Rohm and Haas facility gets EPA recognition

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC has earned national recognition for their environmental accomplishments in 2004 through the Environmental Protection Agency's national Performance Track program.

At an award ceremony held in Atlanta on May 9, the Marlborough, Mass., facility received the EPA award for efforts to reduce the use of chemicals such as acetone and ethyl lactate.

"By committing to conservation, America's leading companies are proving that doing what's good for the environment is also good for business," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA's New England Office. “Performance Track partners are stepping up to the plate by going beyond regulatory requirements to achieve environmental benefits.”

Performance Track was launched in June 2000 and now has more than 400 members in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Rohm and Haas is a charter member of the program and one of the 39 participants based in New England. Facilities make commitments to achieve environmental improvements that exceed required compliance levels over the course of their three year membership.

Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC manufactures specialty chemicals used in the electronics industry. In 2004, the organization focused on educating employees, mapping processes, modifying procedures, and reusing materials to decrease their use of hazardous materials.

From this work, the facility was able to lower its per-batch use of acetone by 33 percent and decrease its per-batch use of ethyl lactate by 16 percent. Rohm and Haas also reduced their greenhouse gas releases by nine percent on a normalized basis by retrofitting lighting fixtures and installing more efficient cooling units. In their first four reporting years, they also achieved impressive results in their commitments to decrease their water use, energy consumption, hazardous material use, and hazardous waste generation.

Rose Perkins, manager of sustainable development at Rohm and Haas, said: "At Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, we make safety, social responsibility, and environmental protection an integral part of our business ideology and conduct. We are committed to making our worldwide operations and products free from significant risks to the health and safety of our employees, customers, contractors, the general public, and to the environment. EPA's Performance Track program is one of several ways that we can demonstrate our commitment to environmental protection and sustainable business growth.”