Partner Approach to Resource Management

From the Source, Summer 1995

Synthetic Industries (SI) is taking resource management seriously. Our company is making a commitment to be an environmentally responsible manufacturing firm by managing our resources for maximum efficiency and minimum waste. Recently, we have taken yet another step towards protecting the environment. Working in a partnership with the Georgia Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD), SI formed a program called S.I.E.R.R.A., which stands for Synthetic Industries Environmental Resource Reduction Action. The S.I.E.R.R.A. program will carry on the past recycling and waste minimization efforts at SI, and contribute to the continuous improvement efforts of the Synthetic Quality Mission (SQM).

The Chickamauga facility, which was recently ISO 9002 certified, has been selected as the pilot location for the S.I.E.R.R.A. program. As part of S.I.E.R.R.A., eight employee teams have been formed to focus on reducing and reusing materials ranging from office paper and cardboard to lubricants and packaging products. The teams collectively utilize the talents of personnel from operations, maintenance, management, engineering, accounting, and purchasing. Over forty employees are actively participating in the program. Our corporate plan is to build the S.I.E.R.R.A. program at Chickamauga, and then implement it at all SI locations.

A primary goal of the program is to reduce the amount of solid waste sent to the local landfill 50% by 1996. During the course of 1994, solid waste contributions to the landfill have been reduced by 22% over the previous year. This reduction was achieved through activities such as collecting and chopping bale wire, enabling 633,720 lbs. of metal that was previously unrecovered to be recycled. With the aid of outside recycling partners, we are helping turn more than 10 million pounds of polypropylene waste each year into such useful items as picnic tables, benches, automotive parts, plastic lumber, plastic pallets and, appropriately enough trash cans. In addition to recycling efforts, SI continually seeks to use the most environmentally friendly items available, including the use of aluminum tubes instead of paper tubes in several different applications. The aluminum tubes have a longer service life and are easily recycled at the end of their useful life.

While the paper/plastics, wood, cardboard, and metals teams are continuing to seek opportunities to reduce solid waste, the process water and gas/air teams are working to conserve water and energy resources. The vendor service team is exploring cooperative waste minimization opportunities with suppliers and customers. The approach taken by the teams is to identify wastes, determine quantities and costs of the wastes, investigate alternatives that reduce the waste, and use financial analysis to chose the best solution. At SI, the more we examine our daily processes, the more ways we find to reduce waste!