Goodwill Recycles 400,000 Pounds from CertainTeed Facility
As part of a recycling partnership between CertainTeed's Moundsville, W.Va., gypsum manufacturing facility and Zanesville Welfare Organization and Goodwill Industries Inc. of Zanesville, Ohio, employees at the plant diverted more than 400,000 pounds of waste from landfills last year. While recycling began shortly after the plant opened in 2008, the relationship with Goodwill began in mid-2011. The partnership with Goodwill was the seed that has steadily grown as part of CertainTeed's broader commitment to continuously improving the sustainability of its products and operations.
Through the program, Goodwill collects, sorts and processes recycled materials received from CertainTeed while providing jobs to help individuals in the community improve their quality of life. In the first quarter of 2013, the program collected more than 145,000 pounds of materials from the Moundsville plant, including plastic, shrink wrap, electronics, batteries, brown paper rolls, semi-bulk bags, wood pallets and corrugated cardboard—putting these necessary byproducts of the plant’s operations to good use.
“Through recycling partnerships like this one, we are able to provide meaningful jobs for people with barriers to employment and help partnering businesses reduce their environmental impact,” said Jake Chema, vice president of recycling and manufacturing operations for Zanesville Welfare Organization and Goodwill. “We're thrilled that CertainTeed has chosen to partner with us. It’s a testament to the company's commitment to both environmental responsibility and to improving the communities where its employees live and work.”
The Zanesville Welfare Organization and Goodwill has operated its recycling program since 1914.
“As part of our plant’s ongoing environmental programs, our team discovered that there were waste materials that weren't being recycled because they were too large or too inconvenient to transport, and we did not have room to hold a full truckload of recyclable material,” said Charles Johnson, Moundsville plant manager. “Goodwill … was able to accommodate us at a moment's notice if we need to make room with scheduled and non-scheduled pickups, and it’s great knowing we're contributing to a program that's helping create jobs in the community.”
The recycling program has also inspired the employees at the plant to keep waste reduction and environmental stewardship top-of-mind in every aspect of their jobs.
“Seeing the amount of waste recycled through this partnership also helps us explore new ways to reduce waste,” Johnson said. “The recycling bins are a constant visual reminder to continually improve how we do things.”
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