Facilities that exceeded wastewater discharge permit requirements in 2013 earned environmental awards from King County’s Industrial Waste Program for dedication to business practices that protect regional water quality.

Western Pneumatic Tube Co. of Kirkland earned the Gold Award.

Each year, the Industrial Waste Program, which operates as part of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division, recognizes local facilities whose wastewater pretreatment efforts, permit compliance, and excellent record keeping contribute to regional pollution prevention goals.

Safeway Inc. Beverage Plant in Bellevue earned a Commitment-to-Compliance Award for meeting discharge permit standards every month for five consecutive years with no violations of any kind. The company also received the award in 2000.

Gold Awards were earned by 44 companies for compliance with wastewater discharge regulations every month in 2013 with no violations. The program presented Silver Awards to 27 companies for having no King County monitoring discharge violations in 2013.

Since 1969, the Industrial Waste Program has required industrial facilities to pretreat wastewater before discharging it into the sewer to protect the County’s treatment system and its workers as well as the environment and public health.  In addition to applying federal, state and local environmental regulations and monitoring facilities for compliance, the program educates industrial users about regulatory requirements and pollution prevention.

For more information about the program, visit the website at http://www.kingcounty.gov/industrialwaste.