Georgia Businesses and Organizations Join Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia

Summary: Eight Organizations Commit to Environmental Leadership

ATLANTA (Aug. 29, 2006) – The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P²AD) has accepted eight organizations and companies into its environmental leadership program during the fifth enrollment period. By joining the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, these organizations have made strong commitments to protecting and preserving the environment.

The new members include three carpet manufacturing facilities at the program’s highest achievement level and the program’s first “green industry” Partner.

“P²AD Partners lead the way in implementing sound environmental practices, recognizing that what’s good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line,” said Bob Donaghue, director of P²AD. “The continuing strong response to our Partnership Program underscores the value of performance-based programs such as ours.” The eight new Partners join 84 others throughout Georgia already committed to environmental leadership through the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia.

P²AD Partnership offers a variety of benefits and incentives, including cost savings through increased efficiencies, potential regulatory flexibility, free technical assistance and training, and access to networking and mentoring among peers, state and local officials. The Partnership Program offers four levels of participation, with the entry level for each business or organization based on activities already in place as well as those to be completed during the term of Partnership. Partnership terms range from three years for White, Yellow and Red levels to unlimited at the Blue Level.

The following companies/organizations were accepted during the spring 2006 enrollment period:

Blue Level – Milliken & Co. Alma Plant, Milliken & Co. Hillside Plant, and Milliken & Co. Live Oak Complex

Yellow Level – C. A. Murren & Sons Co., Inc.; McCorkle Nurseries, Inc.; and NutraSweet Co.

White Level – Carpet America Recovery Effort and The Carpet and Rug Institute

Enrollment in the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia is open twice a year, from April through May and again from September through October. Additional information and applications are available at www.p2ad.org.

The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P²AD) is a non-regulatory division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Since 1993, P²AD has provided free, confidential environmental technical assistance in the areas of pollution prevention, resource conservation, waste reduction, by-product reuse and recycling. In 2004, P²AD established the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia to foster environmental leadership and recognize superior environmental performance. The Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia is free and open to any business or organization that operates in Georgia, and includes four Partnership levels to fit the changing goals and environmental initiative of the participants. For more information about P²AD and the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, visit www.p2ad.org.