Fairmount Minerals’ Alpha Resins Recognized With Sustainability Award

Fairmount Mineralsannounced the company’s Alpha Resins was honored with the Society
of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, Inc. (SOCMA) 2013
ChemStewards(R) Sustainability Award. Alpha Resins also received a 2013
Bronze Performance Improvement Award for excellence in environmental,
health, safety, and security (EHS&S) practices at the association’s
92nd annual dinner.

The ChemStewards Sustainability Award acknowledges a member facility
that displays exemplary commitment to sustainability and green
chemistry.

Alpha Resins, which engineers resins for higher throughput, improved
quality, and superior environmental performance, sets annual
sustainability goals based on People, Planet, and Prosperity. In 2012,
Alpha Resins achieved 107% of these goals. In 2013, the plant’s teams
achieved 113% of 15 goals, including safety, industry education,
volunteerism and community investment, health and wellness, and
environmental responsibility.

The Environmental Responsible Products and Processes team identified
four options for improvements, saving more than $74,000 and implemented
three best practices for organization, standardization, and technology.
Additional 2013 sustainability achievements include:


—  New boilers increased energy efficiency and saved $45,000.
—  The main scrubber’s water reuse plan conserved 4,800 gallons per day.
—  The water conservation plan saved $24,960.
—  Solid waste decreased by 72% or 79,123 pounds.




A new product–Epsilon-SD(TM) phenolic-urethane, no-bake
system–releases fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for greater
environmental responsibility. Team members strive for and exceed
expectations with exceptional stewardship.

The plant has a goal of achieving zero waste to landfill by 2015 by
reducing greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency.
Alpha Resins follows Fairmount Minerals’ Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) criteria.

The Bronze Performance Improvement Award recognizes Fairmount Minerals’
outstanding commitment to continuous improvement in EHS&S practices as
part of SOCMA’s ChemStewards program. The Alpha Resins’ EHS&S plan,
which is managed by a multidisciplinary team, describes how to minimize
resource use and ensure the safety of employees and the area around and
near the plant.

“Alpha Resins has clearly defined a permanent commitment to
sustainability with all employees taking ownership,” said Dana Cooper,
director of Business Excellence. “We understand sustainability cannot
be achieved by any one individual, but requires the entire organization
to support that commitment with the resources to achieve these goals.”

The SOCMA awards were selected through a month-long, double-blind
selection process. The winners were honored in December.

About Fairmount Minerals

Fairmount Minerals is one of North America’s largest producers of
industrial sand and resin-coated products. The Chesterland, Ohio-based
company operates a global network of mining, mineral processing,
manufacturing, and resin-coating facilities. Fairmount Minerals’
specialized sands and coating technologies advance a vast array of
industries and markets, such as construction, filtration, foundry,
glass, sports turf, and oil and gas. The company’s employees bring to
life its motto of “Do Good. Do Well.” by embracing daily a commitment
to all three pillars of sustainable development: People, Planet, and
Prosperity. For more information, please visit: FairmountMinerals.com.