The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber has awarded the 12th Annual Tahoma Environmental Business Award for outstanding environmental awareness and efficiency to  J.L. Darling Company.

The award was presented during a luncheon Friday hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, and sponsored by Taylor-Thomason Insurance, Blitz & Co. Florist, and Pacific Lutheran University.

Other nominees for this year’s award included Cartridge World, Earthwise Architectural Salvage, Kirmac Collision Services, NW Furniture Bank, Pacific Lutheran University, Regence BlueShield, Sperry Ocean Dock, Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity, and University of Puget Sound.

Past recipients include, Targa Sound Terminal, Richlite Company, Waste Connections, Inc., Walsh Construction, Carlile Transportation Systems, Pacific Lutheran University, Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc., Port of Tacoma, McFarland Cascade, Simpson, and Kay Parks/Dan Meyer Auto Rebuild.

***UPDATE*** Fri., April 11 @ 2:46 p.m. | Here is the official press release from the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber:

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber annually recognizes entrepreneurial efforts that meet a high standard of excellence for environmental, preservation and protection accomplishments through its Tahoma Business Environmental Award.

This afternoon, at the Chamber Luncheon, the 2014 award was presented by award sponsor Tom Taylor Jr., Taylor-Thomason Insurance, to JL Darling LLC.

JL Darling LLC has invested heavily in refining their manufacturing process for their world-famous products that result in minimal pollution and waste during production. Rite in the Rain is a patented, environmentally-responsible, all-weather writing paper that sheds water and enable writing anywhere and in any weather.

Founder Jerry Darling developed the early version of Rite in the Rain to address the hassle of soggy and illegible paperwork that has plagued outdoor professionals. The Rite in the Rain All-Weather Writing Paper is a substrate created for use in outdoor writing situations and is manufactured with the most durable yet recyclable components available.

With their Rite in the Rain paper products being designed to have ultra-low impact on the environment, the water based coating process emits only steam and all mill offcuts are recycled back into the paper-manufacturing stream. A hundred percent of printing inks they use are soy based. Rite in the Rain 20 and 32 pound papers also meet archival criteria meaning that it will last several hundred years under normal use. Yet, even with Rite in the Rain’s durability, the product is as recyclable as standard paper.

JL Darling LLC products are used around the globe in situations ranging from desert warfare to rainforest insect research.

Co-presidents of JL Darling LLC, Scott and Todd Silver, are proud that Rite in the Rain All-Weather Writing Paper is still manufactured here in Tacoma.