By Lynn L. Bergeson

On September 24, 2020, EPA announced the 2020 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners. EPA recognized 18 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners across ten states and the District of Columbia for achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals that further outstanding or innovative source reduction. EPA states that the Safer Choice program helps consumers and purchasers for facilities, such as schools and office buildings, find products that perform and are safer for human health and the environment. According to EPA, the 2020 Partner of the Year award winners represent businesses, including woman-owned and small- and medium-sized; federal and local government; and associations. The following organizations from eight EPA regions are being awarded this year:

• Apple -- Cupertino, California;

• BASF Home Care and I&I Cleaning Solutions -- Florham Park, New Jersey;

• Berkley Green -- Uniontown, Pennsylvania;

• The Clorox Company -- Oakland, California;

• Defunkify -- Eugene, Oregon;

• DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences -- Palo Alto, California;

• ECOS -- Cypress, California;

• Grove Collaborative -- San Francisco, California;

• Hazardous Waste Management Program -- King County, Washington;

• Household & Commercial Products Association -- Washington, D.C.;

• Jelmar, LLC -- Skokie, Illinois;

• Lemi Shine -- Austin, Texas;

• Naval Supply Systems Command Weapons System Support -- Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania;

• PROSOCO -- Lawrence, Kansas;

• PurposeBuilt Brands -- Gurnee, Illinois;

• Sea Mar Community Health Centers -- Seattle, Washington;

• Seventh Generation -- Burlington, Vermont; and

• Wegmans Food Markets -- Rochester, New York.

More information is available on EPA’s website.