Pilkington sets a local example with savewater! award®
"Since winning a savewater! award®, the water conservation methods used by our Geelong plant is being used as blue print for manufacturers across the state. We’re proud to have been recognised for the leading the way in such an important area"
“Pilkington strives every day for the highest standard of recycling waste and saving natural resources. But we never expected our actions would win an award and create so much interest!” says Plant Manager, Brendan Lane.
The savewater awards® were established to recognise and reward innovation and achievement in water sustainability by Victorian businesses, community groups, individuals, schools, government departments and agencies.
“Winning a savewater! award® gave Pilkington the confidence to showcase the water conservation efforts of our employees,” says Brendan. “But above all, we’ve had the opportunity to pass on this knowledge to other local manufacturers and share the responsibility of saving water.”
Pilkington, specialist manufacturer of automotive glass, reduced its company water consumption by 25 per cent in 2003 by applying the ‘3R principals’ of waste management to water conservation: reduce, reuse and recycle.
The reduction was the result of four major projects: recycling rinse water in glass washing machines, using recycled cooling water for the glass toughening furnace, recycling grinding fluids in new glass grinding machines and linking the old machine to a recirculation system.
Overall, the Geelong site has reduced its per piece water consumption by 61 per cent in five years and is using 70,000 kilolitres of water less each year in its manufacturing processes than in 1999.
“Since winning our savewater! award®, we’ve been able to identify more water conservation initiatives such as interlocking water supplies, so when one button is turned off, the entire system shuts down. This way, there is no chance of leaking or running water,” says Brendan. "As a result we have saved another 6000 kilolitres of water this year, and our employees’ efforts to identify more opportunities continue."
Pilkington’s outstanding water saving innovations are fast helping to promote an environmentally sustainable culture in the local Geelong region, which is home to many major manufacturing plants.
Key organisations like the Geelong Manufacturing Council and Barwon Water’s Trade Waste Consultative Committee, have both used Pilkington’s water conservation efforts as a case study to encourage businesses to become more committed to reducing water consumption.
Within the Pilkington global company, the Dandenong plant is taking heed of its award-winning counterpart, making the trek to North Geelong to consider adopting the water saving initiatives themselves.
And the limelight doesn’t stop there. Since winning their savewater! award®, the Geelong plant has featured in Pilkington Focus, a magazine that goes to every Pilkington employee around the world and the Geelong Manufacturing Council's spring Enviromanufacturing newsletter.
“So what we thought was achieving water savings on a small scale, actually ended up making a bigger impact on our local environment that we anticipated!” says Brendan. “Winning the savewater! award® definitely helped us to spread the word about our water conservation efforts and to inspire other manufacturers to follow our lead.”