1997 Award Winners

• Andersen Corporation
• Automated Building Components, Millwork Division
• Aveda Corporation
• Crown Cork & Seal
• Dana Corporation
• John Roberts Company
• Stowe Environmental School
• West Group
• Honorable Mention: Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association
• Honorable Mention: Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB)

Embarking on a series of pollution prevention and comprehensive "beyond compliance" actions, Andersen Corporation in Bayport has steered towards environmental sustainability since the late 1980's. Based on the company's mission statement, "to engage in responsible stewardship of the environment", Andersen established an Environmental Management System (EMS) in 1993 that covers all aspects of the company's environmental operations.

The company has implemented numerous pollution prevention projects that include:

• Replacing a two-part solvent-based contact adhesive system with a structural solids moisture-cure adhesive that saves $965,000 a year, reduces toxic release inventory emissions by a total of 266,000 pounds, and provides substantial performance improvement.
• Converting its wood preservative operations from solvent-based to water-borne preservative solutions, resulting in over 50 percent reduction in volatile organic compound emissions.
• Eliminating methylene chloride as a paint stripping solvent by converting to a paint burnoff and oxidation process saving $28,000 annually. The conversion eliminates 2,000 gallons of hazardous waste annually and reduces TRI releases of methylene chloride from 29,100 lbs. in 1988 to nonreportable amounts in 1993.
• Installing four automated meter-mix painting systems to reduce the generation of hazardous paint waste by 407,000 pounds a year and provide an annual material savings of $316,000.
• Improving packaging efficiency by developing a reusable glass transport system that avoids 300,000 pounds of transport packaging waste and saves $120,000 a year.
• Developing a unique structural composite material, Fibrex™, made of reclaimed wood from internal operations and a special thermoplastic polymer. Fibrex™ is manufactured into parts that are assembled into Andersen window/patio door products.

"At Andersen, we believe that the best pollution prevention measures develop long-lasting products through environmentally responsible manufacturing practices that have a minimal effect on the environment," said Jerry Larson, Vice-President of Engineering.

Andersen Corporation is widely recognized for the energy efficiency of its products and received certification in 1995 for twenty-one types of window and patio door product lines by Green Seal, the national environmental labeling organization.

Automated Building Components, Millwork Division

The use of solvent-based coatings is standard practice in the majority of wood finishing operations. In 1994, Automated Building Components in Chanhassen began to explore non-hazardous alternatives to standard coatings. This led to a successful conversion to water-based finishes. This conversion is not easy in the wood finishing business. Operational changes were required, concerns about finish quality were addressed; and experimentation, patience and persistence were necessary.

To upgrade finishing lines, Automated Building Components:

• Replaced all finishing line components with stainless steel or plastic to prevent corrosion of the spray system
• Determined missing components when plugging problems occurred
• Added fans to speed drying process
• Affixed an overspray collection system to the flatline operation to reuse overspray and maintain the quality of the coatings
• Replaced air-assisted airless guns with HVLP guns to apply stain
• Reduced the spray pressure and tip size of airless guns to provide the most effective spray pattern for coating parts

From 1994 to 1996, Automated Building Components succeeded in reducing their toluene usage by 16,880 pounds and volatile organic compounds by 48,200 pounds. They eliminated all hazardous waste generation in 1996. Since the conversion, the company is no longer required to complete a SARA 313 Form R or maintain records or reports for hazardous waste generators. This paperwork reduction saves significant operating costs.

Company officials noticed that using the new water-based materials and reducing the use of harmful chemicals made a positive impact on employees, who feel more secure from a health and safety risks. Employees were involved in the chain of events that led to the conversion and many of the suggestions and ideas for change came directly from them.

"This is truly a win-win situation," said John Waldron, company Vice-President. "Not only are we able to protect the quality of Minnesota's environment, but at the same time we are able to provide our customers with an improved and more competitive product."

Aveda Corporation, Blaine

Since its inception in 1978, the Aveda Corporation has based its business practices on environmental sensitivity and sustainability principles. Emphasizing waste reduction and recycling throughout its production facility and retail stores, Aveda's principles influence every discussion and decision. In fact, all new employees, as well as the 450 students attending the Aveda Institute near downtown Minneapolis, are taught an introductory course to environmental science and pollution prevention.

In 1995, Aveda began taking a life-cycle analysis approach in selecting packaging materials. Through this analysis, cradle-to-grave environmental impacts are evaluated and ranked. For example, Aveda looks beyond the ability to recycle an item to determine its environmental impact on transportation, energy use and the manufacturing process.

Despite its size and manufacturing throughput, Aveda is classified as a very small generator of hazardous waste. In 1995 and 1996, 45 percent of the solid waste generated at corporate headquarters and the manufacturing facility was recycled.

Aveda reduces environmental impacts in the construction and operation of its retail stores through such practices as water conservation and waste reduction measures or converting incandescent or halogen light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. A sourcebook about recycled-content, low life-cycle and sustainable materials for constructing, equipping, decorating, and operating retail outlets is also being written.

More than 90 percent of Aveda's raw materials for its product lines come from renewable plants rather than petrochemicals. Ten percent comes from organically certified plants which, though higher in cost than nonorganic or non-certified materials, reduce the environmental impacts due to cultivation. Organically-certified plants are raised as sustainably as possible without the use of synthetic and petrochemically-based fertilizers and pesticides.

When Aveda launched its All Sensitive line in 1996, it also launched new packaging with containers that contain a minimum of 50 percent post-consumer recycled resin. The container is labeled instead of screen printed, which eliminates ink in the recycled HDPE resin, increases its value as a recycled resin and decreases the extraction, manufacture and transportation of pigmented materials.

"At Aveda, every employee is empowered to take environmental responsibility", said Jim Hulbert, Coordinator of Ecological Affairs and Sustainability, "and environmental impacts are determined for every business decision. Concern for the environment is a major foundation upon which Aveda continues to grow.

Crown Cork & Seal, Faribault Plant

Crown Cork & Seal Company Plant #23, located in Faribault, Minnesota, is one of 300 manufacturing facilities operated worldwide by Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. Over the years, the company has fostered its environmental ethic through a series of internal and external steps. For example, in 1990, the company established an Environmental Response Committee to monitor environmental compliance which has lead to numerous plant improvements and the development of a Good Neighbor Agreement with local residents.

In the area of product substitution, Crown-Faribault successfully replaced a Heptane and tab lube combination, used for lubing sheet stock, with a water soluble material. This eliminated the use of 8,500 gallons of Heptane annually and created a safer and healthier work environment for employees. The water-soluble sheet lube product was subsequently expanded to the reshearing operation for aerosol tops and bottoms and eliminated the use of mineral spirits and a wax product for lubing the sheet stock.

The company also eliminated the use of Isopropanol, a volatile organic compound, on litho printing presses. Through experimentation, employees in the Litho Department learned how to print without Isopropanol. This change saves 6,700 gallons and 43,550 lbs. of volatile organic compounds from being used annually.

The company formed a RAGE (Recycling Associates for a Greater Environment) team to identify opportunities for solid waste reduction and reuse. Suppliers and manufacturers of some plastic products were asked if they would accept used product for new product remanufacturing. Solid waste streams and markets for waste materials were identified, and in combination with employee training, reduced the company's landfill waste by 150 tons annually. In addition, energy-efficient light fixtures were installed, a pallet return and repair program was initiated and by 1996 over 60 percent of solvents used in manufacturing were being recycled.

"Incorporating Pollution Prevention measures into the daily manufacturing matrix encourages employees to use creativity in solving environmental issues and has generated a cleaner and healthier work environment," said Lloyd Heim, Regional Manager, Environment, Health & Safety.

Dana Corporation, Off-Highway Components Division, Plymouth

Since 1993, the primary focus of environmental policy and programs for the Dana Corporation's Spicer Clark-Hurth Off-Highway Components Division is air and water pollution prevention, manufacturing waste reduction, and energy efficiency. Demonstrating that a comprehensive approach is best for both long-term environmental benefits and its global competitiveness, the company took another ambitious approach in 1995 - to be the first zero-emissions plant of its type in the country.

Major factors used to select pollution prevention and waste reduction projects include process changes and controls that reduce or eliminate waste but do not increase others and worker health and safety conditions. Along with supplier and customer involvement, committees of managers, employees and consultants help achieve environmental improvements.

Despite increases in production over the past four years, Dana has conducted over 30 pollution prevention and waste reduction projects. Some of the most significant initiatives include:

• Eliminating hazardous organic degreasing solvents and several maintenance chemicals and reducing toxicity of paint and other hazardous waste.
• Implementing a "first of its kind" atmosphere recovery technology and furnace tightening that substantially reduces CO emissions from heat treat furnaces.
• Reducing carbon monoxide from propane engines on forklifts, floor cleaning machines and other vehicles by a factor of 5, through a combined excess air regulation/catalytic converter system.
• Installing specially configured electrostatic precipitator and filter units to reduce particulates and recover oil from machining.
• Eliminating coolant wastewater discharges from machining operations through a machining coolant recovery and reuse program – making the plant the only known facility to operate a large-scale, plant-wide "zero" discharge program.
• Reducing water usage through process substitution and equipment changes.

"Our results and success is simply the result of executing a sound environmental plan. This is accomplished by managing materials, chemicals and energy in a safe and environmentally sound manner," said Dennis Middleton, Plant Manager.

John Roberts Company, Coon Rapids

The John Roberts Company, a commercial printer, makes environmental stewardship and leadership a focal point of its operations. The company's environmental policy states, "We intend to involve our employees, our suppliers and our customers in the principle that to conduct business at (the) expense of the environment around us is simply unacceptable."

As a mentor, the company also strives to educate other print shops about the importance of pollution prevention and resource management. Participating in the EPA's Environmental Leadership Pilot Program, the John Roberts Company was instrumental in providing environmental stewardship to small companies that do not have the resources to develop their own comprehensive program. Over a one-year period, the John Roberts Company gave hands-on, practical assistance to companies demonstrating how better management practices could reduce environmental impacts, increase bottom-line savings and assure their future environmental health, regardless the size of the business.

Employees are actively involved in several endeavors that accomplish pollution prevention and waste reduction: a 14-member Safety & Environmental Committee meets every two weeks; an internal newsletter has an environmental issues column; and annual company gainsharing is linked with environmental performance.

Other pollution prevention and waste reduction initiatives include:

• Replacing hazardous cleaning solvents with non-hazardous ones, switching from existing as a large quantity generator of hazardous waste to being a conditionally exempt generator. John Roberts worked closely with its vendor to develop a non-hazardous solvent blend.
• Installing fixer recovery units in its graphic arts film processor, which cut fixer consumption to one-third of previous amount and eliminating a hazardous waste stream for silver.
• Installing water miser units in the Prepress Department, which cut water consumption to one-tenth the amount used previously.
• Closing the recycling loop within its facility and recovering all spent cleaning solvents.
• Eliminating four targeted toxic chemicals from its facility, toluene, trichloroethane, MEK and MIBK, more than two years ahead of its Minnesota 50 commitment.
• Eliminating isopropyl alcohol as a wetting agent in lithographic printing and reducing related volatile organic compound air emissions by 98 percent.
• Achieving "Leader Status" in the Minnesota Waste Wise Program.

"Pollution prevention is totally compatible with business success. The trick is to start with something small and achievable and then build upon early successes. The results are a bottom-line benefit," said Jeff Adrian, Environmental Director.

Stowe Environmental School, Duluth

Stowe Environmental School is Duluth Public School District's flagship environmental school, serving students from pre-school through fifth grade. Since September 1994, Stowe school has emphasized curriculum that integrates environmental themes in every discipline and serves as a model for environmental education for the district, region and state.

Larry Johnson, Principal of Stowe School, explains the school's underlying philosophy: "The mission of Stowe School guides children and adults through district outcomes and provides an opportunity to learn within an environmentally sensitive setting and curriculum. We practice our mission through our behavior and teaching every day."

Students are involved in all aspects of waste reduction and recycling practices at the school including:

• Conducting a waste audit of solid waste in the school's classrooms, offices and cafeteria.
• Replacing disposable napkins with cloth napkins and using reusable dishware and trays.
• Cutting food waste by calculating more accurate food orders
• Composting excess food using vermiculture, red worms in bins.
• Separating paper, plastic, glass and metal for recycling.
• Formalizing a pollution prevention plan.
• Establishing a sustainable community program through environmental service learning projects with community organizations and agencies.

The school district has saved more than $6,800 as a result of the program. In addition, the Food Services Department of the Duluth Public School District has expressed an interest in a district-wide cafeteria waste reduction program.

"When we began our project, Stowe School created sixteen cubic yards of garbage per week," said Principal Johnson. "We currently produce six cubic yards per week and would like to decrease that amount even more. Our efforts will continue until we are satisfied that our school is as efficient as it can be."

One of the most important benefits, however, is the behavior change seen among students and staff at Stowe School, and in the surrounding community. Johnson noted, "Judging by the number of Earth Friendly lunches packed at home using no or low waste packaging, children and their families are undoubtedly generating less garbage. The kids' attitudes and behavior concerning source reduction, recycling, and composting have encouraged parents and even grandparents to make environmentally sound changes at home."

West Group, Eagan

West Group is one of 1,400 firms representing 56,000 employees in Minnesota's printing industry. Altogether, the entire printing industry is the second largest manufacturing employer in the state. Any environmental advancements in this industry stand to impact the overall environmental quality of the state.

Recognizing the magnitude of the environmental impact, West Group set out in 1995 to develop a process to replace hydroquinone-based developers in the PrePress Department. Hydroquinone is a SARA Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) that has been the standard method for reducing exposed silver halide to metallic silver during the film developing process. Working with Fuji Hunt, one of their primary suppliers, West Group officials successfully eliminated six hydroquinone-based products that collectively contributed to the company's hydroquinone inventory and usage.

A new product, ChemPact ES, was introduced to the process and significantly reduced the transport, employee handling, usage, inventory, and release of hydroquinone. The dry powder consistency of ChemPact ES lessened the potential for spills, and solid waste consisting of plastic drums and containers from hydoquinone was decreased. West Group estimates that this product substitution reduced the company's inventory of hydroquinone by 60 percent and its usage by 91 percent between 1994 and 1996.

The potential ramifications of this product-substitution discovery are enormous. Besides the printing industry, hydroquinone is commonly used for developing film used in commercial photolabs, medical offices and dental offices. Accordingly, the potential applications of this new ChemPact ES product far exceed those of the printing industry alone.

"This new developer epitomizes West's effort to run an environmentally friendly manufacturing operation," said Craig Jilk, Vice President of Administration, Manufacturing & Distribution.

Other initiatives taken by West Group include:

• Testing of a non-hazardous press wash that could make waste ink and press towels non-hazardous.
• Substituting four out of five solvent-based parts washers with aqueous parts reducing solvent waste by 97 percent annually.
• Reducing water usage by 36,000 gallons a day by using water misers on film and plant processors in PrePress.
• Incorporating extensive, facility-wide recycling efforts.

Honorable Mentions

Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association

The Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA) represents the majority of hot mix asphalt producers in Minnesota. The organization developed a pollution prevention program in 1995 to educate the industry on the opportunities for pollution prevention and environmentally sound management within their facilities. MAPA's mission was to raise the level of awareness and expertise of company owners and plant operators in order to minimize air and water quality environmental impacts at production sites and on construction projects. Through MAPA's leadership, the training program became a cooperative effort between government agencies, industry representatives and environmental consultants.

The training program is updated annually and continuously promoted through MAPA's newsletter. It is the first ongoing environmental training program of its kind in the construction industry in the United States. Feedback from participants has been very positive - numerous companies have commented satisfactorily about learning new management practices that lower operating costs while conserving energy and reducing pollution. The program has proven that pollution prevention can be a "win-win" for companies and government entities.

Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board

The Metropolitan Materials Exchange Program (MAX) is a free materials exchange service designed to assist and facilitate the reduction of commercially generated solid and hazardous waste in the metropolitan area. The Materials Exchange program is primarily supported by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, comprised of 15 elected officials from the seven county metropolitan area. The metropolitan materials exchange operates in partnership with the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program and the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. MAX actively works with businesses that have materials that are no longer of use to them but are useful to other businesses. If a material cannot be exchanged quickly, the material is listed in a catalog that is distributed to other businesses.

MAX is available to any business in the metropolitan area and has saved over $441,600 for businesses in avoided purchase and disposal costs for hazardous and non-hazardous materials since its inception in 1996. MAX is currently evaluating the option of placing the materials catalog on the Internet to promote the program to a wider audience.

Updated August 1998