Nucor Steel, Lexington Medical Center recognized for recycling

South Carolina Business Journal, Mar 01, 2003

Nucor Steel in Darlington and Lexington Medical Center were recognized as the Best Industry Recycling Programs in South Carolina at Tuesday's eighth annual Recycle Guys Awards Program held by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.

Nucor Steel was selected for its exemplary efforts within the manufacturing sector to recycle more than 2.8 million tons of scrap metal last year at its two South Carolina facilities. The company has also instituted a significant waste reduction plan that sells its mill scale byproducts to a local cement company for use as an aggregate in concrete. This initiative has kept more than 14,000 tons of mill scale from being landfilled.

In addition, Nucor developed a program with the local Special Needs and Disabilities Board to manage its recyclable materials, including cardboard, paper and plastics. Clients of the program separate and bale the materials, and proceeds from the sale of these items benefit the program's clients.

Lexington Medical Center was recognized as the leader in the service sector for its efforts to recycle and reduce waste not only at its main campus, a 300-bed facility, but also 29 affiliated physician practices and seven community medical centers. For 10 years, the hospital has aggressively looked for ways to reduce waste as well as disposal costs and achieved success through a comprehensive program that incorporates waste prevention, reuse and recycling.

Not only has Lexington Medical Center avoided more than $9,000 a year in disposal fees, but revenues generated through its recycling program, more than $2,500 in just the first nine months of 2002, have benefited its employees' emergency fund.

The companies were recognized as part of the Business Recycling Assistance Program, a partnership of DHEC's Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling and Center for Waste Minimization along with the S.C. Department of Commerce's Recycling Market Development Advisory Council. The program promotes waste reduction, recycling, pollution prevention and environmentally preferable purchasing among South Carolina business and industry as a means of reducing the nearly 1.5 millions tons of municipal waste generated annually by the commercial sector.

Horry County was given the Outstanding Business Recycling Award (public sector) for its efforts to promote recycling practices among local businesses. Greenwood County was presented an Honorable Mention Award in the same category.