P&G EARNS HONORS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

Procter & Gamble Co. has received the 1992 World Environment Center (WEC) Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement.

"The WEC Gold Medal award is a symbol of commitment," said Edwin L. Artzt, chairman and chief executive of P&G. "It's an award that we accept with honor.

"We're honored to have the achievement of 100,000 employees worldwide recognized by such a distinguished organization as the World Environment Center, and we take this opportunity to renew our pledge for continued leadership."

The award, which has been presented every year since 1985, honors multinational corporations that have outstanding and well-implemented worldwide environmental policies.

P&G adopted total quality management into its businesses in the mid-1980s as a strategy for improving efficiency and product quality.

P&G's paper products plant in Cape Girardeau has found ways to recycle 6,300 tons of solid waste per year. This has reduced solid waste going to landfills by 47 percent.

The Cape Girardeau plant is a paper-converting facility that started operations in 1969 with manufacturing of disposable diapers. The facility, situated about 15 miles north of Cape Girardeau, includes more than 1.3 million square feet (about 30 acres) under roof, and employs more than 1,300 people.

In a P&G paper plant at Mehoopany, Pa., a waste dewatering and drying process that transforms fibers left over from paper and makes them into pelletized boiler fuel has reduced solid wastes going to landfills by 75 percent.

And at Jackson, Tenn., a P&G plant's Waste Minimization Task Force has reduced landfill usage by 79 percent and overall plant waste by 37 percent.

"Our greatest global challenge is the environment," said Artzt. "How we handle environment issues will be of ongoing importance to our company's success. It's imperative that we be committed at every level to an ongoing effort of improved environmental quality."

Environmental audits are performed at each U.S. P&G plant every 14 months. Other worldwide plants undergo the environmental audit every year.

P&G does business in more than 140 countries, manufacturing and marketing products for consumer and institutional use.

"It's essential that we continue to maintain the leadership positions we enjoy in our product categories," said Artzt. "We must anticipate and address environmental issues from the moment we conceive a product all through its development, testing, manufacture, marketing and sale, right up to the final moment when a satisfied customer disposes of the empty container."

The recipient of the WEC Gold Medal award is selected by an independent international jury of environmental experts from academia, industry and government.

Past winners of the award are Rohm and Haas Co., 1991; IBM Corp., 1990; Dow Chemical Co., 1989; British Petroleum Co., 1988; E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 1987; Exxon Corp., 1986; and 3M, 1985.