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TO BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS: |
Exide Technologies' Maple, Ontario Facility Wins Environmental Award |
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MAPLE,, ONTARIO, Apr. 20 -/E-Wire/-- The Exide Technologies (NYSE: EX) manufacturing facility in Maple, Ontario, Canada, recently earned the 2001 Environmental Consciousness Award given by the Vaughan, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The Exide facility also is the Vaughan organization's candidate for the Ontario Chamber's Outstanding Business Achievement Nominations for 2001. Exide Technologies is the global leader in stored electrical energy solutions.
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The awards committee selected Exide's Maple facility, a manufacturer of lead-acid batteries, based on significant achievement in environmental concerns.
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The Maple facility developed a water reclamation program that reduced water consumption in the plant by more than 80 million gallons between July 1997 and February of this year. In addition, between 1998 and 2000, Exide recovered and recycled more than 70,000 tons of lead from spent (or used) batteries in Canada, directing the reclaimed material into the production of new lead-acid batteries. Finally, the facility recovered some 478,000 pounds of plastic containers and 217,000 pounds of paper and corrugated materials in 2000.
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In selecting the winner, the awards committee considered how a company reduced waste while saving cost; sustained an environmental program; developed innovative programs; stated its company policy on reduction, re-use and recycling; communicated with and involved employees in environmental programs; and demonstrated business leadership.
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The Exide operation, which previously manufactured automotive batteries, is being converted to production of industrial batteries for applications such as backup systems for telecommunications and other critical applications.
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"This award is a result of a team effort that enabled Exide to become the largest recycler of lead-acid batteries in Canada," said Lorne Hilts, president of Exide Canada, Inc. "In addition, our waste-water system continues to improve even during our facility's conversion from manufacturing automotive batteries to manufacturing industrial batteries. Our continual compliance with regulatory requirements, coupled with our ongoing improvements to further minimize our city-water use is expected to reduce our net water usage by up to 100,000 gallons per day."
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The Maple facility operates under a strict Environmental Code of Practice developed by Exide Canada, Inc.:
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* The facility maintains and monitors process and environmental equipment at regular intervals.
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* It follows established emergency procedures to protect the environment during power interruptions or system failure.
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* Employees are consistently educated about operation and maintenance of all process and environmental control equipment.
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* Customers and suppliers who use plant premises are instructed in environmental safety procedures and required to conform.
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* Facility engineers contact and exchange environmental monitoring data with regulatory agencies and people in the community.
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* Facility managers periodically conduct environmental performance and emergency preparedness audits.
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These projects are some of the initiatives the Maple plant has documented as part of its pursuit of implementing a superior environmental management system, or EMS.
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"Exide Technologies has made a significant commitment to environmental responsibility in our battery-recycling effort alone," said Neal Lebo, executive director, environment, health and safety for Exide Technologies. "We're proud of the leadership example our people in Maple have set in their community and across North America."
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Other environmental award winners selected by the Vaughan Chamber include Canadian National Rail (McMillan Yards) and Sunwell Technologies.
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Note:
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Exide Technologies is the global leader in providing electrical energy storage solutions. The company has annualized revenues of approximately $3 billion and has operations in 89 countries, serving the industrial and transportation markets.
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Industrial applications include network-power batteries for telecommunications systems, fuel cell loading leveling, electric utilities, railroads, photovoltaic (solar-power storage) and other uninterruptible power supply (UPS) markets; and motive-power batteries for a broad range of equipment uses, including lift trucks, mining and commercial vehicles.
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Transportation uses include automotive, heavy-duty truck, agricultural, marine and other batteries, as well as new technologies being developed for hybrid vehicles and new 42-volt automotive applications. The company supplies both the aftermarket and original equipment transportation customers.
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Further information about Exide Technologies, its financial results and other information, can be found at www.exide.com .
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Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. As such, they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results of the company to be materially different from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These are enumerated in further detail in the company's Form 10-K.
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-0- 04/20/2001
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