Sustainability At Adams

Sustainability is most popularly defined by the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations as, “a practice that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs.” The three pillars of sustainability are often mentioned as the pillars of social, environmental, and economic sustainability.

The above diagram depicts that the three pillars of sustainability are not mutually exclusive and can be mutually reinforcing.

Gases

When it comes to going above and beyond, the selection of gases we use at Adams is no exception.  Our main blowing agent, hydrofluorocarbon 152a (HFC 152a), does not contain chlorine, has an Ozone Depletion Potential of zero, and is not a volatile organic compound (VOC) according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Why do we use HFC 152a? We do it because we care. Other blowing agents used in the polystyrene industry are certainly less costly and can perform just as well as 152a, but their environmental effects are harmful. At Adams we realize our duty to maintain our Earth, and we aim to keep it a sustainable environment for the future.

Some facts about HFC 152a:

• Does not contain chlorine
• Falls outside concerns about stratospheric ozone destruction
• Has an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of 0.00
• Not a VOC as deemed by the United States EPA
• Has a low explosive limit of 3.9 volume percent in air
• Does not give a flame extension or flashback
• Sufficiently shorter atmospheric lifetime than a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) which contains chlorine

For more information click here.
  

Recycling

At Adams, efficiency and sustainability are at the forefront of our manufacturing efforts. We recycle 100% of our non-laminated polystyrene scrap.
Environmental Savings from recycling paper and plastic since 2008:

• 265,552 kwh of energy
• 56,775 gallons of oil
• 630 cubic yards of landfill space
• 10,096 pounds of air pollution effluents out of the air
• 2,468 trees
• 1,016,873 gallons of water

**Number’s from Environmental Savings Reports given by Louis Padnos Iron and Metal Company.

Lighting

By changing our facility lighting to fluorescent lighting, Adams saves 42,042 watts of energy per year.

Attachments:

Formacel Z-2 Environmental Benefits.pdf

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