FAIRLAWN, OH – OMNOVA Solutions’ Performance Chemicals facility in Mogadore, OH, was presented with a 2008 Award for Excellence in Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Performance from the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC), for the fourth consecutive year. The award recognizes effective, vital and sustainable programs that have resulted in measurable enhancements to company performance. It also recognizes the commitment to working in close collaboration with government officials, industry peers and communities to share successes and encourage good relations.
OMNOVA’s Mogadore facility received this year’s award for integrating two new systems into its latex polymer manufacturing processes. The first was the addition of a French auger press, which separates quality latex from “prefloc,” a term used to describe the non-hazardous waste generated during latex filtration. In the past, the prefloc was packaged and transported to a local secure landfill. However, the new auger press squeezes usable latex from the prefloc, so it can be recycled back into the polymer manufacturing process, while the solids from the auger press are collected, stored and sold to a recycling firm. This new system will reduce the volume of the facility’s annual landfill waste by up to 40 percent.
Because high-purity water is critical for obtaining the desired physical properties and consistent high quality of OMNOVA’s products, the Mogadore facility also installed a new reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system. An RO system uses pressure to force water through a membrane that removes contaminants from the water supply. The new RO system is a significant upgrade from the facility’s water deionization system, which used concentrated sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide to regenerate the resin beds. The RO system eliminates the need for these chemicals, which are highly corrosive and could pose a danger to employees if handled improperly. In addition, due to the high purity of the water from the RO system, the use of other water treatment chemicals and the frequency of boiler water “backflushes” have been decreased. This reduces the consumption of natural gas and, consequently, reduces the facility’s energy usage.
