OSRAM SYLVANIA manufacturing plants have made significant strides towards greening their production lines and processes.

Hazardous Material Reduction:  In the past 15 years the manufacturing plants have continually reduced the use of hazardous materials in the production process as well as environmental risks associated with them. 

For instance, the plants have decrease alcohol and solvent use, removed underground storage tanks, added filtration systems for factory discharge air purification and improved water treatment by reducing quantities of chemicals needed to treat. The Versailles plant, for instance, has installed a solvent recovery system to avert solvents from the discharge stream. 

As another example, one of our facilities constructed a new hazardous waste storage building.  The new building has sufficient room to safely accumulate waste for direct shipping and to eliminate moving the waste throughout the facility, thus reducing material handling and potential spills to the environment.

The Versailles, KY fluorescent lamp manufacturing facility's production units have been designed to use water-based phosphor coating, resulting in a 90% reduction in certain emissions over the past 10 years.

Heavy Metals Reduction: In addition, OSRAM SYLVANIA has been proactive in reducing the use of lead and mercury in our product manufacturing, which also has the important benefit of improving the work environment of our employees. 

For instance:

• The Winchester, KY lamp plant eliminated lead solder in production lamps more than 15 years ago. 
• The Manchester, NH lamp plant eliminated a major lead wave solder operation, a process that consumed several thousand pounds of lead bars and 3,500 pounds of lead waste per year. 
• The use of leaded solder on Br30 and Br 40 lamps was eliminated at the St. Mary’s plant in October 2004. 
• The Versailles, KY plant has reduced the average mercury dosing per lamp by 70% over the past five years and continues to focus on reduction activities.