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BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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Eco-friendly initiatives
REPUBLIC Chemical Industries (RCI) continues to spearhead eco-friendly initiatives by putting environmental management systems (EMS) in place and launching various environmentally sustainable projects.
As a socially responsible corporate entity, RCI, makers of Pioneer Epoxy and Mighty Bond, advocates key projects that promote protection and caring for the environment.
Among these green initiatives include the installation of solar lighting or solatubes (solar tubes) and the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system in the company’s Canlubang plant.
Solatubes are cylinders that harness natural light and can be used as replacements or enhancements to the lighting provided by electric lights, while the solar PV system converts solar energy into direct current electricity by using solar panels.
RCI’s solatubes attributes about 5 percent reduction on the plant’s overall energy consumption, while the solar PV system contributes almost 10 percent to the plant’s energy consumption.
In addition, the solar PV system enabled RCI to enter into a net-metering agreement with Meralco that allows the company to send back unutilized power to the grid, which the power distributor can then sell to other consumers.
The company also recently installed a 22,000-liter capacity rainwater collection system that is projected to collect at least 4,800 cubic meters of water annually.
The rainwater harvesting system is used to collect, store, and utilize water for the plant’s landscape irrigation requirements and restroom use.
Complementing these efforts are RCI’s use of energy-efficient lightings such as T5 lamps and LED bulbs, motion-activated hallway lightings, and the use of task lightings by concentrating the lights solely on work areas.
Apart from these, RCI also replaced its old air-conditioning units (ACU) with inverter-type ACUs, saving at least 100,000 kWH annually.
This came with a plant-wide standardized ACU temperature setting to save energy and an ENERCON (energy conservation) awareness campaign.
Other green initiatives include waste management and segregation, wastewater treatment, construction of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that enables the re-use and recycling of various materials, and the conscious greening of the RCI facility by surrounding the area with more trees and plants.
RCI’s major environmental projects enabled the company to achieve a 25 percent reduction in overall energy consumption.
The company’s efficient EMS earned it an ISO 14001:2004+Cor 1:2009 certification and recognition from the PCAPI (Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Inc.) Environmental Awards.
The RCI is a company that not only adheres to quality standards but also one that cares for the environment.
The company has also declared that it is moving forward with these efforts by coming up with products that are eco-friendly and toluene-free,
RCI’s advocacy arm Pioneer Adhesives Foundation, Inc. (PAFI) also conducts community relations and environmental projects such as mangrove planting and coral rehabilitation activities./PN
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