Company: Reliance Industries Limited, Hazira Manufacturing Division
Country: India
Project Name: Environmental Excellence
Category: Environment
Website:
Objective:
The project aimed to promote energy efficiency to combat climate change through clean and green technology, zero waste disposal via productive waste management, and the application of holistic/replicable/ sustainable business practices.
Details of the project:
An apex group with representation from all stakeholders was formed to deploy the program with top management. The Executive Director oversaw the entire deployment.
A knowledge pool of environmental technologists identified the improvement projects. A special cross-functional task force was formed for their quick execution. A rigorous review mechanism for the indicators, as defined, was put in place.
The Environment Management System was refined to shift the focus from compliance to BEYOND COMPLIANCE. The program also involved the development of vendors who had special capabilities to utilize the resource potential of the company’s waste.
Public-private partnerships were forged with NAVSARJAN TRUST (rag pickers for polyester waste and garbage recycling), the Regional Transport Office in Surat, the Surat Municipal Corporation, the Surat Nature Club, and Kalpyog Chemicals Mumbai.
Seventy-eight energy saving schemes were implemented to combat climate change. In line with the company’s safe driving program, almost 46,000 drivers were trained on accident prevention and the environmental impact of spills.
Ten clean and green technology case studies were implemented and/or significantly enhanced. Twenty-three classroom training programs equivalent to 2,340 man-hours were conducted.
The Innovative Environment Awareness Campaign was launched. It involved various competitions such as the online environment awareness quiz (with 1,886 participants), the spot the environment deviation competition (with 159 participants), the Environment Awareness Quiz for contractors/the community (with 558 participants), and the Environment Awareness Talk Competition for the community (with 273 participants). A project with the Surat Nature Club was also put up to enhance the presence of butterflies and birds in the complex.
The collection of polyester waste was done through the institutionalization of the waste collection system under the public-private partnership (PPP) with the Navsarjan Trust and the local municipal body. This move improved the quality of life of the socially and economically deprived 4,000 rag picking women from the 350 slums of Surat. These women were also provided ID cards, a flake machine for crushing/baling, etc.
Waste collected from the institutionalization of the plastics waste management system by the PPP partnership with ICPE and the local municipal body was utilized in the roads. This practice was being replicated across the city in the PPP with SMC.
Meanwhile, the 100 percent recycling of hazardous waste through its utilization in the cement industry was in progress. Targeted for end 2011 was the 100 percent recycling of treated effluent.