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Reduction Reflects Company’s Commitment to Sustainability
Dow Corning has reported significant progress
in waste
reduction, including a cut of up to 80 percent in process scrap at one of
its manufacturing sites.
The reductions have been achieved in part through the company’s materials
conversion program, which converts or recycles its waste, scrap and off-spec
silicone materials instead of sending them to landfill or incineration.
Materials are then reprocessed into new products that meet customers'
specifications.
But the reduction also reflects actions at all operations to reduce waste.
“Waste reduction emerged as the most important environmental issue facing
manufacturing businesses nowadays in an international study we commissioned
last year,” said Peter Cartwright, Dow Corning executive director for
environment, health and safety. “Like many other companies Dow Corning is
actively looking for ways to cut our waste levels.”
Examples of the success in these efforts in Europe include:
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Reducing the amount of process scrap generated by the emulsions and
antifoam production unit of its Seneffe, Belgium manufacturing site by 80
percent
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Lowering the waste generated in its Barry, Wales site by a factor of
10
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Reducing the overall amount of waste solvent at the Barry site by reusing a
different solvent that is generated as a waste byproduct elsewhere in the
plant.
Examples in North America include:
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Reducing consumption of natural gas and carbon dioxide emissions by burning
hydrogen at its Midland, Michigan plant
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Reducing the amount of solvent used in a coating process in Midland that
had been sent to an offsite disposal facility by recycling it
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Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through energy reduction at its
Carrollton, Kentucky plant has also helped to offset the impact of rising
natural gas prices
A wide variety of projects over the past five years have contributed to a
19,800 tons-per-year reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
Examples in China include:
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Recycling more than 80 percent of the waste at its Zhangjiagang (ZJG)
sealant plant, in contrast to the 90 percent of waste that had previously been
sent offsite for disposal
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Through the first half of 2008, the Zhangjiagang sealant plant has reduced
generation of nonhazardous silicone and solvent streams by 50 percent compared
to 2007
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The sealants plant also has established a program to focus on further
reducing the sealant waste at its point of generation. The plant is committed
to moving their waste stream up through the "waste hierarchy" from
disposal to recycling, to reduction and elimination
“Our commitment to sustainability not only factors into the products,
processes, technologies and solutions Dow Corning offers,” said Cartwright,
“but it also is apparent in our approach to waste reduction during the
manufacturing process.”
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About Dow Corning
Dow Corning provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the
diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in
silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than 7,000 products and
services, Dow Corning is equally owned by
The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Incorporated. More
than half of Dow Corning’s sales are outside the United States.
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