MDEQ Recognizes 2019 enHance Members
(JACKSON, Miss.) — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) accepted one new member and nine renewal memberships into its enHance program for the 2019 class on Tuesday. The recognition was part of the annual workshop and awards luncheon held in Jackson each year.
enHance is a voluntary stewardship program that recognizes committed environmental leaders who accomplish goals beyond their legal requirements. enHance is open to facilities, cities, counties, and other entities who are interested in the program, and applicants can choose from three tiers: Leader, Steward, or Associate.
“It is an honor to recognize these members that are actively striving to reduce their wastes, reduce their environmental impacts, and improve the quality of life in their communities. Their vision and leadership is to be commended, as their efforts result in both immediate and long-term benefits for the residents of our state,” said Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director.
This year marks the eleventh year of enHance and its members have made some remarkable accomplishments. In the past year, members’ projects have resulted in over 3,000 pounds of hazardous waste being reduced, 8.6 million gallons of water saved, and the reduction of 120,000 MMBTU in energy use. enHance Members also reported more than $1 million dollars saved last year.
Over the past 11 years, the enHance members have:
- Eliminated a quarter million pounds of hazardous waste.
- Reduced, reused, or recycled tens of thousands of tons of solid waste.
- Saved more than 250 million gallons of water.
- Reduced annual energy use by more than 73 million kilowatt hours of annual energy use reductions for nearly 18 million MMBTUs of total annual energy savings.
New member for 2019:
LEADER
Siemens Industry, Inc. (Richland)
Renewing members for 2019:
LEADER
Anel Corporation (Winona)
Holmac Plant 1 (Bay Springs)
Holmac Plant 2 (Bay Springs)
Holmac Plant 3 (Bay Springs)
STEWARD
Haworth, Inc. (Bruce)
PACCAR (Columbus)
Southwire Company (Starkville)
ASSOCIATE
Airbus Helicopters, Inc. (Columbus)
Keith Huber Corporation (Gulfport)
Details on the members and their projects follow this release. Members include private companies, federal government facilities, and local governments. Membership is voluntary, and applications for membership may be submitted each year from July 1 through September 30.
More information about the program is available at enhance.ms.
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2019 enHance Members
LEADER
Siemens Industry, Inc. (Richland)
Siemens Industry manufactures and assembles high voltage circuit breakers and voltage regulators. At its Richland facility, Siemens employees 410 people. Siemens is a new member in the enHance program and is ISO 14001 certified. Their projects include 1) a landfill waste reduction project that segregates then bails cardboard, and 2) a lightning replacement projected to reduce 800,000 kwh. Siemens is also partnering with the City of Richland to offer environmental awareness education.
Anel Corporation (Winona)
Anel fabricates steel products used primarily for the mining truck industry. With 140 employees, the company is ISO14001 certified. Anel has focused on reduction of specialty waste in their plant with a toner cartridge recycling and an aerosol can recycling program aimed at reducing hazardous waste. Anel also sponsors a community recycling event for used oil.
Holmac Plant 1 (Bay Springs)
Holmac Plant 1 produces non-code vacuum systems, heavy custom fabrication and machining and custom tool design. Plant 1 is automating lighting with the use of motion detector to reduce energy use. They are also reducing fugitive volatile organic carbon gases and hazardous waste by enhanced handling of aerosol cans. Plant 1 will also host a community oil recycling program.
Holmac Plant 2 (Bay Springs)
Holmac Plant 2 produces hydraulic cylinders used throughout the world. Projects include an energy reduction program that begins with replacing fixtures each month until the goal is accomplished. Ultimately, this project will reduce 90,000 kwh. The second project is a hazardous waste reduction project. The plant has evaluated the process and will reduce washer chemicals released to the environment. Holmac Plant 2 also sponsors an Earth Day poster contest at Bay Springs Elementary School.
Holmac Plant 3 (Bay Springs)
Holmac Plant 3 produces grapple trucks, refuse trucks and proprietary bumpers and employs over 100. Plant 3 is implementing a water conservation project that recycles bumper cleaning water multiple times before discharge. When implemented, this project could reduce water usage by over 33,000 gallons. Plant 3 is also evaluating energy usage by inactive devices. When implemented this project could save 8,000 kwh. Plant 3 serves as a mentor to facilities in the enHance program.
STEWARD
Haworth, Inc. (Bruce)
Haworth, Inc. is a seating manufacturing facility employing more than 300. As part of their corporate sustainability efforts, Haworth has achieved Zero Landfilled Waste. Haworth is ISO 14001 certified. For their project, Haworth sorts waste materials, and collects them for recycling. They have implemented Cans for Calhoun County – donating the recycling revenues to Calhoun Cares, Calhoun County School District, and Dog Lovers Rescue. Haworth has also begun investigating using heat from compressors to heat a building during cold weather.
PACCAR Engine Company (Columbus)
PACCAR produces diesel engines and parts in accordance with TS and ISO standards. It maintains an Environmental Management System to improve its environmental management and, ultimately, reduce the environmental impact of its operations. Their projects include an energy reduction project through replacing metal halide lights with LED resulting in an annual savings of 1.8 million kwh saving. PACCAR also had a water reduction project modifying their process and resulting in over 160,000 gallon water savings.
Southwire Company (Starkville)
Southwire is a wire and cable manufacturer with 300 employees, and their Going Green Committee directs conservation efforts. Their first project was a water conservation effort. Southwire installed a reverse osmosis project for an estimated annual saving of 29,000 gallons. Southwire’s next project was an energy conservation through lighting replacement. When complete, this project will save more than 720,000 kwh.
ASSOCIATE
Airbus Helicopters Inc. (Columbus)
With approximately 200 employees, the facility is working to reduce environmental impacts. They have adopted an ISO 14001 compliant Environmental Management System and are implementing a waste reduction program aimed at eliminating visible cardboard in the plants dumpsters and compactor. Airbus also hosts a household electronics recycling event where the community can bring old TVs, CRTs, printers, and other electronics for disposal.
Keith Huber Corporation (Gulfport)
Keith Huber manufacturers mobile vacuum loading equipment and industrial water jetting machines. With 75 employees, the facility worked with their mentors at the Hol-Mac Corporation to be more environmentally responsible. Keith Huber is investigating automated controls on both lighting and climate control to reduce energy usage. This project will reduce the unnecessary energy use associated with unoccupied portions of the facility. When implemented, these projects could result in over a 2,000 kwh saving.
