Missouri Water Environment Association Honors Cintas for Wastewater Pretreatment Achievement

Cintas Corp.'s Springfield, Mo., facility received the Missouri Water Environment Association's (MWEA) Gold Award Certificate for wastewater pretreatment. The award, presented by the MWEA's Industrial Waste Committee, honors Cintas for remaining in 100% wastewater compliance for the entire year of 2003.

"It's extremely difficult for any laundry to stay in compliance for an entire year," said Denise Burkett, MWEA Industrial Waste Committee Chairperson. "That's because the linens and garments returned to the laundry fluctuate in the amount of waste contained on them. Laundries cannot always control the condition of the garments returned. We congratulate Cintas' Springfield facility for setting an example for other industries in the state, and for going the extra mile to protect the environment."

To qualify for the MWEA Gold Award, companies must have a pretreatment or pollution prevention system in place, as well as a cooperative working relationship with the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). In addition, all companies up for consideration must have received a positive safety report on their most recent pretreatment inspection and remained in 100% compliance during the entire previous calendar year.

"The MWEA recognition reflects our commitment to the environment and the level of excellence we strive to attain at all of our facilities across North America," said Scott Farmer, President and CEO of Cintas. "We currently recycle up to 70 percent of the wash water at many of our laundry operations, and have invested more than $4 million on research in the pursuit of an affordable 'zero-discharge' water-recycling technology."

Source: Cintas Corp.