MilliporeSigma, a manufacturer of equipment for the biopharmaceutical industry, has taken a step forward in limiting its environmental impact.
The manufacturer is opening a new $14.4 million industrial water treatment plant at its Jaffrey facility in New Hampshire, reported New Hampshire Business Review.
The plant has been in operation since April but had an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 6. It is the first of MilliporeSigma’s facilities worldwide to use anaerobic digestion, reported New Hampshire Business Review.
The byproduct of the anaerobic digestion process is methane, which the company said it will use to help generate heat and offset energy costs. The water from the on-site treatment plant will then feed into the town’s wastewater facility, where it receives final treatment.
According to the company, the measurements taken of the pre-treated water are well below industrial discharge permit limits, which assists the town in its discharge compliance. MilliporeSigma added that it is evaluating the possibility of reusing the treated process water in its Jaffrey production operations. This would be a first in New Hampshire.
The new water treatment plant is one of 30 sustainability initiatives put in place at the facility, reported New Hampshire Business Review.
Since 2012, there have been compressor and motor upgrades and installation of high-efficiency HVAC units, lighting controls and window replacements. The site also recycles plastic and corrugated packaging, recovers and reuses solvents and uses double-sided printing. This leads to a recycling rate of 40%, according to MilliporeSigma.
