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Yesterday's Waste Fuels Today's Manufacturing
(LaGrange, Ga.) The City of LaGrange, Ga., the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and Interface Flooring Systems today announced the formation of a
partnership to convert naturally occurring methane gas from the local landfill
into a green energy source to fuel two heaters and a boiler at Interface's Kyle
plant. On hand to sign the agreement today were LaGrange Mayor Jeff Lukken and
John Wells, president of Interface Flooring Systems.
"We believe this is a first for the American carpet industry," said John Wells.
"By turning waste into fuel for our manufacturing process, we are eliminating
harmful emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy. We are not only
reducing our negative footprint, we are moving towards our goal of being a
restorative company." Interface estimates it will reduce natural gas
consumption at the plant by 20 percent, but the offset of greenhouse gas
emissions is more substantial.
"The magnitude of this project is such that it offsets the greenhouse gas
emissions for all of Interface's North American carpet manufacturing
facilities, making them all climate neutral," said Wells, explaining that
unburned methane is 21 times as potent as carbon dioxide in its contribution to
global warming.
"EPA commends Interface and the city of LaGrange for their leadership in
initiating this renewable energy project. By preventing emissions of methane,
voluntary projects like Interface's help businesses and communities protect the
environment and build a sustainable energy future," said Chris Voell, Southeast
Manager, EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program. Additionally, the World
Resources Institute facilitated the project and confirmed its environmental
value.
Landfill gas is generated when organic materials in the landfill decompose, and
is approximately 50 percent methane and 50 percent carbon dioxide. When methane
escapes into the atmosphere, not only does it contribute to global warming, it
creates odors, contributes to local smog, and creates a safety hazard. The City
of LaGrange Landfill will be modified with a system to collect the gas and
deliver it through a pipeline to Interface's Kyle plant, located 10 miles away.
There it will be burned and converted to heat, just like natural gas. The City
of LaGrange is retrofitting the landfill for gas collection, and the pipeline
is being added incrementally to an existing city project to upgrade natural gas
pipelines. Interface is retrofitting two natural gas heaters and a boiler to
run on the converted methane.
"What makes this project particularly unique is that Interface and other
industrial community partners are working with the city to provide an
economical energy alternative that is also environmentally sound," said Tom
Hall, LaGrange city manager.
Interface Flooring Systems is the flagship company of Atlanta-based Interface,
Inc., a leading global manufacturer of floorcoverings and other textiles. The
landfill gas project in LaGrange, Ga., is part of a global effort to find
renewable sources of energy to power the company's operations and to reduce
harmful emissions. Interface leads the industry in the application of renewable
energy through on-site solar energy generation and green energy contracts,
including wind and bio-mass. The company is a charter partner in the U.S. EPA
Climate Leaders Program, a voluntary partnership challenging businesses to
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and is also a founding member of the
Green Power Market Development Group (GPMDG), a partnership of leading
multinational corporations, the World Resources Institute, and Business for
Social Responsibility. Interface Flooring Systems is one of 20 founding
partners in the Green Power Partnership, a U.S. EPA program aimed at boosting
the market for renewable energy alternatives that reduce the environmental and
health risks of conventional electricity generation.
For more information on Interface's environmental initiatives, visit
www.interfacesustainability.com.
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