Environmental Responsibility
We at Thermal Spray Technologies, Inc. (TST) are in the business of designing, developing, and producing engineered thermal spray coatings and coated components for diverse applications. We have a reputation for being a leader in the area of new coating development and high volume production.
Environmental Responsibility
It is the duty and responsibility of us all to preserve and protect the environment. Thermal Spray Technologies, Inc. will continue to strive to be a responsible member of the community by adhering to local, state, and federal regulations regarding our manufacturing operations. Working closely with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we will comply with all permitting and reporting requirements. In the event of questions or difficulties, TST will contact the DNR for help and to report any problems. It is the goal of TST to reduce the impact of our operations on the air, water, and landfills. As TST continues to grow, we continue to reduce overall emissions. Since 2004, TST has reduced its emissions by a factor of four, while increasing production spraying by over 50%. Through significant recycling efforts, TST has achieved zeros hazardous waste generation for 2005 and 2006. TST has developed an agreement with its grit suppliers to recycle 250,000 lbs. of blasting media per year, reducing the burden on our landfills.
Continual Improvement
Thermal Spray Technologies, Inc. remains in a mode of constant improvement in our efforts to reduce our burden on the environment. We will meet this goal by posting this policy and working with our staff, suppliers, and customer to improve the effectiveness of our procedures that might affect the environment. TST has established procedures for the proper handling of air, water, and waste that could possibly harm the environment. Using engineering controls for manufacturing processes, recycling of potentially hazardous materials, and control of non-hazardous landfill we will continue to reduce our impact on the environment.
Safety
TST has an extensive safety program to protect employees and visitors. Two unique aspects of our safety program relate to our voluntary respirator and hexavalent chromium abatement programs. TST has had a voluntary respirator program for many years. We require our employees to wear respirators any time that there is the possibility of exposure to airborne dust, powder, and fumes. Spraying, cleaning, grit blasting, powder, handling, and other operations all require the use of respirators. It is our belief that the health physics community is not aware of all of the potential problems associated with industrial processes, nor can they be. The adage “An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure” applies to our position on respirator use.
TST has led the way in the thermal spray industry in hexavalent chromium awareness. When OSHA proposed to change the PEL, (personnel exposure level) for hexavalent chromium, TST prepared lectures and presented the issues to the thermal spray community at large. TST has made significant investment to meet the new OSHA standards (5 ́g/m3) set in 2006 has been very successful. We have reduced the level of hexavalent chromium to a point below the 2.5 ́g/m3 Action Level. TST has a continuing program to further reduce the generation of and exposure to hexavalent chromium in our facility.