Getting Serious About Recycling
The cost of removing waste includes trucking fees, landfill tipping fees and loss of earnings from inefficient use of material. However, because of its Worcester recycling activities Saint Gobain is able to reduce waste removal costs and earn revenue by selling recyclable materials. In 2000, for example, Saint Gobain saved almost $800,000 by reducing its waste disposal costs and selling recyclable materials.
Recycling at Norton
Norton/Saint-Gobain began to get serious about recycling waste materials at its Worcester facility in 1988. Since then, the list of items being recycled has grown and now includes:
- dressing spindles and systems
- office paper--computer, white and mixed
- shredded paper
- office equipment, i.e., telephones, typewriters, computers, copiers, etc.
- laser cartridges
- cardboard boxes and barrels
- chipboard
- brown paper bags
- telephone directories
- steel drums
- plastic sheeting and packing material
- pallets and other shipping/construction material made of wood
- scrap steel scrap or obsolete production machinery
- silicon carbide grinding wheels and refractory products
- 2,000-pound-capacity nylon grain sacks
- waste oil
- graphite
- abrasive dust and chips
- fly ash
- used kiln quartz (sand)
- cafeteria plastics
- soda cans and bottles
Recycling Awards
Norton was among 13 manufacturers and distributors honored as a recipient of the 1998 "American Eagle Award" of the American Supply and Manufacturers Association (ASMMA). Norton’s recycling program was chosen best among national manufacturers.
In 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 Norton received the Green Ribbon Friend Award in appreciation for supporting recycling in Massachusetts.
In 1995 and 1996, former Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld presented Norton Company with the Silver Award from the Massachusetts Packaging Challenge for using packaging materials that contain at least 27 percent of post-consumer recycled materials.
In 1995, Norton Company won the Commercial Recycling Award from MassRecycle (The Massachusetts Recycling Coalition).
In 1994, Norton received an award from the Institute for Self-Active Education for donating recyclable material for use by students in the Worcester and Boston public schools.
In 1993, Norton received the Recycling Achievement Award from North Shore Recycled Fibers (The Newark Group) at the New England Environmental Exposition.
And in 1991, Norton received two awards for its recycling efforts: one from former Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld, and the other a joint award from the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the Worcester Business Journal.