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Summary

Synthetic Industries (S.I.) formed a team-based environmental program which identifies and implements pollution prevention and recycling opportunities throughout the company.

Background

Synthetic Industries has made a commitment to be an environmentally responsible manufacturing firm by managing resources for maximum efficiency and minimum waste. This is reflected in their Environmental Mission Statement, which states that the company "is dedicated to preserve and enhance environmental quality through our efforts in waste minimization and recycling."

In 1994, S.I. created a program called S.I.E.R.R.A., which stands for Synthetic Industries Environmental Resource Reduction Action. The purpose of the program is to continuously search for new pollution prevention and waste minimization opportunities throughout the company. Synthetic Industries’ Chickamauga facility, which is ISO 9002 certified, was selected as the pilot location for the S.I.E.R.R.A. program. Eight employee teams were formed to focus on reducing and reusing materials ranging from office paper and cardboard to lubricants and packaging products.

The S.I.E.R.R.A. program’s immediate success at the Chickamauga facility led to its implementation at all other company facilities within a year. At present there are over 2,300 employees actively involved in the S.I.E.R.R.A. program. The teams collectively utilize the talents of personnel from operations, maintenance, management, engineering, accounting, and purchasing. 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 choose the best solution. In order to continue maximum participation levels, each new employee is given S.I.E.R.R.A. training during company orientation.

Results

During the first year of the program, solid waste contributions to the landfill were reduced by 22 percent over the previous year. This reduction was achieved through activities such as collecting and chopping bale wire for recycling. The table below outlines some of the other results achieved under the S.I.E.R.R.A. program over the past three years.

With the aid of outside recycling partners, S.I. is 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, S.I. 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. Finally, the vendor service team is exploring cooperative waste minimization opportunities with suppliers and customers.