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At Acrilex, we take concern for the environment seriously, and have been concerned about this issue long before "being green" was of much concern to our industry. We are continually investing in techniques, technologies, and processes that allow Acrilex to reduce energy consumption, eliminate plastic waste to landfills, reuse as many items as possible, increase productivity, and promote a healthier environment. We consider our efforts to be important as we define our place in the green-stream.
"The Green Stream is the multi-level model which demonstrates eco-awareness and responsibility at all levels of the materials chain, which includes manufacturing of raw materials, distribution, utilization, consumption, reuse, disposal, and recycling.
Which processes, take place at which level, to ensure the most eco-friendly and responsible approaches to being "Green" should be determined by where a company fits within "The Green Stream". These approaches are still emerging, and the models for the green stream are still evolving as awareness and cooperation grows."
As a manufacturer of cast acrylic sheets, Acrilex utilizes monomer and other chemicals to cast our products. All products are consumed in the production of our Acriglas sheets and no chemicals are ever sent out for disposal. Unused acrylic "syrup" is polymerized and cast into sheets which is unsuitable at the wholesale or retail level, but is sold to the post industrial aftermarket for recycling and monomer recapture. This elimininates 100% of our surplus commercially non-saleable material from domestic landfills, and places that material in the hands of companies capable of recapturing the monomer content of the sheets for reuse in new acrylic based products.
- Sourcing of "Green" materials:
As a plastic distributor, Acrilex resells many different types of polymer products from many different manufacturers. For our clients seeking "green" materials, we will source the most environmentally friendly products from our vendors, and present our clients with pros, cons, and alternatives in order to assist them in making an informed responsible choice. Not all products are as "green"as they claim to be, and we will help sort through the claims to determine if the products our vendors offer are the right choice for the applications for which they are being requested.
- Energy efficiency:
Acrilex is continuously seeking novel ways of reducing our energy consumption, which is not only environmentally responsible, but is also an excellent way to save money. Some measures we have taken are:
- To install remote controlled roll up steel doors between sections of our facility to better control heat loss during winter which occurs every time our shipping & receiving department load or unloads a truck. Additionally these same doors can be selectively opened to increase airflow in summer and eliminate the need for airconditioning.
- We have installed 18 new thermostats throughout our facility to better maintain climate control, which includes our manufacturing areas and equipment.
- We have installed plastic curtains at our loading docks to better control the loss of energy during loading and unloading at our loading docks.
- Reduce our heating/cooling during nights and weekends when the facility is not in use, and employ frugal practices during hours of operation.
- Reuse everything possible:
- Acrilex never purchases new skids/pallets for shipping our products. We reuse the skids our materials arrive on for that purpose and seldom find ourselves lacking in abundance of skids.
- Acrilex also packages scrap in used gaylords, supplied by our recycling partners.
- Samples are produced from off grade sheets, rather than manufacturing new sheets just for sample purposes.
- Even Styrofoam packaging peanuts from products received get added to our own for reuse in shipping out samples.
- As a plastic component fabricator:
Acrilex generates on average 320,000 lbs per year of plastic cut-off materials from our fabrication services, and an additional 120,000 lbs of plastic sawdust per year. 100% of plastic cutoff materials are resold to the recycling aftermarket, and our plastic sawdust is being utilized in the plastic lumber/recycled plastic products industries as a filler and extender.
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