Analog Devices Earns Environmental Leadership Award
Contact: Karen Angelo, 978-430-6303
March, 18, 2015, Wilmington, Mass. – Constant pursuit of environmental excellence earned Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) the TURA 25th Anniversary Leadership award from the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) Program.
At a ceremony today, representatives of the TURA Program and state legislators presented ADI with the award and toured the company’s wafer fabrication facility in Wilmington, Mass.
“We selected Analog Devices due to their vigilance to never rest and always seek ways to improve,” said Liz Harriman, deputy director of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell. “ADI is constantly innovating to reuse water, use safer materials and conserve energy. Their results are impressive - they increased production while saving millions of gallons of water per year, which also reduced chemical use for water treatment.”
A manufacturer of high-performance semiconductors for signal processing applications, Analog Devices is one of only 9 companies across Massachusetts being honored by the TURA Program. The awards and facility tours taking place from March through May showcase environmental accomplishments—reducing the use of toxic chemicals, reducing waste and conserving energy and water—since the Toxics Use Reduction Act was enacted into law by the Massachusetts legislature in 1989.
“It all started with our training in Toxics Use Reduction planning that has become pervasive throughout ADI,” said Beth Tshudy, Environmental, Health and Safety Manager at Analog Devices in Wilmington. “The planning framework gives our team a tool to constantly analyze and improve everything we do. Our mindset is relentless pursuit of perfection. And it’s worked. We’ve been able to increase production, save money, improve safety and become more competitive.”
Substantial Five-Year Improvements
Since ADI was last recognized by the TURA Program in 2010, the company has again made substantial improvements in energy, water and chemical savings.
Through energy reduction initiatives such as compressor upgrades, central utility plant optimization and lighting retrofits, the company has saved more than 16 million KWH per year. Water use conservation projects such as process water reclaim and reuse have saved nearly 90 million gallons of water per year. ADI has successfully reduced its use of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid needed for resin regeneration in its deionized water production processes.
ADI works with the Marlborough-based consulting firm Capaccio Environmental Engineering to assist with their toxics use reduction planning.
“Based on our work with many clients in the high-tech sector, ADI is a clear leader. The company constantly demonstrates outstanding levels of commitment to strong environmental, health and safety performance,” said Lisa Wilk, president of Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc. “Our work with ADI clearly demonstrates how both industry and the environment prosper when sustainable strategies are designed and implemented.”
In 2014, Newsweek magazine ranked ADI as among the greenest companies in the United States. Analog Devices placed 50th in the 2014 Newsweek U.S. Green rankings, moving up from 92nd place in 2012, the last year the rankings were issued.
“Our profitability increases with market advantage gained from customers with preference for socially-responsible companies,” said Tshudy. “Our big brand electronic customers demand that we comply with environmental regulations, use safer substances, be transparent and promote energy-efficient operations and products. The TURA Program helped get us here.”
About the Toxics Use Reduction Act Program
The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act of 1989 does not restrict chemical use but requires companies to evaluate toxic chemical use, submit usage reports to the state and assess the implications of reducing use by making process changes or switching to safer alternatives. Data show that Massachusetts companies continue to make progress in reducing toxic chemical use and waste: between 2000 and 2012, companies reduced use by 23 percent, waste by 42 percent and on-site releases by 73 percent.
Celebrating 25 Years
Twenty-five years ago, the Massachusetts legislature passed landmark legislation—the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA). Today, the TURA Program is considered a model environmental policy by other states and countries. The three agencies below have provided training, grants, technical assistance and support to help companies reduce toxic chemical use and costs, improve health and safety and compete globally as more international regulations restrict the use of toxic substances.
- Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Provides education, training, and grants for Massachusetts industry and communities; sponsors research and demonstration sites on safer materials and technologies; provides policy analysis; and manages the TURA Science Advisory Board.
- Office of Technical Assistance & Technology (OTA). A non-regulatory agency within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs that provides free, confidential, on-site technical and compliance consultations to Massachusetts businesses and institutions.
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Certifies Toxics Use Reduction (TUR) Planners, receives and reviews toxics use reports submitted by companies, provides guidance, takes enforcement actions, and collects chemical use data and makes it available to the public.
