WILMINGTON, Mass. –– UniFirst, a Massachusetts-based provider of uniforms and workwear to businesses in the U.S. and Canada, was recently applauded by Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan Jr. for its measures to become a “greener,” more environmentally friendly company.
“In a recent visit to the company’s corporate office in Wilmington … [Sullivan] took particular note of the company’s use of domestic natural gas versus imported oil for heating its facilities, and then reclaiming a percentage of that energy for further use,” says UniFirst. “[Sullivan] and his team were also impressed that UniFirst business customers are able to reduce their related carbon footprint by a factor of 18 by renting reusable work clothing from UniFirst versus continually purchasing apparel throughout the year that must be ultimately thrown away.”
Sullivan also took note of its research in recycling greater amounts of water for laundering use, “testing electric-powered trucks for customer deliveries and studying the feasibility of installing solar roof panels on its industrial laundry facilities,” the company adds.
He also reviewed UniFirst’s sustainability report, and was “pleased” to learn that the company’s products and services help its customers earn sustainability points that could support certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canada Green Building Council, the company says.
Employee Team Partners, from the company’s subsidiary UniTech in Springfield, Mass., also presented the “environmentally sensitive methods” they utilize to launder and process specialized work apparel and equipment for workers in the nuclear power industry.
“Upon learning about the subsidiary’s extensive radiological expertise, [Sullivan] and company representatives agreed that a ‘formal relationship’ should be established between UniTech and the state so UniFirst staff could be called upon for advice should any radiological emergencies ever occur in Massachusetts,” the company says. Also, Sullivan would lend support to any state-sponsored green initiative programs UniFirst would like to take advantage of to become more environmentally friendly.
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