PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Aramark Corp., a world provider of managed services for uniform and laundry operations, announced its support of World Environment Day (June 5) through its commitment to national programs such as RecycleMania and LaundryESP, as well as through the company's own PlanetEVERgreen initiative. World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to raise awareness of environmental issues.
As one of many environmental stewardship efforts Aramark brings to facility management programs, the company worked with five of its clients in higher education institutions to compete in RecycleMania 2005, which challenges colleges and universities to collect recyclables from residence halls, on-campus apartments and dining halls. Participating clients included:
-- Northwest Missouri State University, which finished in fourth place in the recycling rate competition, with a recycling rate of 36.26 percent.
-- Oregon State University, which finished in fourth place in the highest per capita competition, with more than 53 pounds of material recycled per student.
-- St. Xavier University (IL), which finished in 11th place in the per capita competition.
-- Villanova University (PA), which finished in 21st place in the per capita competition and 22nd in the recycling rate competition.
-- Washington University (MO), which finished in 34th place in the per capita competition.
RecycleMania is designed to provide students with a fun way to reduce waste. This year, approximately 50 colleges participated in the event from Jan. 30 to April 5, 2005. Each week, participating schools reported their results in terms of the pounds recycled per student living on campus.
RecycleMania is organized and operated by university recycling coordinators, is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise program, and is fully endorsed by the College and University Recycling Council of the National Recycling Coalition.
Aramark Uniform Services is a charter member of LaundryESP (Laundry Environmental Stewardship Program), a cost-effective, voluntary pollution prevention program designed to enhance the environmental performance of textile service and supply companies. Aramark Uniform Services is a division of Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel Inc., a subsidiary of Aramark Corp.
LaundryESP was created by the Uniform Textile Service Association (UTSA) and the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), two leading professional organizations in the textile rental industry. The program focuses on the removal of pollutants before they enter the laundry facility, as well as on quantifiable goals for reducing the use of water, energy and washroom chemicals.
LaundryESP allows companies of all sizes to choose from a variety of environmentally conscious initiatives, then tailor those initiatives to their own operations. The UTSA and TRSA, as well as their member companies, work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), local water treatment authorities, customers, trade groups, environmental groups, and other stakeholders on local implementations of LaundryESP to ensure the program's success.
Aramark Uniform Services has been recognized by various organizations for its environmental and wastewater treatment efforts. Most recently, the Missouri Water Environment Association presented Aramark Uniform Services' Springfield, Mo., location with a Gold Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Compliance Award, recognizing the company's wastewater treatment and pollution prevention programs. The Aramark Uniform Services Alameda, Calif., location is also recognized as a Bay Area Green Business for its efforts to prevent pollution and conserve resources.
Aramark also has been recognized nationally for its environmental efforts at national parks and resorts, and for its commitment to environmental initiatives through its PlanetEVERgreen environmental management system.
PlanetEVERgreen comprises four key elements for environmental management: waste management, reduction and recycling; sustainable building and facilities design and construction; guest education on a park's ecological initiatives; and the provision of sustainable cuisine. Sustainable cuisine is food grown and harvested in ways that are healthful and minimally impact the environment, such as organic fruits and vegetables, Hearst grass-fed beef from free-range cattle, and seafood that is not under threat of extinction.
In the past year, Aramark was recognized with several awards for environmental initiatives at parks and resorts, including:
-- 2004 Travel Industry Association Odyssey Award for Environmental Achievement.
-- 2004 Department of Interior's National Take Pride in America(R) Award.
-- 2004 Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association Stars of the Industry's "Good Earthkeeping" Award.
-- 2004 Arizona Clean & Beautiful Governor's Pride in Arizona Environmental Leadership Award.
-- Green Seal Environmental Certification of Skyland Lodge and Big Meadows Lodge, Shenandoah National Park; Zephyr Cove Resort, Lake Tahoe; Lake Powell Resort and Defiance House Lodge, Glen Canyon NRA; and Kalaloch Lodge and Lake Quinault Lodge, Olympic National Park and Forest.
-- ISO 14001 compliant standards for PlanetEVERgreen at the Denali National Park and Preserve.
Aramark Corp. (aramark.com) is a world leader in providing award-winning food and facilities management services to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, international and domestic corporations, as well as providing uniform and career apparel. Aramark was ranked number one in its industry in the 2005 Fortune 500 survey and was also named one of "America's Most Admired Companies" by Fortune magazine in 2005, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers. Based in Philadelphia, Aramark has approximately 242,500 employees serving clients in 20 countries.
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