U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 Director of Environmental Services Dr. Ron Hammerschmidt presented Ash Grove Cement Company today with an award for its support of "United We Serve" and the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign. 

United We Serve is part of President Obama’s national volunteer campaign that challenges all Americans to engage in sustained, meaningful service to meet growing social needs. 

On August 19, 2009, employees of Ash Grove Cement Company and its private sector chemical recovery partners, Tradebe Pollution Control Industries and Cadence Environmental Energy, Inc., collected and disposed of outdated and excess chemicals from science labs and custodial stocks at Grandview Middle
and High schools in Grandview, Mo. 

The Missouri Center for Safe Schools assisted the Grandview School District to make its chemical management practices sustainable by training key school personnel. 

 "Ash Grove has been honored to work with the U.S. EPA and others in support of the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign here at Grandview High School," said Michael Harrell, Ash Grove’s manager of Alternative Fuel and Resource Recovery.  "We strongly support environmentally beneficial opportunities like these that offer the opportunity to partner with local communities."