GE CitizenshipEPA Recognizes GE Energy Recycling Program
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) team recently recognized GE’s Lead Recycling program in Newark, Delaware, as an example of a waste minimization success story. NPEP is a part of the EPA's National Waste Minimization Program and the Resource Conservation Challenge, national efforts to conserve natural resources and energy by managing materials more efficiently.
The NPEP program partners with public and private organizations to reduce the use or release of any of the 31 Priority Chemicals (PCs). The 31 identified organic chemicals, chemical compounds, metals and/or metal compounds can be found in many products, and the program focuses on reducing waste by finding ways to eliminate or substantially reduce the use of these resources in production.
GE Energy, Solar Technologies joined NPEP in July 2007. The team set a goal to reduce the quantity of lead disposed of as a hazardous waste by 85 pounds in one year. By July 2008, the team had recycled 2,400 pounds of tabbing and interconnect containing 145 pounds of lead — exceeding their goal by 70 percent. Tabbing and interconnect is a thin metal ribbon joining the solar cells to form a solar module. Besides being more environmentally responsible, recycling this material is 48 percent less expensive than disposal.
Laura Miller, EHS Specialist, drove the process improvements that made this initiative such a success. The site manufacturing team implemented the recycling program to segregate the waste tabbing and interconnect for recycling, earning the facility an Achievement Award and national recognition by the program in a ceremony that took place on October 29, 2008.
In Delaware, efforts to reduce the site’s waste have not stopped there. This recycling effort spurred employees’ ideas and suggestions for other opportunities to reduce, reuse or recycle. So much so that a Green Team has been formed to implement more “green” improvements across the site, such as working more closely with regulatory agencies for guidance and training employees in proper procedures to assure that all the material used can be recycled or reused.
GE is committed to reducing the use and release of toxic and hazardous materials, preventing pollution, and conserving, recovering and recycling materials to the extent reasonably practicable.