The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) held its annual Environmental Stewardship Initiative (ESI) Conference earlier this month to share sustainability and pollution prevention best practices with businesses, industries, government entities, and other organizations. Conference attendees had the opportunity to learn about the circular economy, sustainability initiatives, and recycling markets, and to hear from DEQ leadership on regulatory programs.
“I want to thank Environmental Stewardship Initiative members for voluntarily going above and beyond compliance to prevent pollution, drive innovation, and achieve superior environmental performance,” DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson said. “The results are phenomenal; over 20 years ESI members have saved more than $118 million, conserved 16 billion gallons of water, and kept 4.4 million tons of waste out of landfills.”
DEQ’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative is a voluntary program that offers technical support and advice to businesses and organizations that have set performance-based environmental goals beyond those required by permit or law.
