GEALAN and the environment

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• Our material: PVC
• PVC material cycle
• The GEALAN Eco-Agreement
• EMAS environmental audit
• The GEALAN environmental declaration 2002 (PDF)
• DIN EN ISO 14001 environmental management system
• Sustainablility benchmarking
• Oekoradar.de
• DIN EN ISO 14031 environmental performance evaluation
• ISO TR 14032 technical report
• Climate protection tips for the home

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GEALAN international:

Environment

A technical report that makes environmental management understandable

ISO Technical Report 14032

The ISO TR 14032 is a supplemental document to the ISO 14031 and was developed as an aid for businesses and organisations to provide case studies of how different organisations evaluate their environmental performance. It is expected that the ISO TR 14032 provide a better understanding of the environmental performance evaluation according to ISO 1403.

Case study of ISO 14031 in action:
GEALAN Fenster-Systeme GmbH in Oberkotzau, Germany

INTRODUCTION

GEALAN Fenster-Systeme GmbH is situated in Oberkotzau, near Hof in Bavaria, Germany. The company employs approximately 280 employees. GEALAN is a plastic window system manufacturer producing Cross-sections for windows and doors, and special Cross-sections for the construction industry and furniture manufacturers. An ISO 9001-certified environmental management system has existed at the site since 1995, followed by EMAS certification in 1996 and ISO 14001certification in May 1997.

The necessary raw materials are combined in the mixer to form a PVC compound. This powder compound is turned into plastic in extruders and shaped by the following process into joined window cross-sections. These are then cooled into the desired shape in a vacuum. The finished cross-sections are then cut into six-metre-long pieces and packed into reusable containers for transport to the window fitting companies. Some of the window cross-sections produced are coated with textured wood foil or coextruded with a layer of coloured Plexiglas. The production process requires the use of electricity for machine drive train and tool heating, water for cooling and compressed air.

The use of electrical energy in production results in indirect emissions, depending on the electricity source used. Apart from heat, normal traces of vinyl chloride monomers are emitted when processing PVC. The foil coating process gives rise to chlorofluorocarbon emissions from solvents. Noise emissions outside the factory are primarily caused by lorries delivering and dispatching goods. The environmental impacts are within legal limits. During abnormal processes dust and dirty wastewater can be created.

Production waste, such as end pieces and cross-sections which do not pass quality controls, remain in the internal recycling system. These cross-sections are milled and reintroduced to the PVC compound. Leftover pieces which cannot be reused are sold.

Processed production waste from window fitting companies is increasingly being reused in recyclable cross-sections. GEALAN has been taking back protective film from the cross-sections, which is no longer needed after fitting the windows, from its customers for years.

Transport packaging and recyclable materials are given to the relevant disposal and recycling companies. Waste which has to be monitored is given to the responsible hazardous waste disposal company.

GEALAN has never received complaints or negative reactions from residents or external parties related to environmental effects caused by its production. 

2. PLANNING

Planning the environmental performance evaluation

The environmental aspects identified for validation in 1996 shall be registered more efficiently and optimised in future The following aspects were, therefore, taken into account when planning the environmental performance evaluation: 

• Environmental impact
• Energy management
• Selection and savings of raw materials
• Prevention, recycling and storage of waste
• Emissions (noise)
• Selection and improvement of existing production processes
• Product planning (environmentally justified manufacturing, use and disposal of company products)
• Corporate environmental protection of contractors, suppliers and customers
• Prevention and limitation of industrial accidents which can cause environmental damage
• Internal and external training regarding ecological issues

2.1 Selection of indicators for environmental performance evaluation

2.1.1 Selection of management performance indicators

The following processes were initiated to identify, analyse and evaluate the environmental aspects:

• Environmental Programme with environmental objectives which aids the introduction, implementation and checking of the set environmental objectives.
• Periodic examination of procedures and instructions, e.g., as part of internal audits.
• Regular training for employees for whom internal suggestion schemes, etc. are promoted.
• Updating waste registers, hazardous substance tables and registers, emissions (noise), site relevant evaluations on environmental impacts, current legal Standards, contracts, agreements and notifications, environmental costs and evaluations of suppliers.

2.1.2 Selection of operational performance indicators

The regularly identified input and output amounts are the basis for the environmental performance evaluation at GEALAN:
 

 

Use of resources:

The use of raw materials per metre of profile produced was calculated as an example to determine savings potentials in the use of resources. By optimising the design of the cross-sections, e.g., by reducing the thickness of the produced cross-sections, it is possible to achieve ecological and thus economic advantages. This of course takes into account legal and further external Standards as well as valid quality guidelines.

New processing technology has enabled a parallel increase in the use of external recycled material in the production of various types of profiles. This leads to raw material savings of not only PVC, but also of processing aids, stabilisers and materials used to make the profiles more durable. This equips the company for the future, as there will be large amounts of scrapped plastic windows in the decades to come.

The amount of waste leaving and raw materials entering the factory have been quantified. This leads to the recognition of waste sources, trends and relevant improvement measures. The waste balances enable an insight into the cost developments and the creation of future waste utilisation concepts.

Water usage:

GEALAN is able to determine its current status and future trends by recording water consumption. Possible leaks and over consumption are discovered. The consumption data is also used, for example, to improve the plumbing and design of the water coolant and treatment systems. Water analysis provides a picture of the current contents so that it is released into the local waste-water system only if it satisfies legal standards. Detailed usage measurement provides a clearer picture of the facts and enables a possible sector-wide benchmarking in the future.

Energy usage:

Electrical energy is used exclusively for mixing, extruding and milling. Therefore, performance peak and consumption analysis were carried out at an early stage to identify unnecessary peaks in consumption and possible energy savings. Since energy consumption entails a large share of the production costs, potential savings are also interesting from a financial stance. Thus, the monthly absolute consumption data, as well as specific data per tonne of processed raw material was measured. The heating energy needed additionally to excess heat was recorded on a monthly basis. The environmental costs in the waste area were also considerably reduced as a result of the accurate recording of amounts and costs over five years. In future, further potentials for savings will be detected with environmental cost-management practices.

3. USING DATA AND INFORMATION

3.1 Use of data and information

3.1.1 Data collection

Deliveries of raw materials and waste volume are assessed each month using the delivery receipts. Water consumption is read daily from water meters; the contents of the water are analysed before the water is used or discharged. Electricity consumption is assessed on a monthly basis. External performance metrics are delivered from an external assessor on a monthly basis with data resolution timepspan of 15 minutes

GEALAN was asked to give 35 presentations, and approx. 10 specialist journals reported on GEALAN’s environmental management system. The environmental indicators are at the same time used for data collection and statistics for legal purposes or other surveys commissioned by associations.

The environmental performance evaluation has also been used for numerous presentations and experience reports on the introduction of an environmental management system at GEALAN. They are also an important theme for environmental seminars which GEALAN holds for its customers and architects, as well as regular training seminars for its own employees.

4. REVIEWING AND IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Negative impact on the environment has already been reduced using the diverse selected environmental indicators. Data will also be used in the future to facilitate further evaluation and to introduce effective measures.

The data from the performance measurements indicates that there is little to no room for improvement in energy consumption through a reduction in performance peaks.

A more efficient usage of raw materials certainly seems possible. The same also applies to energy and water consumption.

The waste volume in relation to processed raw material volume were reduced. However, more exact analysis of the paper and foil volume flow and subsequent organisational measures have shown that further savings are possible.

Due to implemented technical improvements, based on the continual collection of data, it was possible to achieve considerable savings in water consumption (approx. 52%). This was achieved by, e.g., the installation of more effective filter techniques. The use of a W radiation system for treating cooling water has led to chemical agents being more or less abandoned.

Emission measurements carried out as part of the eco audit also showed room for improvement in noise pollution. By moving the mill and carrying out corresponding building improvements noise levels were optimised.

The creation of an environmental management system according to EMAS and ISO 14001, along with the identified indicators, increased general awareness for the environmental performance evaluation at GEALAN. The relevant employees from the various departments became more aware of environmental indicators through taking part in management seminars, workshops and the environmental performance evaluations made as part of the environmental statement.

The setup of an environmental performance assessment and the environmental indicators identified through this will help to optimise future processes at GEALAN, to save resources and costs, to enable the compliance with official legal requirements and to simplify the collection and analysis of data. The better evaluation and presentation possibilities connected with this further strengthen the very positive reactions which external parties have shown regarding GEALAN’s present and future environmental achievements.