Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. of East Earl, Lancaster County was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award for Pollution Prevention in the Large Business Category at the Businesses for the Bay annual meeting November 3.

The Businesses for the Bay Program recognizes communities, businesses and other organizations working to prevent pollution, reduce waste and energy costs in the Chesapeake Bay drainage area.

Conestoga is a leading cabinet component manufacturer whose largest waste stream generated from factory operations is wood waste. The amount of this waste was significantly reduced by investing in laser technology (to make cuts that generate less waste) and recycling or reusing wood waste in the form of cattle bedding, woodstove pellets, composite decking material or as a generic fuel source.

Cosmetically imperfect “paint grade” material is also made available to customers for those who want the performance that natural wood offers but don’t need perfect-looking wood components for certain applications. This helps reduce the total amount of lumber needed in manufacturing.

In addition, the company introduced a new “Zero-Pack” program to limit the amount of paper products used in shipment and reuses skids. Corporate policy views wood waste as an asset to be managed rather than as a waste for disposal.

In 2004, Conestoga recycled or reused over 20,000 tons of sawdust; 14 tons of scrap wood; 75 tons of cardboard and paper; over 40 tons of scrap metals and encourages facility-wide recycling of oil, light bulbs, batteries and computer monitors.

The company recovers an average of 4,000 gallons of solvents annually-effectively eliminating over 7 tons of VOCs each year (3,500 gallons of this reduction was considered to be hazardous waste).

All employees receive initial and annual environmental awareness training. This training is enhanced by “green boards” throughout the plant where various environmental topics are posted for review.

In 2004, Conestoga hosted an “environmental day” for a local school district where children interfaced with employees who talked about all aspects and benefits of working with wood. Conestoga also paid the transportation costs for inner-city children to participate in a summer camp at Nolde Forest in Cumru Township, Berks County. The camp focused on educating children about environmental responsibility while gaining an additional appreciation for the natural setting.

Conestoga also created an Environmental and Community Outreach Team to help manage its community efforts. The company donates trees to cities in the region as part of its Urban Forestry Initiative to help enhance the urban canopy. This program stresses education on the care and benefits of trees. More than 60 trees were planted in Lancaster and Reading in 2004 alone. As of May, 2005, the company had already donated an additional 60 trees to the greater Philadelphia area.

Conestoga also promotes the use of environmentally-friendly species, such as Lyptus, a plantation-grown, non-rainforest wood that replenishes itself every 15-20 years. When this wood is harvested, new growth comes from the existing trunk which avoids soil erosion.

Future environmental plans at the company include establishing an environmental grant program for local schools, additional tree plantings with Habitat for Humanity and working with local schools to develop nature habitats.

For more information, visit the Businesses for the Bay webpage.

11/4/2005