The Kenworth Chillicothe, Ohio, manufacturing plant recently received the prestigious 2021 Encouraging Environmental Excellence "E3" Platinum Award from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The award recognizes businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in Ohio that demonstrate commitment to exceed regulatory compliance and attain exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship.

Kenworth Chillicothe was one of just three companies in Ohio that received platinum recognition — the top award presented by the Ohio EPA. This award honors a business or organization that expands its environmental program beyond its facility and demonstrates how its environmental stewardship efforts benefit the local community, region or larger geographical area.

The Kenworth Chillicothe plant was recognized as a zero-waste facility. To achieve that status, the plant reused plastic drums and wood pallets, reclaimed and reused 387,000 gallons of solvent. The facility also recycled or eliminated the use of three million pounds of cardboard, five million pounds of wood and more than a million pounds of metal. Energy savings were achieved by switching to LED lighting, staggering air conditioning set points, and optimizing and conducting preventative maintenance.

"It's an honor for the Kenworth Chillicothe plant to receive this special environmental award from the Ohio EPA. Our employees make dedicated efforts each day to produce outstanding environmental excellence and sustainability, and to engage with the local community," said Doug VanZuiden, Kenworth Chillicothe plant manager.

Ohio EPA's Encouraging Environmental Excellence program recognizes businesses and organizations for completing environmentally beneficial activities and serves as an incentive for organizations to commit to ongoing environmental stewardship. Applications are evaluated using environmental stewardship criteria developed by Ohio EPA. All applicants must be in compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

To obtain recognition for stewardship, an organization can work through four levels of recognition: Achievement, Silver, Gold and Platinum. All levels require a commitment to meet or exceed environmental regulatory requirements.

For more information, visit www.kenworth.com and www.epa.ohio.gov.

This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.