Environment  

Improvements are at the core of conservation, as Eveready has seen with the huge reduction in dust levels improving the quality of air in the factory through improvements in capture and extraction systems. Air pollution is a global concern that Eveready is tackling at the heart of its process efficiency strategy. The enhancement in air quality has also been achieved through significant reductions in mineral dust year on year as well as fume reductions with the move to naturally occurring elements and compounds that are less toxic. The Kestrel Wind Turbine factory lines use 100% lead-free solder. Eveready’s batteries require certain raw elements that if not handled responsibly could result in adverse effects on the environment. Through careful monitoring and management Eveready eliminated cadmium from its layer and round cell batteries making them environmentally friendly as well as allowing them to naturally degrade without toxic emissions.

Along with protecting the air at Eveready, the company has been aggressively tackling noise pollution in the plant. Eveready has been participating in the certification of noise levels for small wind turbines and has taken this experience into the factory. Once again, by plugging leakages and monitoring where noise is emitted there has been a marked improvement in noise pollution, to such an extent that six areas have been declared as Noise Free Zones in the plant.

The focus on process efficiency has not only seen improvements in environmental impacts, as well as environmentally friendly practices that have been passed onto the consumer, process efficiency has also seen a marked saving in electricity. In 2007 Eveready saved 100’000 units of electricity and in 2008 saved over 500’000 units of electricity. By the end of 2009, the company aims to better these savings. These savings are significant as each unit of electricity in South Africa requires 0.98kg of coal to be burned to generate that unit. This means that over this two year period Eveready saved 60 tonnes of carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere. Eveready has also been reducing its dependence on natural resources for power generation and minimizing the CO2 emission to the environment by generating its own electricity through its Eveready-Kestrel wind farm. In 2008 the plant produced just over 3’000 units of wind energy. Year to date, Eveready has produced nearly 5’500 units of wind energy.

These environmental practices are a culmination of many years of managing waste effectively. For the past six years Eveready has recycled its plastics and PVC compounds, as well as paper and aluminium. Pallets are also returned for reuse. The Paper Waste Recycling Programme has saved an average of 100 tonnes of paper annually, which equates to 10’200 trees in total, and still counting. Eveready is now carrying this experience into the timber industry with the integration of House of York into the company. Eveready has already been awarded a responsible management certification by the Forest Stewardship Council.

So what?

The result of these environmentally efficient practices is seen clearly in Eveready’s carbon footprint on this world. Over the past three years Eveready has reduced its carbon intensity by 49%. This means that the carbon emissions produced per unit of production of the company has been cut by half.

As Eveready continues to expand and grow as a diversified company energy efficiency will remain a central focus in the company. Through process efficiency Eveready will be further improving its systems to lower pollution levels. By using and promoting efficient appliances, like energy saving light bulbs, Eveready will be using fewer resources and helping people to lower their environmental impact too.