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- Environmental Stewardship Award
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) offers Environmental Stewardship Awards annually to businesses, industries, and organizations that have made a significant improvement in protecting our environment by preventing pollution. This non-competitive annual award program recognizes projects that eliminate or reduce the generation of pollutants or wastes at the source or projects that conserve natural resources.
As you can see in the Pollution Reduction Rankings illustration (JPG), recycling efforts do not qualify as projects for the Environmental Stewardship Awards. While recycling does divert waste from going to the landfill, the bottom line is that the waste was still generated. The goal of source reduction is to conserve resources and not generate pollutants in the first place.
Eligibility
Any Kansas business, industry, community or community group, school, or organization is eligible to apply for an Environmental Stewardship Award. To determine the success of the project, the project must have been implemented at least six months prior to the application, but no earlier than January 1, 2019. Recycling projects are not eligible. Applications from prior award recipients must denote new projects.
These environmental stewardship efforts are in addition to or exceed what is required by law; therefore, submitted projects should be voluntary efforts to minimize or prevent industrial and environmental concerns. Compliance with current environmental laws and regulations will be taken into consideration during the review process.
Apply for an Environmental Stewardship Award
Categories
Awards will be issued within two categories; the Environmental Stewardship Award and the Environmental Stewardship with Distinction Award. Both awards use the same award application.
Environmental Stewardship Award
The Environmental Stewardship Award recognizes projects that eliminate or reduce the generation of pollutants or wastes at the source or projects that conserve natural resources.
Environmental Stewardship with Distinction Award
The Environmental Stewardship with Distinction Award goes above and beyond the Environmental Stewardship Award by meeting at least one of the following distinctive qualifications:
- Quantitative environmental health impacts (workers or the community).
- The project can be used by similar organizations in different locations within the state.
- Projects encompassing multiple processes or media.
Application Submission
Applications for the 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award must be received by July 15, 2023.
The electronic application is the preferred method for submitting your application and supporting documentation; however applications may be mailed as well. If you choose to mail your application, complete and print the paper application (PDF), and then return it with supporting documents to the following:
Julie Finn
KDHE
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 400
Topeka, KS 66612
Questions? Email Julie Finn. Need technical assistance? Email K-State Pollution Prevention Institute
Award Selection Process
KDHE staff will provide an initial review to screen each application for compliance status. After initial screening, acceptable applications will be reviewed by a team made up of individuals from universities, business and industry, communities, and government. This team will review the applications and make recommendations. The KDHE Division Director will make the final decision on which projects will receive awards and awardees will be notified with a telephone call or email and congratulatory letter.
Presentation of Awards
Awards will be presented during a ceremony at the Kansas Environmental Conference. We will only reward and recognize the projects or programs meeting the criteria set forth in this document; therefore, it is possible not all applicants will receive an award. Award recipients must agree to allow a summary of their accomplishments to be published by KDHE
KDHE appreciates your submission for an Environmental Stewardship award, and we want to recognize and honor the many companies in Kansas that are practicing good environmental stewardship.
Award Recipients
Congratulations to the Award Winner
The 2023 recipient of the Environmental Stewardship Award is Kalmar Solutions, LLC located in Ottawa, Kansas, for their project Containerization – Returnable Racking.
In 2018, Kalmar launched their Zero Waste Landfill Facility initiative and returnable racking is one project within their larger plan. The large amount of wood, cardboard and plastic brought into the facility was a safety hazard for employees, in addition to being an environmental concern. Returnable racking eliminates waste sent for incineration and mitigates the safety hazard generated by the waste.
This project has saved an estimated 5,534,399 pounds of non-hazardous waste produced and saved an estimated $174,303.
Kalmar Solutions conducts monthly meetings to discuss sustainability projects and future goals. They also partner with the K-State Pollution Prevention Institute (PPI) and share information within their global companies on best practices on sustainability projects. The company is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.
Past Award Winners
Access the past award winners. For more information view the Kansas Environmental Conference page.
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Julie Finn
Public Service ExecutivePhone: 785-296-1526
Technical Assistance
Technical questions related to how to calculate measures or describe projects can be directed to the K-State Pollution Prevention Institute (PPI) at 800-578-8898 or email the PPI.