Internal Awards
Bethlehem’s Excellence in
Environmental Achievement Awards
Seven teams received the 1998 Corporate Excellence in Environmental Achievement Awards, recognizing significant contributions toward Bethlehem's environmental performance.
Bethlehem Coke Works, Bethlehem, Pa.
This award recognized Coke Oven Department employees who participated in the closure of the coke oven operations. The team conducted strategy meetings with the Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Bethlehem. Coordination with the agencies and plant forces was essential in scheduling the sequential closure of the processes and process
equipment to minimize impact to the community and environment.
The group donated its $2,500 grant to the Wildlands Conservancy, Inc., Emmaus, Pa., for support of regional environmental programs.
Bethlehem Lukens Plate - Coatesville Zipline
This team implemented a two-phase project that reduced raw materials and waste. Phase I was the
installation of heat exchangers resulting in a 35-percent reduction in spent pickle liquor and a 25-percent
reduction in purchased acid.
Phase II was the installation of an Acid Purification Unit to continuously treat and purify the pickle liquor. This project resulted in annual cost savings of over $500,000 for spent pickle liquor disposal and purchase of acids, and as a result steel quality improvement.
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Team members included Ray Ajalli, William Daily, Mike Halsey, Jonathan Hayes, Charlie Howell, Rob Jennings, Joseph Kling, Richard Lasak, George McGinnis, Ed Miller, Clyde Perry, Tim Raysor, Jim Sheppard, Fred Weller, Richard Whiteman and Rick Wills.
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The team donated its $2,500 grant to the Stroud Water Research Center Trust, Avondale, Pa., for support of regional environmental programs.
Burns Harbor Coke Ovens
The employees of Burns Harbor Coke installed containment around process vessels and equipment, which, along with other department initiatives, cut spills by more than 50 percent.
Coke Oven employees donated their $2,500 grant to the Porter County Parks Foundation, Inc., Valparaiso, Ind., for continued development of Sunset Hill County Park.
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Burns Harbor Coke Ovens
Left to right: Larry Mayton, Norm Garwood and Frank Brown.
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Burns Harbor Hot Dip Coating Line
Through better scheduling practices and the implementation of a dried-in-place system, this 26-member team decreased the generation of waste chromate from 0.53 gallons per ton of steel produced in 1993 to an estimated 0.009 gallons per ton of steel produced in 1998. This has reduced waste chromate disposal costs from $99,000 in 1994 to an estimated $2,300 in 1998.
The team donated its $2,500 grant to the LaPorte City Park Foundation, LaPorte City, Ind., for renovation of the Smith Amphitheater.
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The team included John Bryant, Frank Carullo, Mark Chenoweth, John Christman, Dave Dopp, John Dougherty, Tom Easterly, Dan Farrell, Henry Hahn, Bob Holt, Mark Howe, Terry Huffort, Rob Jones, K. Dennis Kilgore, Bob Kopnicky, Tom Lewis, Jr., George Nabham, Jeff Neumeier, Brian Oliver, Tom Raupach, Al Russell, Jr., Bob Schwartz, Rachel Tanner, Dean Thomas, Carl Tucker and John Wray.
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Burns Harbor Tandem Mill
This 24-member team completed a Tandem Mill Oil Recirculation Project for cleaning and reusing the
oil and water rolling solution. The project reduced oil consumption by 54 percent and water heating energy costs by 42 percent while improving product quality. Total annual savings from the project are about $1.4 million and the quantity of oil that must be removed from the water at the wastewater treatment plant has been cut in half.
The team donated its $2,500 grant to the Michigan City Chapter, Michigan City, Ind., Izaak Walton League of America for support of regional environmental programs.
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The team included Bernie Bast, John Bryant, Ken Burcaw, Frank Carullo, Rich Corbett, Leo Deistler, John Dougherty, Tom Easterly, Dan Farrell, Bob Fetterman, Eric Fleming, Alex Gavaller, Jr., Mark Howe, Terry Hufford, Bob Jacobs, Tom Lewis, Jr., Dean McDevitt, George Nabhan, Tom Raupach, Bob Schwartz, George Sefton, Jr., Dean Thomas, John Witt and Chuck Zane.
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Pennsylvania Steel Technologies Fugitive Dust Control Team
This team launched a concerted campaign to control fugitive ground emissions with a heavy-duty, modern roadway sweeper and doubled its water spray trucks, equipping them with an improved level of water distribution. To further augment its ground emission control program, PST began using commercially available, environmentally safe, dust-suppression chemicals on all non-paved, heavily traveled roads. This fugitive emissions control program has benefited both the plant and the community of Steelton.
The team donated its $2,500 grant to the Capital Area Greenbelt Association, Harrisburg, Pa., for support of regional environmental programs.
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Team members included Terry Hoffman, Anthony Manari, William McCurdy, Joseph Wojtysiak and W. Jerome Yohn.
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Sparrows Point Solid Waste Management Team
This team implemented cost saving engineering and operational improvements to provide on-site land disposal of high moisture content wastewater treatment sludges and filter cake wastes in compliance with Maryland Department of the Environment criteria. These operations will provide an additional 15 years of capacity at an existing landfill in compliance with landfill regulations with minimal increase in operating costs.
The team donated its $2,500 grant to the Sparrows Point High School, Baltimore, Md., for its Environmental Science Magnet Program.
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Team members included Bob Abate, Russell Becker, Dennis Hanson, Charlie McClellan, Richard McFadden, Gary Roller and Dennis St. Claire.
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1998 Environmental Leadership Awards
Five Environmental Leadership Awards were presented in 1998. The winners were:
Rovers Water Treatment Plant Continuous Improvement Team, Bethlehem Lukens Plate - Conshohocken
This team reduced chemical costs by 50 percent while maintaining outstanding water quality. Selection of an alternative chemical resulted in a $113,000 per year savings or a 50 percent reduction in overall chemical costs.
Rick Balunda, Burns Harbor Division
Rick worked with a contractor to install an oil separation plant odor control system. His work in the Power Systems and Utilities Department reduced the cost of implementing an odor-suppression system to $16,000, a savings of about $87,000 from the vendor's original proposal.
Bob Lux, Coke Ovens, Burns Harbor Division
Bob improved the steam nozzles that provide charging aspiration on Battery No 1, which improved emissions performance by reducing blocked nozzle ports. This project saved $8,000 a year by reducing the number of times steam nozzles and goosenecks had to be cleaned by water blasting.
Maintenance Services Team, Pennsylvania Steel Technologies, Inc.
This team designed and purchased controls for automating steelmaking baghouse dampers that control
nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). Now, continuous changes in the damper settings optimize the balance between 207 and 208 electric arc furnace damper openings, which results in a dramatic decrease in exceedances.
Marion Lawson, General Foreman, Packing and Shipping, Tin Mill, Sparrows Point Division, and Pete Caltrider, owner, Nelson Company
These two individuals implemented a packaging recycling program with several Bethlehem customers that has saved Bethlehem nearly $70,000 since early 1997. Driven initially as a means to reduce coil packaging costs, the program resulted in cost savings for customers in reduced trash removal expense as well as a positive environmental impact.
External Awards
Harriman Memorial Award
The Patapsco & Back Rivers Railroad was awarded the prestigious Silver Award by the Harriman Institute in May 1999 for finishing second among all switching and terminal railroads in the nation, based on its 1998 safety performance while servicing the Sparrows Point Division. P&BR; advanced from last year's third place bronze medal.
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Patapsco & Back Rivers Railroad received the Silver Harriman Award for its outstanding safety performance in 1998.
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Jacobsen Award
The South Buffalo Railway and Steelton &Highspire; Railroad received the Jake Jacobsen Award in 1998 for their outstanding safety performance in 1997. The Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England Railroad, Steelton & Highspire Railroad, and the Conamaugh & Black Lick Railroad were all recently notified that they will be receiving the Jake Jacobsen Award in 1999 for their outstanding safety performance in 1998. The "Jake Award" is presented by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association to recognize the efforts of the railroads' employees and their sincere dedication and personal commitment to safety.
Burn Prevention Foundation Award
The Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England Railroad received the 1999 Burn Safety in the Workplace Award that is presented by the Burn Prevention Foundation, Allentown, Pa. The award is given to an employer, business or corporation that has been a leader in pioneering creative and innovative burn safety training to its employees.
West Virginia Mining and Reclamation Association Award
BethEnergy Mines was recognized in January 1999 by the West Virginia Mining and Reclamation Association for its outstanding reclamation efforts in 1998 at Mine # 81 in Nicholas County. As a result of the thorough and complete reclamation of a deep mine, coal preparation plant and refuse facility, the entire area now blends in with and complements the surrounding topography.
Green Business Award - Chester County Chamber of Commerce
In May 1999, Bethlehem Lukens Plate - Coatesville, Pa., received the 1998 Green Business Award from the Chester County Chamber of Commerce for installation of a heat exchanger and acid purification unit at the Zipline (vertical pickle line), resulting in less generation (and disposal) of waste spent pickle liquor and a reduction in the amount of purchased acid.
National Insulation Association Award
The Burns Harbor Division was presented the 1998 Industrial Energy Savings Award by the National Insulation Association (NIA). NIA recognized Burns Harbor for its outstanding energy conservation efforts, particularly for use of thermal insulation, which, according to an independent energy appraisal, saves the division more than 2.65 billion BTU annually.
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William Pitkin (L), NIA, presented the NIA 1998 Industrial Energy Savings Award to Ron Chango (R), Vice President, Operations, Burns Harbor Division. Also present was Denise Swink, Department of Energy.
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