CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch and the Executive Council today recognized the winners of the 11th annual Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention. The awards honor New Hampshire businesses and organizations that have successfully reduced or eliminated waste.

This year's winners are Rockwell Automation of Manchester and the Rubber Group of Somersworth.

"I applaud these companies for implementing changes that are both right for the environment and for their bottom lines. New Hampshire's environment is one of our key economic drivers, and preserving it for the future is critical to our continued economic growth," Gov. Lynch said. " We are lucky in New Hampshire to have so many businesses committed to doing their share to preserve our special quality of life."

Rockwell Automation manufactures safety equipment, such as safety mats, light curtains, and proximity warning devices. The company's switch from methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) to a water-based alternative in the safety mat manufacturing process reduced pollution, improved worker safety and reduced the possibility of fire within the facility by removing a flammable compound. In addition, Rockwell Automation expects save $5,373 annually.

The Rubber Group is a manufacturer of custom rubber molded products. Their efforts in water and energy conservation, including purchasing Energy Star equipment to replace existing equipment; going from the traditional five-day workweek to a four-day week; replacing lighting with energy-efficient lighting; and purchasing thermal blankets to insulate molding areas to minimize heat loss reduced the company's energy consumption by 49,200 kilowatts per hour per month and water consumption by 313,366 gallons of water per quarter. The Rubber Group expects to save $43,746 annually on its energy bills and $2,684 per year on its water bills.

Wausau Paper of New Hampshire, Inc. in Groveton and Philips Exeter Academy in Exeter received honorable mention awards for their pollution prevention efforts.

For more information about the New Hampshire Pollution Prevention Program or how to participate in next year's Governor's Award, go to www.des.nh.gov/nhppp/.