KCST Environmental

The following are the components of the KCST EMS: Compliance with applicable environmental laws, regulations, and customer requirements. Continual improvement of the EMS through the periodic review of and setting of environmental objectives and targets. The practice of preventing pollution by recycling, eliminating or reducing wasteful practices, and using alternative materials. Assignment of management responsibility for the EMS, and ensuring that all persons working on behalf of KCST understand their individual responsibilities for acting in accordance with this policy and associated procedures. Making this policy available to the public.

ISO 14001 Certificate

The ISO 14001 Certification demonstrates KCST proactive approach to environmental issues. In addition, it is proof that the facility has a fully developed Environmental Management System (EMS) that provides a structure for environmental improvements as well as helping the organization maintain awareness of environmental issues. With this EMS the plant has been able to grow while at the same time reduce its environmental presence.

Hazardous Waste Minimization

In the last year KCST has worked to reduce hazardous waste through the implementation of water based systems and material reuse. This effort has resulted in a 45% reduction of hazardous waste in 2006 even as KCST increased its production activity. The greatest contributor (60%) to this was the implementation a petroleum solvent reuse program that allow the solvent to be used in other plants for similar applications. The rest of the saving are the results of the installation of two major water cleaning systems in KCST during 2005 and were in full use in 2006. KCST continues to look for opportunities to reduce its waste streams while ensuring
that the actions taken are environmentally responsible.

RTO at KCST

KCST has recently installed and started an RTO (Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer) to help comply with the clean air standard and reduce our VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) by more than 90%. As an oversized furnace, the RTO burns exhaust from production processes at 1500°F and at this temperature chemicals that could be released into the atmosphere will be destroyed. The growth of KCST at Tarboro, NC, drove the need for an RTO and as KCST continues to grow the RTO will be in place to ensure that our exhaust from our processes will exceed federal standards.

Recycling

KCST has developed a strong metals recycling program. Over the years it has found recyclers for all of our production metals waste. As a result KCST has very little metal that leaves the building as waste.

Energy Costs

In an effort to conserve cost in electrical use KCST has replaced lighting with higher efficiency bulbs and has focus on obtaining low energy required equipment. As a result KCST has been able to expand its production activity without a significant growth in electricity use.

In normal operations KCST heats the working environment with natural gas. Effective area management has kept consumption under control. However, the operation of the RTO has resulted in a major increase of natural gas use.

Environmental Capital

Over the last three years KCST has invested over two million dollars in capital to improve our environmental presence. These efforts have helped us maintain our “small quantity hazardous waste generator” status and reduce our levels of emissions into the atmosphere.