Leader Client Recipient of 2002 New York State Governor’s Award

ALBANY, NY, May 31, 2002 – The Sentry Group, a family-owned manufacturer of fire-resistant storage equipment, is a recipient of the 2002 New York State Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention. LEADER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC. is Sentry’s outsource environmental manager.

The prestigious award honors pollution prevention practices that go beyond regulatory requirements and are successful in reducing or eliminating pollution at its source. Applications for the awards are judged by panels of members from business, environmental, academic and government organizations and were selected based upon each project’s success in reducing toxic and hazard pollution, as well as the overall environmental record of the applicant, the economic benefits of the project, the extent of the employee participation, management commitment and the applicability of the project or other businesses or organizations.

Sentry Management and Staff personnel investigated ways to reduce the amount of hazardous materials used, the amount of hazardous waste generated, and the amount of solvent emitted from the facility. This process began in 1996 with the decision to change the touch-up painting operation from a solvent-based coating to a water-based coating. Sentry developed a partnership with Sherwin-Williams Paint Company to formulate a water-based touch-up paint. In the Year 2000, all the touch-up paint had been re-engineered by Sherwin-Williams Paint Company to be a water-based paint that would adhere to its powder coat paint. Through this material substitution and a more efficiently designed powder coating operation, Sentry Group was operating as a Conditionally-Exempt Small Quantity Generator by the end of 2001.

Leader, serving as Sentry’s outsource environmental manager, compiled the information obtained from Sentry’s investigative efforts and conducted waste and emission reduction analyses as well as the environmental benefits analysis of the material substitution. Leader also prepared the comprehensive submittal application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for consideration.

Sentry’s switch from a solvent-based paint to a waterborne paint made a positive impact to their business and the environment. This material substitution resulted in a 91% reduction in the generation of hazardous waste at Sentry from 1996 through 2001. This reduction in hazardous waste generation also led to an 89% reduction in the cost of hazardous waste disposal. There was also an overall 98% reduction in solvent usage and emissions released by Sentry from 1996 through 2001.

This project has made Sentry aware of environmental impacts of their manufacturing operations. The successful outcome of the use of water-based paint for the product coating operation has made Sentry keenly aware of the importance of protecting its employees and the environment. New production equipment or materials are reviewed for potential employee health hazards, process emissions ventilation, and waste disposal requirements prior to institution at Sentry. Overall, this project has given Sentry the experience in becoming an environmentally conscious manufacturing facility whose goal is to protect its employees and surrounding community.

A copy of the New York Governor's Press Release regarding the 2002 Pollution Prevention Awards can be found here.

Contact:

Mary Ellen Holvey, CIH (585) 248-2413