Over the past decade, the Antron® business has been aggressively moving its operations toward sustainable growth by investing millions of dollars in the improvement of its commercial flooring operations to minimize environmental impact. The environmental payoffs of these efforts include significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous wastes and energy consumption per unit of product produced.

For its responsible investments in environmental improvements, Antron® recently received the DuPont Sustainable Growth Award, which recognizes efforts on behalf of the business to reduce the total environmental impact of its manufacturing processes. By rewarding positive initiatives within the company, DuPont encourages its business units and subsidiaries to make continuous improvements in its products and processes.

In June 2002, Antron® received Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification for all Antron® BCF commercial fibers manufactured in North America, and over a year later, remains the only fiber manufacturer to meet the rigorous criteria for certification including:

• Product performance significantly better than what is typical of commercial carpet fibers.
• Product manufacturing with a significantly smaller total environmental impact.
• Significant increase in the use of “green energy.”
• Documentation of significant efforts towards protecting health, safety and the environment.
• End-of-life responsibility.

The achievement of EPP certification began with the creation of the Total Environmental Impact (TEI) Index, a tool which measures the quantifiable results Antron® has achieved in reducing its waste, emissions, use of natural resources and energy, as well as progress in Safety and Health and End-of-Life responsibility. The TEI Index shows that the total environmental impact of Antron® carpet fiber is 30 percent below the industry standard. Antron® is currently on target to achieve a TEI at 50 percent of the industry standard by 2010.

The Antron® Sustainability Advisory Council, comprised of world-renown environmental and commercial interior experts, assisted in the development of the TEI Index, and helps Antron® look at its manufacturing and recycling processes to make the best choices on where to invest in lowering its impacts. Recognizing that sustainability is a never-ending process, Antron® will continually work to reduce its total environmental impact by investing resources into sustainable efforts and working with those that share a vision for a sustainable future.

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The Equator Principles