LANXESS Corp., Pittsburgh, has announced an initiative to improve waste and energy conservation at its Orange, TX, manufacturing plant. The initiative involves recycling solvent from two different waste streams, which will then be shipped to a company that will distill, separate and use the materials as an additive for industrial-grade gasoline and diesel. The project has the potential to reduce waste by 2 million pounds and could reduce Orange’s Annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) by 52%.

“We have made waste conservation a plant-wide priority, with everyone from top to bottom made aware of the great things we are hoping to accomplish,” explained Cliff Wenzel, environmental superintendent of the Orange site. “LANXESS understands the importance of being a socially responsible corporate citizen.”

Over the past 18 months, the Polybutadiene Rubber Business unit, which operates out of the Orange facility, converted over 95% of its packaging to recyclable metal containers. The conversion to metal packaging has removed wood and cardboard as potential sources of on-site and customer contamination. In addition, there is no need for packaging disposal.

For more information, visitwww.us.lanxess.com.