The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (Authority) is pleased to announce that CONMED, located in Utica, NY has received the Authority’s RecycleOne Business Certification.
About The Authority’s RecycleOne Business Certification
The RecycleOne Business Certification requires an on-site review from Authority staff to verify that specific solid waste management, recycling and energy reduction criteria have been achieved. If the criteria have been achieved, the Authority will issue the facility or business an official RecycleOne Business Certification.
This certification is free and available to all businesses located in Oneida and Herkimer counties. Certified businesses will receive a framed certificate to display, will be featured on the Authority’s website and will be eligible to win the Authority’s annual Recycling Champion Award.
Meet the Business: CONMED
CONMED (NYSE: CNMD) is a medical technology company that provides surgical devices and equipment for minimally invasive procedures. The Company’s products are used by surgeons and physicians in a variety of specialties, including orthopedics, general surgery, gynecology, thoracic surgery, and gastroenterology. CONMED employs over 3,500 team members globally, including approximately 400 employees at a Utica facility and the Greater Utica Area. For more information, visit www.conmed.com
CONMED has taken steps to prioritize environmental stewardship, and because of these efforts is now certified as an official RecycleOne Business.
CONMED’s Waste Reduction Efforts
Education – CONMED celebrates diversity and encourages all employees to participate in sustainability initiatives. Since CONMED employees speak a variety of languages, the Authority worked with CONMED’s EHS Committee Waste Subcommittee to create multilingual posters and digital slideshows that were placed above waste and recycling bins, showing what items should go in each bin. The EHS Committee is using these educational materials to create a “culture of recycling” in the workplace that employees would be able to replicate in their daily lives.
Waste Committee Waste Audit –This waste audit conducted by the Waste Subcommittee included taking inventory and mapping locations of waste bins. A common misconception is that with more waste bins, more people will recycle and properly dispose of waste, however, this can overcomplicate things and lead to confusion or lack of proper waste disposal. Through this waste audit, the subcommittee and custodians identified and removed 40 unnecessary waste bins.
Waste Tracking - All the waste that CONMED generates is recorded so data can be analyzed and used for determining opportunities for improvement. These waste reduction efforts align with the objectives set forth in their ISO14001 certified environmental management system. Wastes that are accounted for include: plastic, paper, scrap metal, chemicals, lightbulbs, batteries, and medical waste. Any abnormalities within these waste streams are noted, investigated, and corrected via their corrective and preventive actions procedure.
KMVB Waste Cleanup – This year, CONMED took part in the annual Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful (KMVB) litter cleanup and beautification event. Thirty employees volunteered, and together they collected 20 bags of litter from the green spaces surrounding CONMED’s property. The Waste Subcommittee plans to coordinate this effort every year (see photo 1).
“CONMED was a great company to work with through our RecycleOne Business Certification Program,” said Authority Recycling Coordinator, Eileen Brinck. “They were looking for a way to set themselves apart from other companies in their industry, which they have gone above and beyond with through achieving this certification. We are looking forward to working with them in the future” she continued.
For more information on the Authority’s RecycleOne Business Certification Program or to get your business certified, please contact Eileen Brinck, Recycling Coordinator, at 315-733-1224 ext. 1400 or eileenb@ohswa.org. You can also visit our website www.ohswa.org/business for more information.