Koppers Green Spring Plant Achieves Environmental
Certification
Company plans to expand ISO 14001 certification to all
20 U.S. locations in 2004
PITTSBURGH, December 4, 2003 – The Koppers plant in
Green Spring, W. Va., has achieved ISO 14001 certification for its
Environmental
Management System (EMS).
“
Environmental stewardship is a core value at Koppers, ” said
James Hatch, Green Spring plant manager. “Our employees have
worked hard to gain this certification, but they have worked harder
to comply with and improve our environmental protection practices.”
The
plant, part of Koppers Railroad Products and Services division,
has been operated by Koppers since 1988. Green Spring’s 47
employees produce pressure-treated crossties and switch ties for
the railroad industry.
“
This certification tells the world that Koppers is committed to
systematic and sustainable improvement in our environmental programs,” said
Randall D. Collins, Vice President of Safety, Health and Environmental
Affairs. “While we will continue our close attention to meeting
all environmental regulations, the standards provide a methodology
to seek out potential problems and fix them.”
The international
standard allows Koppers to implement cost-effective procedures
that are applicable worldwide. Koppers is working to
gain certification for its 20 U.S. locations by 2004.
ISO 14001
-- established by the International Organization for Standardization
-- is the world’s most recognized EMS framework, used by
more than 37,000 organizations in 112 countries.
Meeting the standard
also provides economic benefits, as certified
companies use less energy and fewer natural resources, generate
less waste, reduce disposal costs, recycle raw materials and
improve process
efficiency.
About
Koppers
Koppers, with corporate headquarters and a research
center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a global
integrated producer
of
carbon compounds
and treated wood products. Including its joint
ventures, Koppers operates 39 facilities in the
United States,
United Kingdom,
Denmark, Australia, the Pacific Rim and South
Africa. The company’s
stock is shared by a large number of employee investors and
by majority equity owner Saratoga Partners of New York, NY.
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