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A pilot project at Lasco Bathware has shown that it is possible for a business to increase productivity and reduce its impact on the environment.
The manufacturer of fiberglass and acrylic bath shower tubs teamed with the state Department of Ecology and nonprofit Washington Manufacturing Services to revamp its production lines in ways that reduced hazardous waste, saved energy and shaved labor costs.
Work on what was called a lean manufacturing and environment project began in 2006 and has resulted in a 29,000-pound annual decrease in the amount of excess fiber resin spray generated at the plant.
By improving spray techniques and better calibrating the equipment, crews are achieving a more uniform finished product while reducing waste, Lasco buyer Matt Rogala noted.
The company also reduced its natural gas heating costs by about $100,000 a year by eliminating a gas-fired heat tunnel used to shrink wrap shower tubs.
"Now we do it by hand," Rogala said.
By creating cleaner, more-organized work areas and eliminating production bottlenecks, the lean manufacturing team has cut annual labor costs by about $31,000 and redirected about 1,950 hours of labor to other, value-added activities.
"We're tweaking manufacturing to improve the environment," said Judy Kennedy, a toxics reduction engineer with Ecology. "Our hope is that more companies will do this."
Ecology's work with Washington Manufacturing Services at three businesses - Lasco, a Monroe cabinet maker and a Spokane paint manufacturer - combined to eliminate 89,200 pounds of hazardous waste, reduce hazardous materials in manufacturing by 69,000 pounds and cut solid waste by 500,000 pounds while saving $1.38 million annually in labor, raw materials and other costs.
The project earned Ecology a Most Valuable Pollution Prevention award last month from the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable.
"These organizations have clearly demonstrated that pollution prevention is beneficial to both the environment and the economy," said Jeffrey Burke, executive director of the roundtable.
Another recent environmental initiative at Lasco was the installation of equipment that better collects and destroys styrene emissions before they escape into the environment. Styrene is a colorless liquid used to make shower stalls and tubs. Prolonged, heave exposure has been linked to cancer and affects the central nervous system.
In 2006, Lasco styrene emissions totaled about 216 tons, according to the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency. The agency limits Lasco to 249 tons. In 2002, the company installed burners that destroyed about one-third of the styrene captured at the plant, which allowed the company to expand production and stay within its emission limit.
The new styrene concentrator that began operating this summer, combined with the burners, reduced air emissions of styrene by 92 percent, according to an ORCAA audit in September.
"They're not at zero emissions, but the concentrator greatly improves their ability to capture and control styrene emissions," clean air agency engineer Mark Goodin said, adding the success would allow Lasco to further expand production and still stay well below their emissions cap.
Prior to the new equipment, Lasco consistently had ranked as the major industrial source of styrene emissions in the state, according to annual Toxics Release Inventory data maintained by Ecology.
"One of our goals is to get off the toxics release list," Rogala said. "The concentrator is a monster investment for us - $1 million plus - but it's definitely for the good."
