Page 332 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

Materials Pr oduction Industries 307

FIGURE 17.1 Horomill high-effi ciency cement grinding mill.

needed for refrigerated storage of produce, poultry, and sea-
food. Previously, these types of foods had to be shipped in
nonrecyclable wax-coated packaging.
• NatureWorks LLC, a joint venture of Cargill and Teijin Lim-
ited of Japan, has developed bio-based polylactide resins,
manufactured from 100% annually renewable field maize,
for food packaging. Used for fruit and vegetable packaging,
bottles, deli and bakery containers, egg trays, and film wraps,
these materials are available with certification as free of gen -
etically modified organisms.

While materials acquisition, use, and disposal are important issues
in every industry, this chapter focuses specifically on producers of
inorganic materials. DFE in the context of materials production is
mainly concerned with the design of sustainable manufacturing and
supply chain processes, although many companies have learned to
add value through the development of material products with envi-
ronmentally friendly characteristics. This chapter highlights three
leading global manufacturers in different segments of inorganic
material production—Alcoa, an aluminum company, Holcim, a cement
company, and Owens Corning, a diversified producer of fiberglass,
stone, and asphalt products.