Specific Judging Considerations

To recognize businesses that are committed to corporate environmental stewardship & that have significantly reduced or eliminated sources by modifying production processes, promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, & re-using materials rather than putting them into the waste stream

Level of management commitment in preventing pollution through source / waste reduction and avoidance of media transfer

Relationship between the environmental benefits and the associated economic benefits

2009 Winner of Pollution Prevention

Winner – JTEKT Corporation -Monroe County

The JTEKT Corporation sought an alternative process to reduce waste from their pre-treatment wash operation, which serves as the final powder coating for manufactured parts. After careful review, JTEKT Automotive began utilizing an alternative to iron phosphate called the Houghto-Prep ZP. The success of the Houghto-Prep ZP project shows a significant increase in waste reduction and energy conservation and as a result, focuses on JTEKT’s desire to achieve regional benchmarking in environmental stewardship. The conversion to the Houghto-Prep ZP has saved JTEKT operating costs, while providing a positive impact on the environment through the use of less water, energy and fewer chemicals. Total water consumption has decreased from 1,440,157 to 98,436 average gallons annually, or a 93 percent reduction – specific to the pre-treatment wash process. Annual BTU consumption has dropped by more than 70 percent. Waste treatment chemicals have been reduced by 81 percent.

In addition, landfills have seen a reduction since the new chemical contains no heavy metals, producing a minimal amount of sludge. CO2 emissions were reduced by 42 percent from 20,376 to 12,000 tons. The total annual costs decreased from $248,000 to $78,000, or 70 percent. All of this was achieved while improving the quality of the process and increasing the part load by 245 percent.