the Think chair, the industry’s most environmentally responsible chair. The Think chair contains no PVCs, is 99% recyclable and made up of 44% recycled materials (by weight) and is Greenguard certified.

•In Summer 2004, Steelcase announced an agreement with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) to collaborate on cradle-to-cradle environmental design and strategy. By benchmarking products using MBDC’s cradle-to-cradle criteria, Steelcase aims to eliminate waste and optimize products and processes so that the materials they use are healthy for humans and the environment.

•The Environmental Partnership Program developed in the Fall of 2004, which is the industry’s most comprehensive program designed to connect customers with environmentally responsible after-use strategies for their Steelcase furniture. The Environmental Partnership Program supports Steelcase’s life cycle thinking approach to product design and development, one that considers the potential environmental impact of all stages of a product’s life, from materials selection to end-of-use strategies.

•Several Steelcase seating, storage systems and movable walls/architectural products received Greenguard certification in 2004 for low-emitting products and materials.