Loparex, a global manufacturer of release liners, has announced that its Hammond, WI, USA, manufacturing plant is landfill-free as of this month. The company is now directing 99 percent of all of its waste away from landfills.

Loparex launched a “going green” program in June of 2010 across all of its North American locations. Jim Miller, business development director of the Hammond facility, was charged with leading the initiative. According to the company, more than 1,000,000 pounds of waste was being transported to landfills from Hammond in 2008. By May of 2011, that number was reduced to 35,000. Miller now heads the green team that includes seven other North American employees.

As a corporation, Loparex has reduced its 2010 annual landfill pounds by 42 percent since 2008. The company credits its monthly reporting initiative as a contributing factor to its success, which requires upper-level managers at each North American facility to report landfill pounds.

Loparex continues to attain various green certifications, such as that issued by TLMI’s LIFE program. Its goals include further reduction in greenhouse gases and reduction of waste in corporate facilities and offices. The company has replaced Styrofoam cups and provided each employee with water bottles and coffee mugs, has implemented the use of rechargeable batteries, and has made efforts to recycle all light bulbs appropriately.

Headquartered in Willowbrook, IL, USA Loparex’s Hammond facility is ISO 9001:2008 certified.