Environmental Health and Safety

Protecting our social and physical environment is one of 3M’s core values. At 3M Brownwood, we achieve this through our commitment to proactive environmental management.

Managing Our Environmental Footprint

Environmental Health and Safety Management System

3M Brownwood’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Management System promotes sound environmental management. It helps us to manage the environmental footprint of our operations, drive sustainable growth, and address the expectations of our stakeholders. These stakeholders include our employees, customers, regulators, environmental groups, and the communities surrounding our plant.

Our EHS Management System:

• Includes an integrated, holistic system that anticipates and addresses long-term issues and drives continuous improvement.
• Promotes a strategic planning process that integrates EHS issues into business planning.
• Includes a process for identifying issues, developing formal action plans, setting goals and measuring results.

Pollution Prevention
3M pioneered the concept of pollution prevention with the creation of the pollution prevention pays (3P) program in 1975. The 3P program is based on the reality that pollution prevention is more environmentally effective, technically sound and economical than conventional pollution control equipment. Natural resources, energy and money are used to build conventional pollution controls, and more resources are consumed operating them. Conventional controls are temporarily and do not eliminate the problem. 3P seeks to eliminate pollution at the source through product reformulation, process modification, equipment redesign, and the recycling and reuse of waste materials.

3P is a key element of 3M Brownwood’s environmental strategy. Since 1977, 3M Brownwood has completed 121 3P projects which prevented more than 8,507 tons of air pollution, 1,301 tons of water pollution, and 10,736 tons of waste, and saved more than $32 million in the first year of the projects.

Key Environmental Accomplishments
We are particularly proud of the following accomplishments:

• Charter member of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) “Clean Texas Program” since 1992 and at Platinum Level (highest level possible) since 2006
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Environmental Performance Track Member since 2000
• Partners for Environmental Performance Program, a first-of-a kind program in the United States. Assisted Ft. Hood United States Army facility in the development of a formal Environmental Management System
• Most Valuable Pollution Prevention (MVP2) National Award – (TCEQ nomination)
• Established the 3M Brownwood Environmental Citizens’ Advisory Committee (1992)
• 2007 Texas Environmental Excellence Award Winner (Large Business Technical)
• 2006 3M Corporate Chairman’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Leadership Facility Award Winner
• ISO 14001 EMS Certified since 2000
• Multiple Facility Flexible Air Permit Issued 2006 (first-of-a-kind program in United States)
• TCEQ/USEPA Compliance, and a history of ranking “high”
• 3M Brownwood air emissions reduced by 97% since 1990
• Generated more 3P projects than any other 3M facility since 2001