EPA Recognizes Three Companies in Ohio and Minnesota for Pollution Prevention
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented 2024 Regional Pollution Prevention Awards to Vallourec Star, Avantor Solon Manufacturing Center (both located in Ohio) and GEOTEK (located in Minnesota) for showing a commitment to pollution prevention by reducing, eliminating or preventing pollution at the source, prior to recycling, treatment or disposal.
Vallourec Star, Youngstown, Ohio, has taken significant steps to manage chemical use through the implementation of its ChemSafe program, which prioritizes the use of safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals in the workplace. The success of the ChemSafe program is measured by tracking the number of high-risk chemicals replaced with safer alternatives. In 2022, Vallourec had achieved a 44.4% substitution rate. More aggressive goals were set in 2023 targeting a 70% substitution rate, with an actual achievement of greater than 90%.
“Vallourec has always defined itself by operating with a ‘do the right thing’ mindset,” said Vallourec Star Environmental Manager Joe Mook. “Our choice to prioritize safer, lower risk chemicals aligns with our core values of continually improving safety in the workplace while taking environmentally sustainable actions.”
Avantor Solon Manufacturing Center, Solon, Ohio, is generating an LED light conversion project as a corporate-sponsored initiative to reduce carbon emissions. Avantor installed motion detectors, allowing lighting to automatically turn off when work areas are not occupied. The company replaced HVAC equipment with newer, more efficient HVAC units and implemented heating and cooling schedules to cycle based on times and zone locations when not occupied. The company reduced operational greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15% at the Solon site, helping Avantor reach its 2025 goal two years ahead of schedule.
“The U.S. EPA’s recognition demonstrates how hard our team at the Solon Site has worked to cut greenhouse gas emissions,” said Senior Manufacturing Director of Solon Paul Serrin. “By converting to LED lights, improvements to the HVAC systems, optimizing heating and cooling schedules, and reducing electrical usage overall; we have been able to reduce GHG emissions by more than fifteen percent. It has been a meaningful step in our journey towards more sustainable operations."
GEOTEK, Stewartville, Minnesota, invested in solvent recovery systems in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which allowed GEOTEK to recover and reuse acetone and lacquer thinner from coating waste. Implementing this system enabled a 71% reduction in hazardous coating waste between 2022 and 2023. The acetone recovery solvent system saw a 22% reduction in hazardous waste between 2022 and 2023. In addition, this system allowed the company to reduce costs associated with disposal of hazardous coating waste by 70%.
“We work very hard to monitor our waste generation at GEOTEK. Reducing our solvent waste is a top priority for the entire team” said GEOTEK Environmental Health and Safety Manager Emma Westphal. “The solvent recovery system is a great project that not only reduces our waste but also engages the team and keeps compliance at the forefront of their mind. The best part is when you see team members asking questions and suggesting ideas to help us continuously improve. We’re honored and excited to receive this award and we’re looking forward to continuously striving to achieve new milestones in the future.”
Combined, the 2024 Award Winners reduced:
- Approximately 962 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCO2e)
- Approximately 10,320 pounds of solvent waste
- Business costs by approximately $139,100 annually
- And, one facility saw a more than 90% safer chemical substitution rate at its facility
These awardees demonstrate that practicing pollution prevention is helpful to businesses while also being essential to protecting public health and the environment. EPA will open nominations for the 2025 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards next spring.
The EPA Region 5 Pollution Prevention Award program is an annual, voluntary and non-monetary award program. Read more about the Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards on EPA’s website.
Read more about EPA’s Pollution Prevention Program.