Environmental case studies
Remediation Activities Continue at a Former Pitney Bowes Facility in Stamford, CT
In 2015, we began extensive remediation activities at a 2.5-acre former Pitney Bowes property at 650 Atlantic Avenue in the south end of Stamford, Connecticut. The company had produced postage meters at the site from the mid-1950s to 1995, following a long and varied history of industrial use dating back to the late 1800s.
The cleanup began with a phased Remedial Action Plan Addendum prepared for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as part of DEEP’s Voluntary Remediation and Property Transfer Programs. The plan includes measures to address residual soil and groundwater impacts identified during the project’s investigative phases. Recent work has included the removal of approximately 850 tonnes of concrete and 5,000 tonnes of impacted soil beneath the footprint of a former on-site building, followed by site restoration. The project utilised geotechnical and structural engineering approaches to ensure that allowable soil pressures were not exceeded on the remaining foundation walls of the former building and the adjacent street.
View of Concrete Slab Demolition
View of Strategic Excavation
View of Restored AOC-8 Area after Remediation
Waste Management
In 2015 we expanded our partnership with Veolia Environmental Services, a global provider of waste management services, to encompass all our US locations following a successful pilot project in 2014. This expansion will ensure consistent, cost-effective, environmentally friendly disposal services for both hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams. It also provides for a combination of internal and external auditing of existing actual waste disposal facilities by Veolia and Pitney Bowes.
Ink/Ink-Wash Waste
Our Presort business unit recently became “greener” with the completion of its transition to non-hazardous ink and ink-wash waste across all of its locations in California.
Use of Pallet Wrapz™ Expands
Presort Services’ Mail Exchange also expanded its use of the Pallet Wrapz™ reusable delivery solution to include sites in Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Denver, Dallas and Iowa. These sites deliver large volumes of freight pallets of client mail between the cooperating facilities every day. Used in place of traditional, disposable plastic stretch film, long-lasting Pallet Wrapz™ eliminates tonnes of plastic waste every year while providing a stronger, safer and more protective wrap. Expected savings over the next three years include more than $250,000 in labour and materials as well as the elimination of more than 175,000 pounds a year of shrink-wrap waste.
Pitney Bowes Software’s Henley HQ Achieves Zero Waste to Landfill
Pitney Bowes Software’s UK headquarters in Henley on Thames comprises a series of buildings of varying age, including one that served as a hospital prior to World War I. Yet all have shared in the drive to greener operations. In 2015 the site received 61% of its energy from renewable sources (968,648 kWh) and achieved zero waste to landfill (21.8 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill).
A Focus on Environmentally Friendly Products
We have a strong focus on environmentally friendly products. A few examples include our Green Machine programme, Energy Star rated machinery and new DMT detachable monitor sourcing.
Through our Green Machine programme, we offer a variety of Factory Certified Mailstream Solutions. These remanufactured products make an excellent choice for clients looking to contribute to a safer, cleaner and greener environment at substantial savings.
We also offer an increasing array of ENERGY STAR® Qualified products that meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. In 2015 these offerings included Connect+1000, Connect+2000, Connect+3000, DM475, DM125 and DM225 systems. In 2016, we are adding the DM300 and DM400 to this lineup. In addition, most DMT display monitors are also ENERGY STAR® Qualified, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT®) Gold4 rated and TCO certified (Information Technology sustainability certification). They have greater than 16% post-consumer recycled content (by weight) and meet the latest regulatory and environmental standards. We continue to look for opportunities to source these types of products and increase our catalogue offerings for environmentally friendly products.