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Success Stories - Small Organizations
Success Stories
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The Seydel Companies
The Seydel Companies, a textile chemical manufacturer and marketer, has incorporated WasteWise into its manufacturing activities. In 2005, Seydel increased the amount of recycled-content materials in its products to 30 percent, while increasing the volume of recycled raw PET purchased for manufacturing by 60 percent. Seydel incorporates a glycol distillate, previously sent to other companies for reuse, into a new product sold by the company. Seydel also refined nearly 3,900 tons of fats and oils into usable finished products. In 2005, Seydel’s waste reduction measures generated more than $518,000 in revenue.
Can reused fast food fryer oils be used to manufacture water repellent fabric? That is exactly what The Seydel Companies has been doing to decrease its impact on climate change. The company combined modified PET (#1) plastic with used vegetable oil from fast food fryers, efficiently developing a water repellent that it uses not only on textiles, but also on paper and wood! This new process decreases the amount of money used on virgin materials, while also greatly reducing GHG emissions, as less gas is emitted when products are manufactured with recycled materials instead of virgin materials.
Not every company can boast such a high rate of material collected for recycling, but The Seydel Companies worked hard to achieve this honor. And the company certainly takes it seriously, as Scott Seydel, CEO, said, “Our efforts to lessen our impact on the environment are a source of pride for all the Seydel associates.” The company also maintains a waste reduction relationship with its industrial neighbors by pooling recyclable material collection.
In 2001, Seydel collected enough paper products to allow 200 trees to keep growing and enough steel to prevent energy losses equivalent to 54 barrels of oil. This Georgia-based company also spent $372,000 on products containing recycled material and continues to work with its suppliers to increase this amount. In one of Seydel’s products, the company increased the amount of PET (#1) plastic content from 38 to 40 percent, or 131 tons.
The Seydel Companies, a chemicals manufacturer with 109 employees located in Pendergrass, Georgia, integrates environmental performance into its fundamental goals. Seydel continuously evaluates the potential to reuse viable obsolete materials instead of disposing of them in a landfill, saving $481,000 and 658 tons of materials in 2000 by doing so. In 2000, Seydel also adapted its training program materials to the Internet, saving an estimated 700 pounds of paper, in addition to fuel for off-site travel. Additionally, the company increased electronic communication in day-to-day operations for items such as shipping logs, phone lists, reports, and meeting announcements. To reduce production waste, Seydel donated 1,000 pounds of excess cloth to a local senior center for quilt making and saved 6,892 pounds of glass and $4,329 by cleaning and reusing glass sample jars. Ongoing activities also included returning drums and totes to the vendor in a closed-loop recycling system and purchasing more than $350,000 of recycled-content products.
The Seydel Companies in Pendergrass, Georgia, manufacture chemicals used in textile processing, including fabric preparation, dying, printing, and finishing, and garment laundering and finishing. The organization and its 109 employees conserved 500 pounds of paper by taking its business name off bulk mailings lists to reduce the amount of unwanted mail, donated 1,400 pounds of computer equipment to local schools, and cleaned and reused more than 3 tons of glass sample jars, saving more than $3,000. The Seydel Companies also returned more than 85 tons of plastic drums and totes to vendors in 1999, saving nearly $70,000.
The Seydel Companies in Pendergrass, Georgia, manufacture chemicals used in textile processing including fabric preparation, dying, printing, and finishing, and garment laundering and finishing. The organization and its 100 employees reduced 500 pounds of copier paper and saved $500 by encouraging double-sided copying, setting up phone lists and edits on e-mail, and using overheads in meetings instead of distributing handouts. The Seydel Companies also conserved 500 pounds of catalogs by contacting vendors who mail multiple catalogs and circulating magazines and articles instead of making personal copies.
Guardian Automotive– Ligonier Plant
Guardian Automotive–Ligonier Plant, an automotive glass plant in Indiana, is shattering the idea that industry and the environment are at odds by integrating a comprehensive waste reduction program in its facility. Winning eight WasteWise awards in just seven years, the Ligonier Plant has demonstrated waste reduction success as both a Partner and an Endorser.
The Ligonier Plant is continuously searching for ways to reuse and recycle new materials. In 2005, the Ligonier Plant recycled more than 13,000 tons of waste and saved more than $360,000. This included recycling all unused glass cullet, which is used to make glass beads for bead blasting, fiberglass, or reflective paint for highways. The Ligonier Plant’s activities also have had a positive effect on operating costs, saving the small company more than $1.3 million since becoming a Partner in 1996.
Even materials traditionally overlooked for recycling have not escaped the Ligonier Plant’s meticulous waste reduction efforts. Thanks to its employee education efforts and detailed tracking, the Ligonier Plant has recycled approximately 80 tons of razor blades as scrap steel since its razor blade recycling program began in 1998. The Ligonier Plant sold more than 140 tons of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) used in the laminating department and recycled more than 70 tons of scrap polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Understanding that waste reduction can equal big savings, the Ligonier Plant became a WasteWise Endorser in 2003, and spread the WasteWise message to other Guardian plants. Including the Ligonier Plant, 10 out of 37 Guardian facilities in the United States now proudly call themselves WasteWise Partners.
Guardian Automotive–Ligonier Plant is proactively reducing waste in its facilities and has been honored by WasteWise for its outstanding efforts for each of the last six years. In 2004, the Ligonier Plant continued its program to recycle or reuse all glass not used in an end product. As a result, 714 tons of glass cullet were reused in plate glass, and another 11,326 tons were recycled. Another program that’s rather unique to the Ligonier Plant is the razor blade collection—the company recycled more than 21,000 pounds of them in 2004.
In producing automotive glass, Indiana-based Guardian Automotive takes great measures to debunk the myth that “industry” equals “waste.” Ligonier Plant reduced the overall amount of trash it generated by 464,000 pounds in 2003 as compared to 2001, saving more than $13,800 in disposal costs. With a strong commitment to waste prevention, Guardian launders and reuses cloth gloves and towels and found a company that will reuse its Gaylord boxes instead of recycling them. This action diverted 22,770 pounds of corrugated cardboard from the landfill and saved Guardian $1,380. The company also recycled 25 million pounds of material in 2003—an impressive number for a company with only 519 employees. Guardian attributes much of its success to its employees— since they are on the waste reduction “front line”—and solicits their suggestions about how to improve plant waste reduction initiatives. The Ligonier Plant is a prominent member of the community, and its employees often visit schools to discuss the importance of waste reduction. The company also enjoys the recognition it receives from local media.
Guardian Automotive pays close attention to the connection between waste and climate change. In 2003, the Ligonier Plant’s emission reductions were equivalent to removing more than 1,000 cars from the road for one year!
Genzyme Corporation
In 2003, Genzyme Corporation, a Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, furthered its commitment to waste reduction by implementing the Genzyme Environmental Management System (GEMS). Among other waste reduction and recycling initiatives at the site, Genzyme’s shipping department works with distributors to arrange the return of custom-designed injection molded polyurethane boxes for reuse, saving the company $34,000 annually. In addition, by converting from paper to polystyrene cups for coffee service, launching an educational campaign, and distributing free, reusable ceramic mugs to employees, Genzyme reduced the weight of disposable cup waste at the site by nearly 80 percent in 2003. Finally, Genzyme created a partnership with the Youville House, an assisted living facility in Cambridge, to donate the hundreds of cold gel packs it receives with temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products (rather than disposing of them as trash). The majority of these initiatives stemmed from activities developed for three Genzyme buildings located in Framingham.
Guardian Industries in Ligonier, Indiana
Guardian Industries in Ligonier, Indiana, an automotive glass manufacturer, has a diverse waste reduction program that finds ways to divert materials traditionally disposed of in the manufacturing process. In 2000, Guardian saved $26,100 and 2,868 pounds of cloth by laundering gloves instead of disposing of them and by implementing a glove return program. The facility also laundered wiping cloths after substituting them for paper towels, eliminating 1,600 pounds of paper towel waste and 9,350 pounds of cloth waste from the waste stream. Guardian converts what would normally be waste material into a raw material by recycling all glass that is not used as an end product. The glass is returned to the raw glass plants for reuse or purchased by cullet vendors to be made into glass beads for bead blasting, fiberglass, or reflective paint for highways. In addition, Guardian manufactures millions of wind-shields each year and uses a new razor blade for each piece of glass. By recycling 7.5 tons of these discarded razor blades along with 92 tons of scrap steel, the plant diverted a total of 99.5 tons of steel from the waste stream in 2000 and saved $2,192. Guardian halted the incineration of scrap wood by having the wood chipped and reused as animal bedding or landscaping material, giving a second life to more than 146 tons of wood. In 2000, it recycled 43 tons of corrugated cardboard and 34 tons of mixed paper, saving $4,330. In addition to spending $3,096 on recycled-content materials in 2000, Guardian purchased 7,740 pounds of recycled-content 55-gallon drums, saving $6,787.
Guardian Industries’ Ligonier Plant in Ligonier, Indiana, a manufacturer of vehicle glass and exterior trim systems for the automotive industry, eliminated more than 2 tons of textiles from the waste stream by laundering intact used gloves for reuse and instituting a glove return program. These activities resulted in a cost saving of $39,600. The company also switched from paper towels to reusable wiping clothes, saving 1.5 tons of paper towels and $7,200 in purchasing costs. Guardian also prevented the incineration of 100 tons of scrap wood by reusing it as animal bedding.
As a WasteWise award winner for 4 years running, this Indiana-based automotive glass manufacturer shows its continued commitment to reducing waste through the newly established Guardian Industries—Ligonier Plant’s Recycling Center. The center has enabled the company to increase its processing of recyclables in 2001, including 74 tons of corrugated cardboard that saved the company more than $5,600. Guardian also collected and recycled 250 tons of steel, along with large amounts of paper, plastic, and non-ferrous metals. In 2001, Guardian Industries stopped 515 tons of material from being disposed of and saved more than $111,000.
Guardian continued a glove reuse program that launders and reuses nearly 3 tons of gloves, preventing an additional 2 tons of new gloves from ending up in the trash and saving Guardian Industries almost $48,000! The company switched from disposable paper towels to a washable material, avoiding more than 1 ton of landfilled wiping cloths. In addition, Guardian Industries sends its leftover wood scraps to a recycler that chips it to be used as animal bedding and landscape material, preventing nearly 132 tons of wood from incineration. As for internal WasteWise promotion, and to thank its employees for their recycling efforts, Guardian purchased shirts bearing the WasteWise logo for each employee!
Aaron’s Bicycle Repair
The waste reduction atmosphere at Aaron’s Bicycle Repair is contagious. In 2002, this small shop employed innovative waste reduction techniques to reduce its waste by 10 percent. Company employees refused to purchase products with excessive packaging, prevented paper waste by paying bills online, and recycled everything from glass bottles to bike gears. Aaron’s Bicycle Repair created a Web site <www.rideyourbike.com> to educate customers about these practices and encourage them to become environmental stewards.
Evelyn Hill, Inc.—Statue of Liberty National Monument
Evelyn Hill, Inc. operates the gift shop and food service at one of the most widely recognized American monuments, the Statue of Liberty National Monument. In 2000, the family-owned concessioner of 150 employees committed to improving solid waste management on Liberty Island, establishing a recycling center on the island and prioritizing waste prevention, recycling, and recycled-content procurement. Evelyn Hill worked extensively with vendors to redesign packaging and lightweight containers and emphasized switching to reusable or recyclable containers. Specifically, the company negotiated with Haagen Dazs to eliminate the cardboard overwrap and individual cardboard boxes in ice cream packaging, eliminating more than 3 tons of cardboard from the waste stream. The company also worked with Tyson to create a special bulk pack for its chicken patties. Diverting nearly 2 tons of solid waste, the company replaced cans of cheese sauce with pouch bags, switched from cans to paper containers for hot chocolate, and replaced hand soap from plastic jugs to concentrate in smaller containers. French fries were served in washable plastic baskets, conserving nearly 2 tons of paper plates, and a travel mug and souvenir take-home cup reduced paper cup disposal by nearly 2 tons. In the first year of its program,Evelyn Hill purchased more than 220,000 hamburger and sandwich boxes made from 40 percent postconsumer content, and replaced many of its paper products with recycled-content products. In total, the company saved$112,000 in 2000. Finally, Evelyn Hill educated visitors and employees about the importance of resource conservation, printing an educational message on its 100 percent recycled-content napkins.
PARI Innovative Manufacturers, Inc.
PARI Innovative Manufacturers, Inc. continues to explore options to reuse transport containers to ship materials and products. The company uses reusable corrugated containers to ship materials between vendors and its manufacturing facility in Midlothian, Virginia, and also between Midlothian and an assembly facility in Mexico. When the boxes can no longer be used, they are broken down and returned to the vendor for reuse. PARI also uses reusable wooden pallets for shipping. To reduce paper consumption, the company emphasized electronic communication by distributing company newsletters electronically, consolidating reports, and using electronic documents. The company emphasizes “pre-cycling”—evaluating a product’s packaging before purchasing—and encourages employees to bring newspapers and cans from home for recycling. In addition, it returns cartridges for photocopy and fax machines to the manufacturer to be refurbished or recycled.
Creative Office Systems, Inc.
Creative Office Systems, Inc. (COS) does not just recycle as a side activity—its business is recycling! This California-based company developed a program focused on minimizing waste by following the priority of reduce/remanufacture/ reuse/recycle. Through this process, COS has managed to save more than 70,000 tons of waste from disposal in the last four years—equivalent to enough conserved energy to power 1,072 homes for an entire day.
For the fabric used to upholster its furniture, COS lives up to its name by using recycled soda bottles (PET) as 45 percent of the material content, a 9 percent increase in recycled material content from last year.
Within the lunchroom, the company has switched to reusable dishes and flatware. It minimizes shipping waste by reusing incoming packing and leftover textiles for outgoing packaging products. The company also strives to involve all workers in its environmental plans, which it effectively does through scheduling a speaker series.
Evelyn Hill, Inc.
Evelyn Hill Inc., the gift shop and food service nestled at the base of Lady Liberty, operates a $50,000 per year recycling center—at no cost! Rather than dispose of food baskets and trays after each use, the company cleans them for reuse, saving enough money to pay the operating costs of the recycling center. This progressive store recycled 395 tons of cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. In 2001, Evelyn Hill Inc. recycled 63 percent of the company’s trash and reduced carting fees by more than 17 percent. In 2002, Evelyn Hill aims to maintain a recycling rate of more than 75 percent!
Changes in the company’s purchasing practices enabled Evelyn Hill to achieve such an impressive recycling rate. For example, the company switched from paper cups to recyclable PET (#1) plastic cups for its beverages. All used PET plastic cups and bottles are sent to South Carolina where they are made into fabric. Evelyn Hill Inc. demonstrates closed-loop recycling by using this fabric for its signature tote bag. In addition, new composting projects boosted the recycled rate. In only six months, the concessionaire collected nearly 1 ton of used coffee grounds for composting.
Recycling is not the only area where Evelyn Hill excels. The company also uses innovation to prevent waste, such as ordering 12” x 12” napkins rather than 12” x 13.” This one-inch difference eliminated 1 ton of paper. Evelyn Hill also installed a pump system to dispense condiments and creamers, eliminating the need for more than 2 million single-serving condiment packets and 330,000 single-serving creamer cups. To close the recycling loop, the company spent $250,000 on recycled-content goods, such as 100 percent recycled toilet paper and 20 percent recycled gift bags that can also be recycled.
Progress isn’t close to stopping at Evelyn Hill after 2001’s successes. Plans for 2002 and beyond include the construction of a geothermal system for cleaner climate control!
Kessler Consulting, Inc.
For Kessler Consulting, Inc., reducing waste isn’t just a business—it’s protocol! This environmental planning firm creates innovative reduction ideas for clients as well as itself. When the company moved into a new office last year, it practiced many of the reduce, reuse, and recycle efforts it preaches. To begin with, the seven-person staff purchased a refurbished telephone system. Kessler also stocked the new kitchen with dishes, cups, and flatware to discourage the use of disposable items.
Common procedure within this Florida-based office is to reuse all office supplies until they require recycling. Envelopes, notebooks, folders, and boxes are constantly reused, and all paper is printed on two sides. Through duplex printing alone, the company has reused nearly 780 pounds of paper.
In 2001, Kessler began a composting program that collects food scraps and yard trimmings and uses the compost on premises for landscaping. Because its policy is to purchase items containing recycled material whenever possible, Kessler purchased a 10-seater, 100 percent recycled plastic picnic table for lunch breaks. The company also purchases recycled-content paper, letterhead, envelopes, and business cards.
Employees at Kessler clearly feel pride in their WasteWise activities. The company displays WasteWise posters in the kitchen, conference room, and copy room, as well as the WasteWise logo on company reports and the Web site. Based on the company’s calculations, in 2001, it reused nearly 15 percent of all waste and recycled an additional 60 percent. Only 25 percent of Kessler’s trash actually makes it to a disposal facility!
Applied Specialties, Inc.
Applied Specialties started a returnable tote program with suppliers and bought bulk materials, reducing waste by more than 10 tons. By using remanufactured toner cartridges in printers and switching to a toner system for the fax machine, the company saved $600 and eliminated an additional 260 pounds of waste. E-mail and double-sided copies also saved Applied Specialties $320 and decreased paper waste by 500 pounds.