AKRON—Saint-Gobain S.A.'s Performance Plastics facility in Akron has received an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Encouraging Environmental Excellence Silver Level Award for its good environmental compliance record and stewardship activities.
The facility manufactures flexible tubing products, including Tygon, Pharmed and Norprene.
Saint-Gobain said it reduced its water discharge by 98 percent through the installation of a semi-closed loop water recycling system, from about 81.5 million gallons to about 1.63 million gallons annually. It also reduced the purchase of city water by 75 percent with savings of about $20,000 per year.
The firm reduced its CO2 emissions from 2010 to 2012 by more than 150 metric tons through lighting upgrades with motion sensors, installation of high-efficiency heaters and air conditioning units and improved insulation in the offices.
Saint-Gobain said it has used a three-year objective and target planning cycle since 2007. The 2010 to 2013 cycle objectives were to reduce water consumption by 6 percent and reduce the facility air emissions, including CO2.