Windows: Pella drastically reduces waste sent to landfills

Earlier this week, Iowa Governor Culver honored Pella Corporation as an environmental leader for setting up a voluntary recycling program and eliminating a heat-recovery incinerator.  When you considering windows for your remodel, ask your top manufacturer just what are they doing?  Here is more about the Pella story…

Pella Corporation earned special recognition for its leadership in waste management by recycling scrap wood generated in manufacturing Pella® windows and doors, rather than simply incinerating it sending it to the landfill.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recognized Pella during special ceremonies at the State Capitol Oct. 3 in Des Moines. Corporate Environmental Manager Jim Nieboer, Environmental Specialist Don Argo, and Recycling Center Operator Pete Twomey accepted the award on behalf of Pella Corporation.

“Our commitment to environmental stewardship is firmly rooted in our culture, just as it has been since our company was founded in 1925,” Nieboer said. Pella Corporation is honored to be recognized for our voluntary efforts in using and recycling resources like wood a responsibly.

Argo calls Pella’s renovated recycling program a team effort and a win for both the environment and consumers.

Pella Corporation’s former heat-recovery incinerator was used to burn scrap wood, and recover steam for partial use in heating and moisturizing air in buildings. By retiring the aging heat-recovery incinerator through its continuous improvement process, Pella increased the amount of material recycled, and implemented more energy-efficient options to heat buildings and maintain wood at optimum humidity levels.

“We modified our recycling process with enhanced material segregation at our assembly lines to make more scrap wood available to our recycling vendor who produces wood flour, landscape mulch and livestock bedding,” Argo said. As a result, “Pella Corporation has significantly increased recycling efficiency and sharply trimmed tonnage sent to the landfill by as much as 175 tons per month. The added bonus is we were able to retire our heat-recovery incinerator after 27 years of effective use,” he said.

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