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PRESS RELEASE
FOAM-TECH is Awarded Environmental Grant
December 1998
North Thetford, VT
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation awarded FOAM-TECH, Inc., of North Thetford, Vermont a $ 10,000 grant to implement a waste reduction program. The focus of this program is to eliminate the use of 55-gallon steel drums used to ship raw materials used in the production of polyurethane foam from manufacturers to FOAM-TECH's facility in North Thetford, VT. FOAM-TECH has made arrangements with the foam manufacturers to transport the chemicals in bulk containers that can be returned to the factory and refilled. This program eliminates the need to clean and dispose of approximately 30,000 pounds of steel each year
Prior to this program, FOAM-TECH faced the problem of accumulating 55-gallon steel drums, which could not be easily reused or disposed of. FOAM-TECH management investigated recycling as an option and learned that recycling companies would not pick up the barrels due to the low cost of steel. The Vermont company continued to research other options, but could not find an economical way to reduce the amount of wasted steel or the solvents required to clean residue from the used drums.
The grant money enabled the Vermont business, committed to energy conservation, to purchase a fleet of durable, reusable containers for handling the chemicals once they are filled from the bulk shipping containers. These smaller, reusable containers are loaded onto FOAM-TECH's trucks for on-site application. When empty, the containers are taken back to FOAM-TECH and refilled from the bulk containers
This program eliminates overhead costs and labor necessary to properly clean and recycle or dispose of the steel drums. FOAM-TECH appreciates the support provided by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, which enables it to promote environmental awareness.
