Environmental protection, workplace wellness, and safety are integral to Mack’s success. The company’s Environmental Policy is based on compliance, risk reduction and prevention, resource management, and communication. We also subscribe to an Environmental Purchasing Policy that gives preference to suppliers whose products have environmentally friendly attributes.
To reinforce these policies, Mack has developed an environmental management system that systematically and comprehensively tracks and reduces environmental impacts in all business operations. See below to see Mack’s specific goals for FY16-17 in the areas of energy conservation, waste reduction, land preservation & management, and environmental education & awareness.
Energy Conservation
1. Reduce #4 heating oil usage by 15% at the Cavendish Plant based on 3 year average fuel usage.
- Utilizing continued window replacement strategy coupled with boiler after-burner unit.
- Since 2010, 105 windows have been replaced; seven overhead or entry doors have been replaced with thermal doors; 35 windows have been removed.
- Since 2006, heating oil usage has been reduced from 80K+ gals/yr to 34K gals/yr.
2. Reduce power consumption at the East Arlington Plant.
- Continue installing T5 lighting fixtures with motion sensors.
- Add ceramic barrel heaters to presses.
- Add VFDs to tower chillers.
3. Reduce oil usage by 5% at the East Arlington Plant
- Continue to replace old doors and windows throughout the facility.
4. Minimize electricity waste at Headquarters by developing a shutdown checklist and procedures
5. Evaluate APC battery backup consolidation.
- Evaluate replacing several units with a single larger unit.
- Replace equipment as appropriate.
6. Purchase LED monitors instead of LCD monitors.
- Replace 25 monitors with LED panels.
Resource Conservation
1. Help preserve health of Battenkill River through the East Arlington Plant’s participation in cleanup of the Battenkill River and Arlington Recreation park.
2. Switch to environmentally friendly ice melt at the East Arlington facility.
3. Human Resources is looking to reduce paper files by looking into digitizing records.
4. Use paperless forms for POs, CO acknowledgements, invoices.
5. Investigate a “Take Back the Tap” program at Headquarters to minimize waste/recycling generated by plastic water bottles by researching the usage of tap water vs. bottled water.
6. Increase value of recycling sales by 5%.
- Continue to explore alternative measures to increase waste stream recycling programs.
- Target additional recycling opportunities.
- Review green alternatives where applicable.
6. Minimize waste, especially during customer visits.
- Use coffee mugs vs. Styrofoam cups.
- Install water dispenser to minimize use of bottled water.
- Upgrade A/V equipment in conference rooms with smart boards.
- Install motion sensors in conference rooms so lights go off when not in use.
- Car pool when possible to visit customers.
- Set AC at higher temps in office/conference rooms during summer months.
- Get rain barrels for orchard/community garden area to collect rain for watering.
- Encourage travel-to-work carpools.
- Evaluate the Optiledge pallet system (designed by IKEA for Clayton trials) to eliminate wooden pallets. Pallets can be densely nested, saving space, and are reusable.
7. Improve recycling efforts by:
- Sponsor a volunteer group to do monthly clean-ups in surrounding area/towns.
- Recycle wire cable jacket resin stream to fill Clayton tote. Beyond recycling material, it will improve both impact and low temp performance if it molds well.
- Meet with Adirondack Recycling (Argyle, NY) to discuss finding and prepping recycled material for Mack program usage.
Land Preservation & Management
1. Continue to improve the trail system behind the Headquarters Plant.
Environmental Management
1. Utilize a brine mixture to reduce winter salt usage at Headquarters by 2/3.
Environmental Education & Awareness
1. Communicate Mack’s Environmental Management Plan to the state of Vermont on an annual basis to maintain its Environmental Leader designation.
2. Install bat boxes at facilities
- Evaluate designs
- Purchase materials
- Build 3 bat boxes
- Consult with bat expert on proper instalation locations.
- Install bat boxes as instructed
3. Heighten awareness of Mack’s Environmental Leader designation and ongoing environmental goals among customers and other constituents.
- Add current goals to Sustainable Manufacturing section of website.
- Communicate Mack’s environmental achievements through appropriate media outlets.
