2005 Toxics Use Reduction Champions
Community Honorees
Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), Dorchester--Project Leader Tolle Graham worked to introduce green cleaners into the Boston School system.
New Ecology, Inc., Cambridge--(target area Boston & Dorchester)--Project Leader Madeline Frazer Cook worked with Vietnamese salon workers and the Green Chemistry Department at UMass Lowell to evaluate safer, yet effective cosmetology products.
Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, East Longmeadow—Project Leader Jim Laverty for building a safer vocational school slated to open in September in West Springfield. The new facility will be used to train professional salon workers in toxics use reduction and best management practices.
Town of Westford Water Department—Project Leader Elaine Major for collaborating with six surrounding towns to generate awareness about the link between pesticide use reduction and the protection of water resources and human health. Seminars and literature were developed to promote safer alternatives to lawn care.
The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet-- Project Leader Stephanie Schmidt for synthesizing studies of pesticide effects in humans and wildlife, investigate parallels, and develop recommendations to lessen health effects of pesticides.
Industry Honorees
Toxics Use Reduction Planners
Toxics Use Reduction Planner Lucille Servidio, Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc., Marlborough, has worked on over 25 toxics use reduction plans in industries such as life sciences, metal fabrication and finishing, PWB manufacturing, utilities, photochemical machining, semiconductor, and electronics assembly. Since 2001, Lucy has been an active member of the Toxics Use Reduction Planners Association Board of Directors and as Director of Regulatory Affairs, has represented industry planners’ viewpoints about the TURA program regarding policies and guidance. She is currently involved in the latest revisions to TURA in Senate Bill 536.
Toxics Use Reduction Planner Frank Marino, Raytheon Company, Waltham, has made significant contributions to TURI’s education and training program by sharing Raytheon's lessons learned in reducing toxics use and all aspects of environment, health and safety. His work has become an inspiration for other Massachusetts companies who have faced similar challenges. From hosting sustainability seminars at Raytheon to teaching courses on central chemical management during the past year, Frank continues to be a role model for other companies and an integral part of the success of the TURA Program.
Leader in Environmental Management Systems
Solutia, Inc., Springfield received an Environmental Management System Matching (EMS) Grant from TURI to help them become ISO 14001 certified – an international environmental standard – by the end of 2005. Over the past six months, Solutia hosted five companies (Judd Wire, Lane Construction, Nova Chemicals, Green Mountain Coffee, and TiteFlex Corporation) at their facility for on-going EMS workgroup meetings with the goal of improving environmental performance. One of the plant’s most renowned products is Saflex plastic interlayers that help protect people by strengthening glass in cars and buildings worldwide. The plant has earned numerous environmental, safety and health awards, and maintains the designation as a VPP “Star” site, which is OSHA’s highest level of recognition for excellence in voluntary safety and health programs.
Industry Supply Chain Leaders
M/A-COM, Lowell has made substantial contributions to the TURI-sponsored New England Lead-free Electronics Consortium for the past several years. Because of approaching international regulations that ban the use of lead, the Consortium is charged with finding an alternative for tin-lead solder, which has been the industry standard for 60 years. To that end, both George Wilkish and Dick Anderson from M/A-COM have provided a high level of technical expertise addressing the complexities of lead-free manufacturing. Helena Pasquito has provided significant input, assistance, and oversight to the visual inspection efforts undertaken by the Consortium.
AlphaGary, Leominster is a major contributor to TURI’s Wire and Cable Supply Chain Workgroup. AlphaGary has been instrumental in coalescing wire and cable suppliers, customers and competitors for the common goal of finding safer alternatives. With sales of over $800M and more than 3,400 employees, the wire and cable industry is a meaningful part of the Commonwealth’s industrial manufacturing base. The industry faces international restrictions on materials traditionally used, such as lead compounds. The willingness of both David Kiddoo and Gary Nedelman of AlphaGary to lend their technical expertise and leadership to all companies within the workgroup, is helping the wire and cable industry in Massachusetts stay competitive in the global marketplace.
This page updated Friday September 22 2006