Glatfelter today announced that its facility in Neenah, Wisconsin is one of nine recipients of the Wisconsin Environmental Working Group's Business Friend of the Environment award for outstanding achievements in environmental protection.
Glatfelter's Neenah Facility, approaching its 100th year in business, won the award in the category of pollution prevention. Glatfelter is among the nation's oldest and largest producers of high quality recycled printing and specialty papers.
In 1996, the Neenah Facility made a commitment to go beyond compliance and has operated well within all permit conditions since that time. "A great deal of effort was placed on improving the performance of the wastewater treatment plant," said Ken Clusman, Mill Manager of Glatfelter's Neenah Facility.
"Our environmental group, in consultation with one of the world's foremost experts on wastewater biology, was able to make process and equipment modifications that helped to dramatically improve the performance of the treatment plant. In fact, over the course of the last four years, the facility has actually removed in excess of 200 tons of suspended solids from the river water used in its papermaking process prior to discharging that water back to the river," Mr. Clusman added.
"Plant improvements and the commitment of our entire workforce have been the keys to our accomplishments to date," Mr. Clusman continued.
"A mill-wide awareness program and the implementation of our ISO 14001-certified environmental management system helped to improve the overall environmental performance of our facility. Our employees understand that Glatfelter's business success hinges upon its employees understanding of not only the economic side of the business, but also the environmental issues at hand at the Neenah Facility. I am proud of our Facility's environmental achievements, and I believe that this demonstrates our concern for the environment, while we strive to make the high quality products demanded by our customers," added Mr. Clusman.
Glatfelter's results have not gone unnoticed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). "Permit violations have not only been made a thing of the distant past (at Glatfelter), they have been placed so far off the radar as to become invisible," said James L. Savinski, the WDNR wastewater engineer who oversees Glatfelter's compliance of its wastewater discharge permit.
Glatfelter, which employs 385 at the Neenah Facility, also has served as a pioneer in the development of technology to transform wastepaper into recycled, reusable paper found in best-selling novels, reference books and other specialty products. That equates to about 350 tons of wastepaper each day that, instead of being disposed of in a landfill, is made into new, useful products.
With its headquarters in York, Pa., Glatfelter is a global manufacturer of specialty papers and engineered products. U.S. operations also include a facility in Spring Grove, Pa. International operations include facilities in Germany, France and the Philippines.
Source: Business Wire
