Sapona Plastics, LLC
Environmental Rules
R-ADMN-4188 Effective Date: 09/20/24
Housekeeping and Personal Hygiene
Environmental Rules
R-ADMN-4188 Effective Date: 09/20/24
Housekeeping and Personal Hygiene
- Wash and dry hands after handling chemicals, after using the restroom, and before eating.
- Be alert to any potential sources of pollution, spills, releases or emergency situations.
- No detergents may be used outside the building.
- No vehicle maintenance or cleaning is performed on site.
- In most situations do not apply water to a spill. Check SDS for instructions.
- Contain spills from spreading and stop the source of spills.
- Do not walk in a spill.
- In the case of accidents, avoid contact with other people’s blood and potential bloodborne pathogens.
- All resin, chemicals, oils and potential pollutants are stored indoors to prevent exposure to storm water.
- Replace ventilation filters regularly.
- Prevent pellet loss outside of the plant.
- Floor sweepings and vacuum cleaner waste must be placed in designated container with trash bag liner (mixed plastics okay.)
- Brooms, dustpans and vacuum cleaners and pellet waste containers are provided for cleanup of resin pellets at all areas of resin handling, loading and unloading. Vacuum will have a screen for cleaning gravel areas.
- Use yard blower to corral plastic waste into contained outdoor paved areas for cleanup.
- Catch trays or tarps will be provided at silo loading area to be placed under connections and valves.
- Storm drains and mop sink drains will have screens to capture pellets. Drain screens will be cleaned regularly.
- Forklifts will have tape to repair container leaks. Tape leaks and replace leaking boxes.
- Take responsibility and clean up after yourself immediately.
- Exercise caution to avoid spills.
- Thoroughly empty bags of all pellets. Recycle used plastic bags.
- Resin in bags are stacked tight and interlocking.
- Shipments of resin should be blocked and braced to prevent damage. Inspect before unloading.
- No resin or packaging is stored outside exposed to uv or rain.
- All resin containers shall be labeled.
- Keep grinder blades sharpened.
- Clean grinders and handling equipment by vacuuming, wiping, then air blast as last resort.
- Air blast can be used to clean out under equipment but pay attention to others in surrounding area.
- Repair or replace any leaking hoses.
- Clean equipment filters regularly.
- All used oil must be collected and stored for recycling and marked “Used Oil”.
- Do not pour used oil on the ground or down the sewer or storm drain.
- Used rags and sorbents that contain standing liquid must be treated as used oil.
- Used oil filters should be punctured, drained of used oil, collected in air tight containers and recycled.
- Oil leaks shall be sorbed and disposed of in air-tight metal containers along with oily, greasy rags, and the bin emptied regularly.
- Do not mix in solvents or other hazardous substances with oil or oily rags.
- We avoid use and exposure to hazardous chemicals whenever possible, but in any case we properly label, store and handle all chemicals and properly ship when necessary according to DOT regulations. Hazardous waste is disposed of by approved waste handling suppliers.
- Be aware of chemicals, liquids, gases, etc used in your work area and anticipate and recognize health hazards by referencing Safety Data Sheets and our hazardous list index.
- Eliminate and avoid exposure to chemicals and wear personal protective equipment (hearing protection, eye protection, gloves, face shield, etc.) as required in the work area or task.
- Be aware of engineering environmental controls such as ventilation, eyewash stations, spill containment, etc..
- Be aware that we treat process cooling water with chemicals such as acid, biocide and corrosion inhibitors to control the pH and other factors. These water treatment chemicals are significantly diluted at the point of use but present significant hazards at the point of application that require extra protection for eyes, skin, etc. Avoid contact.
- Wear gloves when working with plastic part cooling tanks.
- Oil and chemical storage must be in containers or tanks that are not leaking, rusting or deteriorating. Inspect storage regularly for drip marks, discoloration, cracks, leaks, and pooling.
- All chemicals must be completely and properly labeled, even if moved to a smaller container for use.
- Reduce scrap as much as possible by establishing and following work procedures and process settings closely.
- Reuse when possible.
- Recycle when possible. Aluminum cans, Aerosol cans, Plastics bottles and lids, paper, magazines, and corrugate are kept separate and recycled.
- Stretch wrap and resin bags are kept separate and recycled.
- Aerosol cans are collected in air-tight containers for recycling with approved waste handling suppliers.
- Place all used corrugate on designated pallet for recycling. Designated personnel only operate the bailer to reduce the volume of corrugate and make it easier to recycle.
- Separate plastic scrap from other materials for recycling. Keep different plastics separate unless advised otherwise.
- Keep purge after cooling in designated mixed purge gaylord for recycling.
- Gaylords are broken down and reused or recycled.
- Do not reuse a gaylord without removing all pellets first.
- Minimize wasted energy by turning off lights and machinery when possible.
- Do not waste resources.
- Minimize the generation of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Avoid waste of corrugated boxes, paper and other tree products that may affect sustainability of forests.
- We are not in an area of low water resources but realize that we must conserve our use of water.
- Do not waste water.
- Reduce business travel by having electronic meetings, webinars, etc. when appropriate.
- Turn off electrical equipment when possible.
- We do not generate hazardous waste but realize that hazardous waste may only be transported, stored, treated, handled or disposed of with proper training, documents, permits and licenses.
- Avoid use of hazardous materials and the generation of hazardous waste.
- Electronic equipment waste can contain a broad range of materials including gold, platinum, heavy metals, mixed plastics, fire retardants and glass and must be recycled at the Randolph County Landfill or other approved outlet.
- Waste lead acid batteries must be recycled (contact Auto zone, Advance Auto or Triad Forklift.)
- We do not have any air permits or generate significant air pollution but realize that certain solvents and chemicals, and certain machinery that generate air pollution may not be used or installed without proper permitting.
- Avoid contaminating the air with excessive dust, smoke, fiber, mist, aerosol or other pollution.
- We do not burn coal and gas but realize that electrical energy we use is generated in part by burning fossil fuels which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and climate change.
- We do not directly generate significant CO2 emissions but realize that propane engines, automobiles, trucks, power plants, animal waste, and food production all can contribute to generation of such greenhouse gases.
- Operate propane forklifts in well-ventilated areas. Tanks are refueled and stored outside. Forklifts are tuned and maintained regularly to minimize emissions.
- We do not burn any substance, even for energy recovery or disposal, on site.
- Note that there are specific procedures for processing PVC and Acetal resins.
- We do not do any plating or painting on site.
- We are not required to have a storm water pollution permit but realize that floor and roof drains are connected to the stormwater runoff, and that dumpsters may be exposed to rainwater runoff, and air compressors blow off moisture into the storm drain.
- Do not allow contaminated water to be released into storm drains which may lead to local creeks and rivers.
- Drain compressed oil separators into a rag, sorbent or other means regularly of any oil collection from compressed air.
- We do not have any radioactive pollution sources but realize that release of such pollution is not allowed and realize that a significant percentage of our electricity is generated by nuclear power plants.
- Do not create levels of noise within the plant that exceed 95 dba, or that leave the property greater than 70 dba.
- Do not create levels of light that leave the property that exceed 5 foot candles, except where illuminating driveways and entrances, or streetlights operated by the power company.
- We purchase materials that have been recycled when possible.
- We purchase materials from local manufacturers and distributors when possible to minimize transportation cost.
- We purchase materials that use reasonable and recycled/recyclable packaging when possible.
- Environmental requirements are shared with suppliers and contractors.
- We do not own or operate trucks for transporting goods but advise truckers follow practices to conserve such as maintenance of truck and tires, avoiding driving empty, wind screens, traveling slower, using well planned routes, matching equipment, driving smoothly and avoiding long idling.
- We do not use materials and products that require animal testing unless necessary to protect human health.
- We do not use palm oil in our materials but realize that clearing jungles to plant palm trees threatens species that live in forests.
- We do not pay other people to offset our carbon emissions at this time.
- We treat our facilities for insects and rodents with licensed contractors.
- We review and monitor our waste to landfill, waste to recycling, gas, electricity and water usage and realize that using less is better, cheaper and more sustainable.
- Report all spills to your supervisor/management. Spills must be stopped, cleaned up and any container that leaked the spill must be repaired before further use.
- Breaches of policy or procedures that do result or may result in environmental damage must be reported to your supervisor/management.
- Record and report environmental information accurately, timely, truthfully, and transparently. Do not exclude relevant information.
- Communication with the press is limited to the president of the company only. Communication with customers is limited to senior staff and customer service.
- Cooperate with others, don’t blame others, be kind, don’t discriminate and get your work done.
- In case of emergency or disaster call 911 and notify your supervisor/management. The supervisor on duty is responsible for communication with emergency responders and management.
- Be aware of proper emergency and evacuation procedures.
- Report any safety, environmental, work environment or quality issues to your supervisor for correction or use the grievance procedure to raise the issue to be addressed at a higher level with management if there is reasonable concern or inaction.
- These rules in no way inhibit an individual employee from reporting to the DOL, EPA, OSHA or other regulatory agency for noncompliance that is not corrected.
- See environmental procedures for more details.