The certification process has taken four years of co-ordinated effort by a core implementation team in Toledo working with teams from the plants.Work began in 1998 and the first three sites - Collingwood, Clinton and the Toledo Administration Centre - received their certificates in 2000.
The remaining two OE sites, Shelbyville and Niles, were next, followed by the BP sites at Ottawa, Lathrop, Rossford and finally Laurinburg, which received certification in May this year. All eight manufacturing plants, plus Toledo and the Plant 21 Development Centre, are registered on a single certificate. The joint ventures at Versailles and Mexicali hold separate certification.
"This implementation represents a significant shift in the way PNA manages its environmental issues," said senior environmental engineer Pam Rygalski, who is the PNA management representative for ISO 14001.
"The EMS encourages proactive instead of reactive management of environmental issues, provides a mechanism for tracking and improving our environmental performance, and establishes environmental responsibility and accountability for all personnel who have the potential to impact the environment through their work activities."
Pilkington: 100 per cent ISO 14001 in North America
The whole of Pilkington's North American manufacturing operation has now achieved third party certification to the ISO 14001 international environmental management system standard.