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Merck & Company Inc. West Point Facility and
Merck & Company Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical products and services company with a demonstrated commitment to environmental protection. Merck discovers, develops, manufacturers and markets a broad range of innovative products to improve human and animal health. Merck's West Point and Cherokee facilities implemented projects that demonstrate the company's continued commitment to environmental responsibility and improvement. Merck's West Point Facility implemented an energy management initiative that enables the company to reduce the amount of total energy needed to operate the site's utility systems. West Point's energy management initiative includes projects for on-site energy cogeneration, as well as measures to identify and implement initiatives to conserve electricity, steam and fuel. To date, the facility implemented a total of 22 energy conservation initiatives, which have resulted in an energy use savings of 2.4 million BTUs since 1995. Assuming an air pollution emission rate of 0.2 pounds per million BTU, Merck's energy use avoidance has a corresponding annual air pollution avoidance of 238 tons. Merck's Cherokee Plant produces its own steam which is used on-site in pharmaceutical production processes and to generate electricity. In 1997, the plant substantially upgraded its steam generation facility by replacing its four coal-fired boilers with three new boilers using natural gas as the primary fuel source. As a result of the power plant improvement project, criteria and hazardous air pollutant emissions from the power plant have been reduced by 60 percent to 100 percent, a decrease of 1,931 tons per year. In addition, coal ash waste is no longer generated, resulting in a 78 million pound reduction in residual wastes generated per year. Similarly, the plant no longer needs to hydraulically convey coal ash, resulting in 65 million gallon per year reduction in water use. Innovation has contributed to the continuing improvement of Merck's energy management performance and cogeneration efficiency. Merck's commitment to environmental responsibility has enabled the company to achieve significant benefits not only for the environment but for its bottom line as well.
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Merck & Company Inc. |
