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Bear Metallurgical Company
Bear Metallurgical Co., an ISO 9002-certified facility, is a ferroalloy producer of ferrovanadium and ferromolybdenum at its Butler facility. Since 1990, Bear Metallurgical Co.'s top priorities has been to minimize impact on the environment, thereby reducing costs. To achieve this objective, a wide variety of waste reduction and minimization programs have been implemented. Bear incorporated a recycling/waste minimization program comprised of four components: Co-product slag recycling, bag house dust recycling, packaging materials recycling and solid waste minimization. All four programs generate additional revenues or reduced costs to the company. As a part of the overall recycling/waste minimization program, Bear recycles off-site co-product slag, which is now returned to the facility and used as a substitute for commercially mined and manufactured material. The remaining co-product slag is sold as a commercially viable product. This program has saved Bear $596,000 annually and a capital project is underway to double these savings. Bear also recycles flue dust recaptured through a dust collection system in an approved bag house: 100 percent of this material is recycled on site and reused in the production process, saving the company $66,000 in 1997. Bear also adopted recycling programs to reduce solid waste from 104 tons in 1995 to 92 tons in 1997.This program saved the company $3,750 in 1997. The program also recycles 100 percent of its wooden pallets, cardboard and steel drums and 80 percent of the bulk sacks used at the facility. Bear's waste minimization recycling program benefits not only the company but also suppliers, customers, the community and all stakeholders. It eliminated potential liabilities associated with waste disposal, improved the quality of life for the community and reduced long and short term costs.
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Bear Metallurgical
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