Celebrating the 2023 IAPD Environmental excellence award winners

EnvironmentalCorner

ere at IAPD we strive to celebrate environmental innovations and sustainability efforts from our member companies. The IAPD Environmental Excellence Award was created to honor companies who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to sustainable business practices. Applicants for the award are assessed by the IAPD Environmental Committee based on strategies for recycling, conservation, community outreach, employee engagement and more. As we enter the new year, let’s take a moment to look back on the achievements of the 2023 Environmental Excellence Award winners.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Richard Miller and Ed Townsend of Braskem.

Gold – Braskem

Braskem is committed to improving people’s lives by creating sustainable chemical and plastic solutions. The company is well known for their creation of the world’s first bioplastic (Bio-based Polyethylene) produced on an industrial scale, using sugarcane as the raw material. In 2023, the company announced a project to evaluate an investment in the US to produce segregated bio-based polypropylene (PP) using bioethanol from corn as a feedstock. The company has also invested in mechanical and chemical recycling partners to further help to divert 1.5 million tons of plastic waste away from landfills by 2030.

Additionally, Braskem continues to implement disruptive technologies that drive sustainable development. In 2022, they entered into an agreement with Compact Membrane Systems in the development of technologies of carbon capture equipment, which can be utilized at our manufacturing sites to reduce emissions of existing processes by at least 90%.

Lastly, the company is committed to being a transformational agent in local communities through education awareness and engagement. Braskem partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles in September 2018, entering a nine-year sustainability-focused relationship.

Gold – Cast Nylons Ltd.

During the application period, Cast Nylons Ltd. continued to expand upon its Eco-Green Program that was established in 2012. The eco-program focuses on several areas, such as the recycling of process waste as well as consumables, environmental standards compliance, reducing the utilities required per pound of plastic produced, process waste reduction and integrating environmentally friendly practices into its facility management programs.

The company reported over 80% of their plastic waste was diverted from landfills through regrind as well as depolymerization processes. Additionally, Cast Nylons Ltd. has achieved 100% green energy use for electrical power generation, estimated to reduce their yearly carbon footprint by over 70%. The company has installed LED lighting and high efficiency HVAC in all facilities to reduce excessive electrical use.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to John Lee, Erin Eddy, Alex Cannon, Jane Saale, Roxanne Wittman, Joe Laaker of Cope Plastics, Inc.

Gold – Cope Plastics, Inc.

Cope Plastics, Inc. achieved a remarkable milestone in plastic waste management, diverting over 90% of their plastic scrap away from landfills through an efficient reprocessing system. This effort is furthered by their reclamation services, enabling customers purchasing sheet, rod or tube materials to return any fabrication off-fall, end-of-life or surplus materials, thereby minimizing waste in the supply chain.

The company’s dedication extends beyond their own operations. Collaborating with pallet and carbide tool suppliers, they engage in recycling and repairing items, contributing to a circular economy. Even office supplies and other materials are systematically recycled.

Recognizing the pivotal role of employee engagement, Cope Plastics, Inc. has instituted an internal awards program. This initiative celebrates branches achieving outstanding levels of plastic recycling. Impressively, all 16 sales locations have surpassed the program’s initial milestone by recycling over 50,000 pounds of plastics.

In addition, the company has taken steps towards sustainable energy solutions. By installing 60 solar panels at their Processing Center, they generate enough renewable energy to cover the annual needs of the warehouse, a significant stride towards reducing their carbon footprint.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Eddie Howe, Jeff Ostrowsky, Sherrie Bloom, Luke Wittman, Gerry Helbig, Jay Forcellina, Dallas McLaughlin, Patty Puglia, Keith Hechtel, Tina Sabuda, Jeff Burke, Abdulkadir Sarac and Peter DelGado of Curbell Plastics, Inc.

Gold – Curbell Plastics, Inc.

Curbell Plastics, Inc. diverts approximately 75% of all waste from landfills through donations, repurposing and recycling, including the majority of the plastic scrap from operations. The methodology to eliminate the scrap is to donate where possible to engineering and design schools and recycle as much remaining as possible. In addition, Curbell Plastics, Inc. tries to reduce the amount of waste created through various methods including the cut program, and having some products made to size to reduce scrap. Curbell Plastics, Inc. also purchases recycled and environmentally friendly office supplies and cleaning products and has programs in place to recycle many materials used internally. Curbell Plastics, Inc. monitors its energy consumption, tracking water, electricity and combustible fuel usage – currently in the process of doing a GHG analysis to set a baseline for further improvements throughout the company.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Sony Dhillon, Mike McKenna, John Schwenk and Ryan Kimichick of Interstate Advanced Materials.

Gold – Interstate Advanced Materials

Since Interstate Advanced Materials began their sustainability program in 2021, they have executed many green initiatives. The company reported that more than 51% of their plastics scrap is diverted from landfills through reprocessing. Use of optimizer software and CAD drawings also reduce waste throughout the supply chain by creating the best yields per-sheet. Employee engagement with recycling programs has been high and a wide variety of materials are recycled. Additionally, environmentally friendly office supplies, including compostable coffee pods, are used at all locations. All locations have also began composting. Interstate Advanced Materials believes in not only bringing sustainability into the workplace but making these practices a new lifestyle.

Interstate Advanced Materials is also working to reduce energy use by replacing 30% of lighting with LED and sensor lighting and has begun replacing propane forklifts with electric ones. To further offset their carbon footprint, the company worked with One Tree Planted to plant 100 trees this year.

To continue growth in sustainability, Interstate Advanced Materials hopes to implement a new program to mainstream customer scrap recycling.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Bert Hagy, James Pro, Chad Roberts, Brent Brelsford and Bill Barth of Piedmont Plastics.

Gold – Piedmont Plastics

For the fiscal year 2023, Piedmont Plastics reported that they sent 3,210,760 pounds of plastics to be recycled. More than 90% of the company’s plastic scrap is prevented from going into landfills by reprocessing it into another product. Additionally, Piedmont Plastics offers customers assistance with recycling. To further reduce waste throughout the supply chain, the company purchases run to size or near-net sizes and uses optimizer software to maximize yields on cut-to-size products.

The company is addressing water and energy usage through the implementation of low-flow toilets, eco-friendly water fountains, LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. Making the transition to paperless billing and invoicing has further reduced waste and energy use. Environmentally friendly cleaning products, office supplies, wood pallets, electronics, soda cans and more are used internally and recycled after use.

Gold – Professional Plastics, Inc.

Professional Plastics, Inc. reported during the application period, they diverted over 90% of their plastic scrap from landfills by routing it to recycling partners or reprocessing it into other products. Aside from scrap materials, the company also recycles office supplies and other materials, including shrink wrap, pallets, oil, office furniture and food packaging. To reduce plastic bottle waste, they provide their employees with reusable water bottles to use at water dispensers located in all facilities. Additionally, sensor lights and auto-timed sprinklers are used to reduce water and energy use.

Professional Plastics, Inc. also received congressional recognition as Material Partner of the Year for the Child Creativity Lab, a California nonprofit STEM program for elementary school children. Professional Plastics, Inc. donated excess and scrap acrylic and other plastics to the program, as well as bottle caps, paper products, tubes and buttons from employees. These donations not only support the education of children but also diverted materials from landfills.

A Gold Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Kevin Duffy, Lisa Kreinces, Amanda Winters and Kevin Vincent of Vycom.

Gold – Vycom

Vycom recorded another successful year of the Vycom Recycling Program. The program partners with customers, distributors and select signage and graphics trade shows in the US to collect rigid PVC and acrylic from exhibitors’ booths. More than 8,000 pounds of materials have been collected from four shows in less than two years. In addition to diverting trade show materials from landfills, Vycom diverts over 90% of their own plastics scrap from landfills by reprocessing it into another product.

To further reduce the environmental impact in the supply chain, Vycom uses sustainable packaging during shipping, including cornerboards made from recycled paper and polyethylene. Many products are also shipped by rail, saving thousands of gallons of fuel per-year. A closed-loop water filtration system is used at all manufacturing plants, reusing and recycling up to 96% of water used daily.

A Silver Level Environmental Excellence Award was presented to Sneha Jaishankar and Jesús Zamora of Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

Silver – Redwood Plastics and Rubber (first-time applicant)

Redwood Plastics and Rubber has achieved incredible milestones in their newly launched Recycling Initiative. From July 2023, the company has now recycled more than 44,000 pounds of Urethane, 15,000 pounds of Nylon and 7,500 pounds of UHMW.

Redwood’s Recycling Initiative has also expanded to other materials such as cardboard, pallets, batteries, food packaging, steel, shrink wrap and much more. Redwood’s flagship branch in Langley, BC has been retrofitted to use low-consumption lighting fixtures as well as compostable bins for food scraps. The Redwood Green Team, overseeing Redwood’s sustainability initiatives and fostering collaboration across departments, is now planning to expand their framework to other branches, to reduce landfill contributions company wide.

Congratulations to the 2023 winners!

The environmental impacts IAPD companies made in the 2023 award period were exceptional. To learn more about the environmental and sustainability efforts of IAPD, visit iapd.org.

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