Pollution Prevention and Waste Reduction
In our company-wide effort to prevent pollution and preserve natural resources, we continue to work toward zero waste generation and the recycling or reuse of waste we cannot eliminate. Since 1998, Raytheon has reduced hazardous waste by 85 percent per billion dollars of revenue. In 2007 alone, we reduced hazardous waste by 20 percent to 45 tons per billion dollars revenue. We generated approximately 1,200 tons of hazardous waste, of which 82 percent was recycled, blended into fuels, treated or incinerated.
Since 1998, Raytheon has reduced its solid waste per billion dollars of revenue by 50 percent, with an 11 percent reduction last year. In 2007, we generated approximately 19,550 tons of solid waste and recycled 58 percent, or 11,300 tons. By recycling that waste rather than placing it in landfills, we saved approximately 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (using the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waste Reduction Model”).
We continually seek ways to reduce waste. For example, we are currently working with dining centers at our major locations to develop waste reduction and recycling plans. We have partnered with our dining center supplier to implement organic waste recycling programs at several New England locations. We intend to expand this partnership across the company.
Waste metrics are collected monthly and reported quarterly to our Board of Directors.
