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AFS Responds to Media Coverage on EHS Issues |
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USA Today recently published a series of articles focusing on air quality issues for America’s children and schools. The coverage used scores and rankings to highlight concerns about potential childhood health hazards from various sources, including manufacturing facilities.
State Environmental Agencies and scientific experts have raised concerns about the limitations of USA Today’s analysis and how the study should be interpreted. The American Foundry Society and it’s members share the same concerns. While that scientific discussion continues, it is important to point out the progress that key sectors in American manufacturing, including the metalcasting industry, are making when it comes to the commitment to environmental protection.
Metalcasting…An Environmental Success Story
The American Foundry Society, the nation’s leading trade association representing the metalcasting industry, can point with confidence to our industry’s success in minimizing the impacts of our operations to air, water and land.
Part of our mission is to help our member companies achieve superior environmental performance. We’ve invested heavily to educate, inform and guide U.S. foundries on industry best practices to minimize human health risks, promote a safe workplace and reduce our environmental footprint.
The U.S. EPA’s recent report on the metal casting industry demonstrates that our strong commitment to environmental and economic sustainability has yielded meaningful results.
Measurable Gains
The impressive record of the metal casting industry is confirmed by the U.S. EPA’s 2008 Sector Performance Report, which reviewed the environmental performance of key U.S. industries. The report shows that just since 1996, we’ve achieved measurable gains in minimizing the industry’s impacts to the nation’s air and water as well as reducing our waste. Here are a few examples where we’ve made a difference:
Cleaner Air
- 63% Air Emission Reductions – U.S. metal casters reduced their air emissions of all reportable chemicals and metals by 63% under EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory.
- 82% Decline in Our Toxicity Score – EPA estimates that the industry’s overall "toxicity score" for air emissions has declined dramatically – by over 80%.
Cleaner Water
- 52% Drop in Regulated Wastewater Discharges of Chemicals – All metal casting companies with process wastewater operate under strict discharge limits, and reported discharges for the industry have dropped by 52%.
Less Waste
- 34% Less Waste Being Managed – The industry generates 34% less metal waste to be managed via treatment, disposal or recycling.
Reuse and Recycling
- Beneficial and Safe Reuse of 2.6 million tons of casting sand a year – Currently, the industry beneficially reuses 2.6 million tons of sand per year, or 28% of the total casting sand available for reuse. The industry is now pursuing a sand reuse goal of 50% by 2015.
- Why Sand Use is Important – Metal casting operations use millions of tons of sand each year to cast millions of different parts and components from sand molds – parts that are vital to everyday life.
- Safe and Clean – Most of our sand is safe and clean and can be beneficially reused in numerous ways, from being a key ingredient in soil mix for rain gardens to filter storm water to essential fill material for roads and bridges.
- Reaching out to Regulators and Users – The industry is now collaborating with the EPA, USDA, the Federal Highway Administration and states to maximize beneficial reuse of sand across the nation.
To learn more about our commitment to protecting the environment, contact the American Foundry Society, at www.afsnic.org or 800/537-4237.
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