Ohio awards products manufacturer with state EPA award

Presenting Kent Elastomer Products Inc. a Gold Level Award in Ohio’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence Program, state Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Craig Butler traveled to Kent today to applaud the firm’s high standard of environmental awareness.

Manufacturing products for use in the medical, dental, food/beverage, sports/recreation, laboratory and industrial markets for 55 years, Kent Elastomer has demonstrated a strong commitment to conserve natural resources and strives for continuous improvement. Over the past eight years, solid waste has been slashed in half, company water usage has reduced 61 percent, and electrical and gas usage have diminished 20 and 12 percent, respectively.

“What we achieved in terms of minimizing waste and reducing energy consumption required a focused effort by everyone in our organization and certainly did not happen overnight,” company president Bob Oborn said. “These awards speak volumes about what can be gained from dedication to a common and very worthwhile goal.”

From re-purposed rags to recycled chill water, Kent Elastomer has taken the initiative in environmental stewardship. In the past year, the company has installed a more efficient air compressor and plate coils, automatically adjusting equipment thermostats, and lamp fixtures with energy-efficient lighting.

Since the Ohio EPA was created in 1972, air pollutants have dropped as much as 90 percent statewide, while river compliance standards have improved from 21 to 89 percent.