Kenworth’s Renton Plant Receives 2009 Best Workplace For Recycling and Waste Reduction Award from King County

July 29, 2009, Kirkland, Washington The Kenworth Truck Company manufacturing plant in Renton, Wash., recently received a 2009 Best Workplace for Recycling and Waste Reduction Award from King Countys Solid Waste Division for Kenworths outstanding efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Kenworth is honored to receive this prestigious King County environmental award, said Marilyn Santangelo, Kenworth assistant general manager for operations.  The Kenworth Renton plant is committed to waste reduction, conserving natural resources, and protecting the environment.

This award recognizes the diligent efforts of employees to reduce, reuse and recycle, added Reid Nabarrete, Kenworth-Renton plant manager.  Our environmental program is of special importance, and it is especially gratifying to receive this award for our significant accomplishments.

Kenworth Renton Plant

The plants latest key initiatives include implementation of an on-site vehicle no-idle policy, and establishment of a Zero Waste to Landfill goal.  To date, Kenworth-Rentons recycling efforts have resulted in nearly 80 percent of all material being diverted away from landfills.  The success is attributed to the strategic positioning of recycle bins throughout the plant, use of returnable shipping containers, reduction in packaging material, and segregation of waste streams.  Kenworth-Renton also implemented food waste composting in its cafeteria, and sends waste to Cedar Grove Composting in Renton for recycling into usable compost.

This past spring, the Kenworth plant in Renton was honored by the King County Industrial Waste Program with the countys Commitment-to-Compliance Award for five consecutive years of outstanding compliance with the plants industrial wastewater discharge permit.  It marked the plants second consecutive Commitment-to-Compliance award, which represents 10 consecutive years of no wastewater violations of any kind covering discharge, permit, ordinance, reporting, self-monitoring, and King County monitoring.

Kenworths plants in Renton, Wash., and Chillicothe, Ohio, both have earned the prestigious ISO 14001:2004 certification for effective environmental management systems established to help build Class 8 trucks in an environmentally sustainable manner.  Kenworths medium duty products are produced at the PACCAR manufacturing facility in Ste. Therese, Que., which also holds ISO 14001:2004 status.

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The Worlds Best® heavy and medium duty trucks.  Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.  The companys dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, medium duty diesel-electric hybrids, liquefied natural gas trucks, and the Kenworth Clean Power® no-idle system.  This year, Kenworth became the first truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Air Excellence award in recognition of its environmentally friendly products.  In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2008 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over the Road and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks.  Kenworths Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com.  Kenworth.  A PACCAR Company.