Corporate Responsibility and Environmental Management
Atrix has had a longstanding commitment to minimize our impact on the environment. We consider environmental stewardship to be of great importance. This ethic is demonstrated by our practices and policies for recycling, waste reduction, and resource management.
Atrix subscribes to the five principles of the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (Code 4.0):
- Environment
- Ethics
- Health and Safety
- Labor
- Management System
The EICC establishes standards for Labor, Health and Safety, Environment, Management, and Ethics. Atrix’s defined programs are appropriate to our mission, scope of operations, and corporate goals.
Atrix is also committed to comply with applicable laws, regulations and related contractual requirements pertaining to Social and Environmental Management Systems (S&EMS).
Environmental Programs
Energy Conservation
- Product Redesigns: In 2008 we redesigned three different models of our vacuum cleaners to include a newly designed motor from Ametek. These new vacuum cleaner motors were specifically designed to be more powerful, quieter, more energy efficient, and to have a longer life. On average, these new models use 20% less energy than competing models and are rated at two times the life of competing models.
- Programmable Thermostats: In 2000, we installed programmable thermostats throughout the building.
- SMART PLAN: In 2013 we initiated a new plan with a goal to reduce our electricity usage by 5% annually and gas usage by 2% annually. On September 25, 2014, we completed our last phase of Operation Smart Plan. This phase consisted of a large investment into upgrading plant lighting. We have replaced every style of light in our building to new efficient lighting. With this upgrade we reduced our electricity usage by 20% in just two years.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Production and Testing equipment consumes our largest amount of energy. Consequently, electricity is our largest variable energy input. However, we will not compromise our quality control processes that directly support our unrelenting standards for top-quality products. However, our lighting upgrade per our Operation Smart Plan completed on September 25th, 2014 reduced our output of CO2 by 34.4 metric tons yearly.
- Drinking Water Consumption – In 2012, we replaced our bottled water with on-site filtered water hooked up directly to tap water.
- Optimized Shipping – We reduced our frequency of truck deliveries by optimizing both incoming and outgoing deliveries.
Waste Management
Recycling Program: Our recycling program encompasses cardboard, office paper, aluminum cans, electronics, fluorescent lights and batteries. Since 2007 we have brought all broken, old, and obsolete electronic waste, fluorescent lights and batteries to an authorized waste management facility.
- Recycling Training
- Recycling Training Program: All employees are trained and tested on the proper usage of recycling receptacles.
- Recycling Receptacles:
- Cardboard
- Office Paper
- Aluminum Cans
- Electronics
- Fluorescent Lights
- Batteries
- Waste Reduction
- Vacuum and filter packaging materials are carefully specified so that they can be reused in customer shipments.
- Since 2011, we have redesigned the packaging for two models of vacuum cleaners. This redesign eliminated over 10% of packaging materials.
- Our warehouse reuses/re-purposes 95% of incoming packaging materials.
- Atrix recycles our empty toner cartridges through the Brother Environmental Program. We print postage paid labels off their website and return the empty cartridges in the box that the new ones came in.
- Minimize/Eliminate Printing
- Atrix’s sales literature, data sheets and technical documentation are primarily distributed in electronic format.
- Nearly 75% of our internal reports are distributed via email. When we must print reports, most are double-sided.
- In 2010, we stopped purchasing foam coffee cups. All employees use washable coffee mugs. We encourage our employees to bring their own reusable dishes and silverware from home.
- Toiletry Supplies: Since 2007, our facility is stocked with only earth-friendly bath tissue and paper towels that are Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified.
- With our Operation Smart Plan Lighting upgrade being completed in 2014; our number of replacement bulbs was cut by 50%.
RoHS2 Compliance: Atrix transitioned all products to comply with the semiconductor industry’s standard of RoHS2 (Reduction of Hazardous Substances).
REACH Compliance: Atrix manufactured products comply to REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) and do NOT contain chemicals classified as substances of very high concern. Please download our REACH document concerning the 161 substances of very high concern (SVHC) here: REACH Documentation
Atrix takes the opportunity to conduct business with an objective of ecological responsibility and we are always looking to take more. We set numeric goals in:
- Energy Conservation
- Waste Management
Management Audits of Performance
Environmental goals and programs are a permanent agenda item for management review and discussion on a WEEKLY basis.
On a monthly basis, management reviews and self-assesses with internal audits of our social and environmental performance against our system requirements, objectives and goals. We also review any areas of weakness in our knowledge of, or changes to, S&EMS, including discussion of additional areas or goals that we can cascade to all of our employees.
In operation since 1981, we have never had any regulatory fines or penalties. In the event we ever incur any regulatory fines or penalties, we will publicly disclose them here.
Environmental Management Systems
At Atrix we attempt to cascade our environmental goals and requirements with all of our major supplier’s goals and measuring performance standards.
- All of our major providers of goods and services are requested to develop and maintain similar goals, programs and structures.
- Atrix sends a letter to all of our major suppliers on supply chain and environmental responsibilities.
Please click here to download a copy of this Corporate Responsibility and Environmental Management Compliance Form