Washington - The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) won the Best Public Office Building Recycling Program award, which recognizes a business or agency that is leading the charge to make their environmental footprint in Washington, DC more sustainable.  GPO was honored by the DC Chapter of the Sierra Club, the DC Chamber of Commerce, the Apartment Office and Building Association and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington for the agency's recycling programs.

GPO employees have been recycling for the agency's entire 150-year history.  GPO has resided at the same location in the nation's capital since opening for business on March 4, 1861.  The agency manages a comprehensive industrial and office recycling program that addresses waste prevention, reducing water and energy consumption, hazardous wastes, and also procurement of recycled content products and renewable resources. In 2009, U.S. GPO recovered nearly 5,000 tons of recyclable materials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered GPO's status from a Large Quantity to a Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generator. GPO's also began printing the Congressional Record and Federal Register on 100% recycled paper during the last year.  

"This award is because of the efforts made by the men and women of GPO during the last 150 years," said Public Printer Bob Tapella.  "It is through their actions that we have attained sustainable environmental stewardship, which is good business and good government."