Article Number: 6236
Shaw Industries: Sustainability, steady advance part of our DNA
For as long as Shaw Industries has been in business, the tenets of sustainability and continuous improvement have been part of our DNA. In fact, virtually all our capital investments are driven by a commitment to “Sustainability Through Innovation” and a corresponding belief that sustainability fundamentals provide a business model which drives our corporate performance, growth and productivity.
While not all our sustainability projects require major capital expenditures, in the past three to four years alone, we’ve invested over $100 million in unique recycling, reclamation and alternative energy projects all contributing to Shaw’s success.
As is widely known, more than 5 billion pounds of carpet are sent to U.S. landfills each year and, as the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, we feel a strong sense of responsibility to help decrease—and one day eliminate— this number.
That said, in addition to designing and manufacturing cradle-to-cradle products that can be recycled back into themselves at the end of their useful lives, Shaw also operates the largest postconsumer carpet reclamation and recycling program in the world.
This multi-faceted program is accessible to both commercial and residential customers and integrates a broad network of partners who regionally collect used carpet, then transfer the material to Shaw facilities where it can be recycled or repurposed.
For example, carpets made with type 6 nylon can be recycled at Shaw’s Evergreen Facility in Augusta, Ga. This unique plant employs a sophisticated depolymerization process that converts type 6 nylon into its chemical building block, caprolactam. This monomer is then converted back into new nylon and used to produce residential and commercial carpets.
Since 2007, we have recycled more than 300 million pounds of postconsumer carpet at this facility.
Shaw has learned a great deal through the various sustainability initiatives and established specific corporate objectives that are measured and updated on an annual basis. For instance, Shaw has established the following long-term goals for energy, water, landfill waste, safety and green house gas emissions:
• Reduce our energy intensity by 25% by 2017 using 2007 as a baseline—a goal created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy Save Energy Now Leader program.
• In addition to the significant reductions made in water consumption since 1999, we will further reduce our water intensity by 25% by year end 2010 and by 40% in 2016 using year end 2006 as a baseline.
• Reduce waste to landfill by 90% prior to year end 2011 using 2008 as a baseline.
• Having a target OSHA incidence rate of less than 1 by year end 2010.
• Measure and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions as a Founding Reporter of The Climate Registry. Our specific commitment is to achieve a 20% intensity reduction by 2017.
While not all our sustainability projects require major capital expenditures, in the past three to four years alone, we’ve invested over $100 million in unique recycling, reclamation and alternative energy projects all contributing to Shaw’s success.
As is widely known, more than 5 billion pounds of carpet are sent to U.S. landfills each year and, as the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, we feel a strong sense of responsibility to help decrease—and one day eliminate— this number.
That said, in addition to designing and manufacturing cradle-to-cradle products that can be recycled back into themselves at the end of their useful lives, Shaw also operates the largest postconsumer carpet reclamation and recycling program in the world.
This multi-faceted program is accessible to both commercial and residential customers and integrates a broad network of partners who regionally collect used carpet, then transfer the material to Shaw facilities where it can be recycled or repurposed.
For example, carpets made with type 6 nylon can be recycled at Shaw’s Evergreen Facility in Augusta, Ga. This unique plant employs a sophisticated depolymerization process that converts type 6 nylon into its chemical building block, caprolactam. This monomer is then converted back into new nylon and used to produce residential and commercial carpets.
Since 2007, we have recycled more than 300 million pounds of postconsumer carpet at this facility.
Shaw has learned a great deal through the various sustainability initiatives and established specific corporate objectives that are measured and updated on an annual basis. For instance, Shaw has established the following long-term goals for energy, water, landfill waste, safety and green house gas emissions:
• Reduce our energy intensity by 25% by 2017 using 2007 as a baseline—a goal created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy Save Energy Now Leader program.
• In addition to the significant reductions made in water consumption since 1999, we will further reduce our water intensity by 25% by year end 2010 and by 40% in 2016 using year end 2006 as a baseline.
• Reduce waste to landfill by 90% prior to year end 2011 using 2008 as a baseline.
• Having a target OSHA incidence rate of less than 1 by year end 2010.
• Measure and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions as a Founding Reporter of The Climate Registry. Our specific commitment is to achieve a 20% intensity reduction by 2017.
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