In this Issue:
Newsletter Links:
Sponsored by the
Utah Department of
Environmental Quality
Recycling is up and energy consumption is down, all because more and more Utah businesses are doing their share to help the environment under the Clean Utah program – a voluntary initiative that rewards companies for reducing or preventing pollution. The program, designed by a stakeholder group in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has seen a steady increase in participation since the program was officially launched in September 2004. Today there are nine businesses in the program and approval of two others is pending.
“These companies are committed to protecting the environment,” said Dianne Nielson, executive director of DEQ. “We applaud them for their good work and encourage other companies to apply for the Clean Utah program.”
Brad Overmoe, president of Red Hanger Cleaners, which has 14 outlets in Utah, was part of a diverse committee that developed the program several years ago. “The general overall goal is awareness,” he said. “This is a program where DEQ can wear the white hat. If DEQ can get companies to voluntarily become responsible environmental citizens it doesn’t have to spend the money on enforcement. It’s a win, win, win.”
The program is designed as a three-tiered system. At “Entry Level,” businesses are committed to develop an Environmental Management System or EMS that provides a thorough review of its operations. At “Partner Level,” the company is committed to completing projects aimed at improving their environmental performance. Companies then can advance to the “Leader Level,” where even more projects are implemented. DEQ rewards companies for participation by publicly recognizing them for their efforts and potentially fast-tracking their permit applications.
Renette Anderson, the small business ombudsman for DEQ, said the participating companies are committed to go a step beyond the basic requirements of meeting local, state and federal environmental requirements. “More businesses are becoming aware of the economic and environmental advantages in taking a look at what can be done to improve efficiencies,” she said.
Kennecott Land Company, the developers of the Daybreak community in South Jordon, was recently accepted into the program, pledging to develop an EMS to find ways to improve their environmental stewardship.
“Becoming a member of the Clean Utah Program is consistent with Kennecott Land’s commitment to be a leader in environmentally sensitive development,” Kennecott President Peter McMahon said in his application. “Daybreak, Kennecott Land’s first community, is planned around sustainability principles and (it) demonstrates our commitment to water and energy conservation, open space preservation, and developing enduring partnerships in the community. Becoming a Clean Utah member is a key step in building a partnership with the state of Utah and the Department of Environmental Quality, also further demonstrating Kennecott Land’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”
Of the nine businesses and governmental entities accepted into the program, three are working on projects that so far have resulted in cost-saving measures while providing a benefit to the environment. Hexcel Corporation, AutoLiv and La-Z-Boy are at “Partner Level” where they are in the process of implementing projects identified in their EMS.
Red Hanger Cleaners, Tooele Army Depot, ModusLink, Park City Building Department, Kennecott Land and Bambara Restaurant are participating in the program at the “Entry Level.”
Clean Utah is designed to be flexible, Overmoe said. “If I stay at the Entry Level, that’s OK,” he said. “My primary goal is that I want to do what’s right for my company and for the environment.”
Since 2004, La-Z-Boy Utah, which manufactures upholstered furniture for its retail outlets nationwide at its Tremonton facility, has consistently reduced its trash that ended up in the landfill each year. The company saw its biggest waste reduction jump in 2005 by 22 percent over the previous year, saving about $28,800 in landfill fees. Although the company had been recycling many products for years, employees discovered more could be done after completing an EMS. Rocky Mountain Recycling picks up the company’s plastics, pop bottles, paper and cardboard. Pallets are recycled through Pallets of Utah, and scrap metal is recycled through Valley Metal. Even the sawdust is sent to a livestock dealer to use as livestock bedding.
“The total amount of waste generated in 2005 was 6.7 million pounds,” said Norm Davis, facility engineer for La-Z-Boy. “We recycled 80 percent of that.”
The benefits are clear, he added. “It has increased the environmental awareness of people in the plant. Although it hasn’t been without some costs, overall we realized we are making a little on the recycling,” Davis said.
Consider these other successes:
Autoliv, the world’s largest automotive safety supplier of airbags, seat belts and other devices developed and tested at its Ogden Technical Center, had been disposing of about 4,400 pounds of nylon and silicon coated fabric in the landfill each month. After some research, the company found a recycling vendor. Now all of its fabric is being collected and managed by Pro Baler Services/Interwest Paper in Murray, who ships the materials to China where it is used for textiles.
Last year, Hexel Corporation, an aerospace materials manufacturer in West Valley, increased its recycling to 2 million pounds annually – up from 1.6 million pounds – by integrating a plant-wide recycling program. Staff is encouraged to recycle wooden pallets, rolls of paper, poly film, empty steel drums and industrial solvents, thereby reducing waste and disposal costs.
La-Z-Boy is also committed to becoming energy efficient by working with Utah Power to conduct an energy study of the plant. It has already enhanced the facility’s energy efficiency by replacing its air conditioning system from an inefficient steam-absorption chiller to a more efficient electric one last year. The result has been a substantial 67 percent decrease in air pollution over the calendar year, and a 41 percent decrease in natural gas use from 2003 to 2004. In 2005 natural gas consumption was cut another 18.4 percent.
Davis is looking at future energy savings projects. “One of the things I’d like to do is go through the offices and upgrade the lighting system to help cut down on electric use,” he said.
Hexel, too, realized a substantial benefit by reducing its steam consumption by 10 percent. By replacing old inefficient steam equipment, the plant has been able to conserve 502,000 gallons of water and reduce air pollution by decreasing the amount of natural gas it uses.
More information and an application is available at www.deq.utah.gov/cleanutah/