Eight producers serving six states were recognized as industry leaders in environmental stewardship by judges for the 12th annual Commitment to Environmental Excellence Awards. Program cosponsors Concrete Products magazine and the Environmental Task Group of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s Operations, Environment and Safety Committee further commend all of this year’s contestants for their dedication to environmental initiatives. The recently introduced “Comeback Kid” award honors those companies that have invested significant capital and effort to upgrade an old plant to the level of a model facility.
The Environmental Excellence Awards program is open to any NRMCA member company owning a fixed plant in the U.S. or Canada. To be eligible, facilities must have operated in full compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations for a minimum of two years. Criteria weighed by the judges include compliance, site aesthetics, written plant procedures, training and employee involvement, water/ solid waste management, air quality management, community relations, operating challenges, overall management commitment, and environmental delivery awareness.
Thus, written overviews of each criterion are submitted by contestants with photos illustrating air- and water-pollution control methods, noise abatement measures, and landscaping.
Entries for the Environmental Excellence program are split into three categories based on the plant’s annual production volume: A for plants producing less than 50,000 yd.; B for plants producing between 50,000 and 100,000 yd.; and C for plants producing more than 100,000 yd.
Serving as judges in this year’s competition were four industry professionals:
· Thomas Carter, Portland Cement Association, Washington, D.C. office
· Becky Morris Aggregate Industries Inc., Mid Atlanta Region, Washington, D.C.
· John Hayden, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, Alexandria, Va.
· Doug Ruhlin, Resources Management Associates, Forked River, N.J.
As the Environmental Excellence Awards program is sustained by contestants’ participation, eligible producers are encouraged to enter their plants later this year for the 2007 competition. Entry forms are available at www.nrmca.org
B Winner
Maschmeyer Concrete Co.
Martin County Plant
Stuart, Florida
In recruiting, training, and retaining high-quality team members – undeterred by occasional hurricane squalls – Maschmeyer’s Martin County Plant aims to build a first-rate work force fully vested in the operation. To that end, a Team Member Handbook outlines employee procedures; Drum Beat magazine communicates company news to both employees and customers; bonus load, yearly safety bonus, and delivery professional referral bonus programs reward initiative and extra effort; and, an annual truck and operator rodeo provides entertainment, plus cash prizes for winners. Further enhancing employment at the facility is a site layout optimized for ease and efficiency. Basic procedures save hours of maintenance time and prevent contamination, e.g., aggregate trucks never cross mixer truck paths, and water/ solid waste is captured immediately through source point collection. Maximum water recycling is achieved by multiple settings of all contaminated water prior to discharge into the pond system; automation of all setting pits and ponds; and, regular inspection of all systems to insure proper functioning.
