Oneonta Teams with Arc on Unique Recycling Project

A new recycling project at the Corning Life Sciences (CLS) plant will result in a significant reduction in landfill use and cost savings, thanks in part to a long-term partnership with The Arc Otsego, a community organization that employs adults with developmental disabilities.

The Oneonta plant produces plastic labware for biomedical research and laboratories. Employees at The Arc Otsego have been sorting plastic production waste for the plant and sending it out to be recycled by other companies since 2010. Earlier in the year, however, Corning installed a new machine at The Arc Otsego office, where several Arc employees were trained to regrind clear plastic waste, which is returned to the Corning plant for reuse.

Approximately 70 percent of the production waste is now reground and returned to Corning. The remaining 30 percent, scrap that Corning cannot reuse, continues to be sent to other recyclers.

Oneonta Plant Manager Timothy Park calls the project a "win-win-win" project.

"The company wins from the perspective of it is a significant cost reduction to our operations, the community wins as we continue to grow our working relationship with The Arc Otsego, and we all win as we make a positive impact on the environment by moving a significant portion of our scrap into reuse instead of recycling it," he said.

This is the type of project that makes all of us proud to be a part of Corning, where our operational goals can positively impact our communities and the environment. The Oneonta team has proven that how we do business is just as important as the results.

- Daniel Santamatilde, director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations, CLS 

"Not only does our partnership with Corning provide individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities with an opportunity to be productive workers while learning skills, it also supports the community and environment by keeping solid materials out of the waste stream," Patricia Knuth, executive director of The Arc Ostego said. "The Arc Otsego appreciates the opportunity to partner with Corning in this important endeavor."

In addition to The Arc Otsego program, the Oneonta plant has a strong recycling record, said Corning’s environmental health and safety specialist at the plant.

"The Oneonta plant has done a fantastic job of finding innovative ways to reuse and recycle, which has reduced its waste stream and the cost of raw materials for its products," said Kara Mackey-Dopman, a senior environmental engineer with Corporate Environmental Control-MT&E who supports the Oneonta plant. "The employees have worked hard to significantly minimize the plant's environmental footprint while helping their community. They should be proud of what they have achieved."