Page 345 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

320 Cha pte r Se v e ntee n

Owens Corning pink color, and bagged for shipment to retail “big
box” stores as well as insulating contractors. Over 60% of the raw
materials come from recycled “cullet,” which is a mixture of crushed
post-industrial glass. Since ULF insulation requires no binder mate-
rial, chemical use and emissions are extremely low. Most of the inter-
nal conveyance is accomplished by pneumatic systems, requiring
few moving parts. As shown in Figure 17.4, the stack has no visible
plume—it emits almost nothing but hot air and carbon dioxide. The
plant is permitted through the Ohio E.P.A. as a minor source for
waste and air emissions.
While many companies speak of “zero waste” as a stretch goal,
Mount Vernon has virtually achieved it. With a production volume of
30,000 tons per year, the plant generates only about 60 tons of solid
waste annually, mostly spent filtration media. This is accomplished
by dust control systems that recycle every bit of scrap material. The
environmental controls include specially designed primary and sec-
ondary filtration systems with both visual and electronic monitor-
ing. The plant floor is immaculate, and even stray bits of fiber from
packaging operations are quickly vacuumed up and returned to the
process. Off-spec product is remixed, and all office trash is recycled.
Even waste heat will be recovered using a heat exchange system
designed by the plant engineers, which will eliminate the need for
natural gas to heat the office areas. With rising energy prices, this sys-
tem is expected to pay back the initial investment in about 2 years.
The entire plant was designed with material and energy effi-
ciency in mind, and the workforce is constantly coming up with inno-
vations and striving for continuous improvement. Since melting is
energy-intensive, the melters have a modular design that can adjust
to changes in production volume. Robots are used for packaging the
insulation. To improve capital longevity, most of the pipes and tubing
have been replaced with stainless steel. Working capital is minimized
through “just-in-time” techniques, and there is no finished goods
inventory. Packaged insulation is moved directly to trucks waiting at
the loading dock, 24 hours a day. Emergency containment systems
provide resilience against chemical spills. The facility boasts among
the highest productivity and lowest ecological footprint of all Owens
Corning insulation plants.
In addition to its environmental leadership, Mount Vernon rep-
resents a successful experiment in advanced workplace manage-
ment. George Bertko, the plant manager, beams with pride as he
explains the plant’s unique organizational culture. He calls it a “self-
directed work environment,” where employees are literally busi-
ness owners and work as a close-knit team. There is no management
hierarchy, and only five of the 30 staff members, including George,
are not directly involved in production. Every person is a gen -
eralist—versatile in their operating and maintenance skills—and