Success Story #1 Waste Water Treatment Plant Sludge The company
A major manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans Project background
The facility generates approximately 400,000 pounds of wastewater treatment sludge annually. Because of certain constituents the sludge is considered a hazardous waste. The solution provided by the previous vendor was to landfill the sludge.
Incentives to Change
The company was concerned about reducing future liability and cost Results
Allegiant Global® collaborated with the client to seek approval for an exemption from a state agency. The client received approval to use the sludge in construction projects. Allegiant Global further negotiated logistics and pricing resulting in significant cost savings for the client.
Success Story #2
Ethyl Ether Recycling
The company
A manufacturer and packager of high-grade chemicals Project background
The facility generates approximately 14,000 gallons per year of off-spec ethyl ether - a hazardous waste. The facility is currently recycling other solvents, but had been unable to find a reuse option for the ethyl ether. The ethyl ether was being incinerated at a hazardous waste incinerator because fuels blenders would not accept the material based on its reactive nature.
Incentives to Change
The company is committed to environmental sustainability and is always seeking innovative and cost effective alternatives to remove material from its hazardous waste program Results
Allegiant Global recognized the viability of the off-spec ethyl ether as an alternative feed stock. Allegiant Global researched and connected with another manufacturer that, after testing, agreed to use the off-spec stream as a raw material in their production. The challenge now was to prevent contamination of the waste stream without causing any disruption in plant production or efficiency.
The Allegiant Global reuse option allows plant personnel to package the ethyl ether directly from the process vessel into 55-gallon drums. This keeps the material contaminant free, maintaining plant efficiency. The plant stores the material and Allegiant Global periodically ships it to the user. As a result of this initiative, the facility is able to reduce the generation of hazardous waste and save $130,000 annually while reducing raw material costs for the new user.
Success Story #3 Oil Emulsion
The company
Manufacturer of aluminum and specialty alloy
Project background
The client needed to dispose an extremely thick oily emulsion with large amounts of suspended solids. This emulsion was generated as an operational by-product of the industrial waste system and wastewater treatment facility on site. Because of the viscosity of the emulsion the waste system was becoming clogged. Facility personnel planned to solidify this material on site and transport to a landfill. The solidification would have resulted in quadrupling the volume of the sludge with an increase in disposal costs. There were approximately 200,000 gallons of material that would have to be solidified.
Incentives to Change
Client desires to seek alternative and innovative solutions to landfill and to reduce costs Results
Allegiant Global worked with several providers to explore alternatives solutions. A solution was developed to recover and recycle the oil in the emulsion. This resulted in keeping 800,000 gallons of waste out of a landfill, improving the level of recycling at the manufacturing facility and reducing costs associated with this project.
Success Story #4
Plastics Recycling
The company A global leader in the manufacture of automotive interior systems and components
Project Background
This company provides complete seat systems, electronic products, and electrical distribution systems and other interior products. With annual net sales in excess of $17 billion, this company’s world-class products are designed, engineered, and manufactured by a diverse team of employees at 286 locations in 34 countries. This company constantly strives to increase landfill avoidance through numerous recycling programs throughout many of their manufacturing locations. Each division produces a different component of the vehicle and the types of waste to be recycled vary by facility. One division produces a large volume of plastic waste requiring attention. The company landfilled all of their plastic scrap.
Incentives to Change
The company desired to reduce its environmental footprint Results
Allegiant Global presented a proposal showing the cost savings associated with landfill avoidance of these materials through segregation and recycling. Additionally a rebate program was developed based on the grade/type of plastic recycled.
The various grades/types of scrap plastic are generated at each line or press producing these parts. Proper packaging and plastic grinders were put into place at the facility for the employees to move the materials. All plastic is placed in Gaylord boxes and moved onto a semi-trailer for removal.
In order to maximize the rebate to the company the various by-products generated by the plant had to be separated by grade/type without being contaminated. Allegiant Global facilitated this process by devising separation procedures with no impact to plant productivity. The material is shipped to be used as a raw material and reused in plastic products such as automotive components and industrial containers, etc.
The company has saved over $25,000 in landfill disposal costs in one year. The rebate received from marketing the waste plastic as a raw feedstock has generated an additional $130,000. Since the program implementation in 2003 this facility has diverted 3.4 million pounds of plastic material from landfill. In 2006, this facility is on target to recycle approximately 2 million pounds of scrap plastic. This is almost a 100% increase from last year's recycling total of 1.2 million pounds of plastic. |