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MANUFACTURING-
July 2003 by Timothy E. Hunt Sidebar-
TMMK developed an environmental policy as part of its ISO 14001 certification in 1997 that has become a guiding principle for their efforts. This comprehensive policy covers all operational aspects of the plant, including waste management, water and energy usage, and community service efforts. TMMK’s Facilities Control and Environmental sections are leading these efforts by initiating programs to conserve natural resources, minimize environmental impact of production processes, reduce landfill use, and encourage plant-wide and community participation in the philosophy of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” “Beside the obvious benefits of increasing environmental awareness at TMMK, there are real cost savings that can and are being achieved as a result of this program,” said Don Jackson, vice president of manufacturing. One significant example of these savings is in the cost of painting the new autos. TMMK has invested in new paint robots that have reduced waste from over spray (and the associated air pollution) by 30 percent. Other equipment improvements in this area have also reduced the use of solvents by 75 percent. TMMK has also created an innovative and unique wastewater recycling program. TMMK Facilities Control, under the direction of Manager Carl Kurz, currently recycles approximately 70 percent of their wastewater discharge. The system also significantly reduces chemical treatment costs as well as the amount of water purchased. TMMK’s wastewater flow arrangement allows for a large portion of wastewater (water that is loaded mostly with suspended solids) to bypass the chemical treatment and go directly to a recycling process, reducing the volume of water requiring chemical treatment. Traditional wastewater recycling technology handles water that already has been injected with the necessary treatment chemicals. Roughly 40 percent of the annual wastewater volume of 320 million gallons may be recycled for industrial reuse (e.g. boiler water, cooling tower water, demineralized water). The recycled water will satisfy about 30 percent of TMMK’s water requirement. The pilot project was just completed with successful results and full-scale installation is expected by the end of 2003. Another interesting pilot program is working to find ways to reuse wastewater sludge by mixing it with concrete to create landscape blocks, bricks, pavers and other useful products. Energy conservation Zero landfill
status The Earth Care Centers in TMMK’s assembly areas allow team members to sort the 107 different types of plastic caps and plugs used in various production processes into six categories based on their particular type of plastic. Team members sort the plugs and caps in their process areas and deliver them to the Earth Care Center established for that specific purpose. Some of the caps are returned to suppliers for reuse. Others are reused on-site. For example, a specific type of radiator plug is reused to hold brake drums on rear axles during transport. In the past, more than 120 tons of this material was disposed of in landfills. The line-side segregation program has completely eliminated those items from TMMK’s landfill shipments. Similar programs have already helped Toyota plants in Buffalo, W.Va. and Huntsville, Ala. achieve zero-landfill status, and TMMK is not far behind. This program has already reduced landfill usage by 55 percent since 1999 and TMMK is well on the way toward reaching the zero goal by 2010. Food service “Food service employees segregate trash into four waste streams: plastic, aluminum, organic food scraps, and other, said Doug Evans, assistant manager-office services. TMMK’s lawn care service adds lawn clippings, wood chips, and leaves, then dumps the material at TMMK’s composting site. “We’re collecting about 1,200 pounds of material each week that otherwise would have gone straight to the landfill,” Evans added. Community status Since its inception, the program has diverted more than 160,000 pounds of pesticides, cleaners, automotive fluids, paint and batteries. Last year’s Fall Haul collected 46,000 pounds of household hazardous waste, 95 percent of which was either reused or recycled. TMMK also funds numerous environmental education projects, including “The Living Stream” exhibit at The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort and “The World Around Us” exhibit at the Louisville Science Center. “The Living Stream” exhibit educates visitors about the importance of water quality to the health of Kentucky’s aquatic ecosystems, the plants and animals that rely upon them, and the humans who enjoy them. “The World Around Us” utilizes hands-on, interactive exhibits, interpretive graphics and cutting edge technology to educate hundreds of thousands of visitors annually about natural and earth sciences and environmental issues. Toyota has reason
to be pleased with their results so far. However, Gary Convis, President
of TMMK acknowledges, “We have a lot of work to do, but the activities
that we are engaging in are great examples of our commitment to the
principles of Toyota’s Global Vision 2010.”
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Copyright 1996-2003, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
is copyright 2003, Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
As
part of Toyota Motor Corporation’s Global Vision 2010, announced
in April 2002 by TMC President Fujio Cho, Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Kentucky (TMMK) leaders have dedicated themselves to being the “greenest”
auto manufacturer in North America. In production since 1988, the plant
employs over 7,000 and is Toyota’s largest North American facility,
but their progress to date has been impressive.