WILSON, N.C.—Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations' passenger and light truck tire plant in Wilson has been recognized for its achievements in sustainable manufacturing.
The plant was feted by Environmental Leader, a publication that keeps business leaders informed about environmental and sustainability developments.
Bridgestone said Environmental Leader selected the Wilson plant for its 2015 Project of the Year award, in recognition of its developing a comprehensive program to achieve zero waste to landfill.
“Conducting operations in the most responsible and sustainable ways is vital to business today and reflects our company's environmental mission to ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations,” said Jim Lehman, director of environmental affairs, Bridgestone Americas.
“Reaching and maintaining zero waste to landfill at our Wilson tire plant—our largest passenger tire facility in the Americas—is one of our proudest accomplishments at Bridgestone,” Lehman said, “and we are honored that the esteemed panelists recognized our ongoing commitment to sustainable manufacturing with this award.”
The Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards program recognizes excellence in products and services that provide companies with energy and environmental benefits, Bridgestone said, or incorporate projects that improved environmental or energy management, while also benefiting the bottom line.
Bridgestone said the panel of award reviewers for the Environmental Leader program acknowledged the difficulty of meeting waste diversion and reduction goals in a tire manufacturing environment, particularly for a facility with a footprint as large as the Wilson tire plant, which is validated by Underwriters Laboratories as the first factory in the world to achieve zero waste to landfill.
Bridgestone is operating under a long-term environmental vision for the year 2050, which cutting CO2 emissions in half and making products from fully renewable and sustainable resources by 2050 and beyond.