Green Initiatives

piers and piles crew member guiding wood pile along boardman river in traverse city michigan

How do we implement "green" initiatives throughout our company?

People, Policy & Procedures, Products, Actions, and Certifications


People

  • Full- time Environmental Compliance Officer
  • Resident Licensed Professional Engineer with over 15 years of experience designing, inspecting, and monitoring soil erosion and stormwater management plans
  • Seven NPDES Certified Storm Water Operators ensure the facility is meeting state requirements, minimizing the risks and impact of stormwater pollution at plant locations and on job sites 
  • Certified Visual Emissions Evaluator to ensure operations meet Federal Method 9 requirements for dust control and other visual emissions
  • Two State Certified 'Class A' Fuel Tank Operators who monitor, document, and ensure our facilities' fuel tanks remain secure, safe, and environmentally sound
     

Policies & Procedures

  • Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Air Quality Permit – Asphalt Operations
    • Longer stacks than required to reduce emissions and odor to the community
  • Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Air Permit – Crushing Operations
    • Fugitive Dust Plan to reduce dust during operations; water spray bars to control dust and all equipment is NSPS certified to operate under dust-producing thresholds
  • EPA required Pollution Incident Prevention Plan (PIPP)
    • Prevention and containment of spill hazards
  • Enclosed Asphalt Load Out area to reduce air emissions from the load-out procedure
  • Facility Fuel Tanks
    • Larger fuel tanks are equipped with ongoing computer system monitoring and reporting
  • Reduce Fuel consumption through 6 point check system on the fleet of vehicles
    • Engine Tuning I: Reduce engines' top speed
    • Engine Tuning II: Program engines to shut off after 10 minutes idle time
    • Change Tire Type: Install super single tires with reduced rolling friction versus standard dual tire system
    • Properly Inflate Tire: Maximum pressure on the tire side may not be best for the vehicle. Check manual
    • Equipment Changes: Purchase smooth sided trailers when updating fleet to reduce wind resistance and raise fuel efficiency
    • Scheduling Efficiencies: Move equipment to job site rather than back to the yard during interim
       

Products, Actions, and Certifications

  • Recycle used oil from our equipment for heating
  • Testing to ensure no heavy metals, reducing emissions into the air
  • Our strict standards use ¼ of the heavy metal limits allowed by the state
  • 2008 Michigan Recycling Coalition Recycler of the Year
  • Warm Mix Asphalt -- Reduces fuel consumption and decreases the production of greenhouse gases
  • Recrushed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)
    • Asphalt road surfaces hauled from existing job sites, recrushed and used in new asphalt mix designs.
  • Recrushed Concrete Gravel
    • Concrete sidewalks, brick, block, and clay pipe crushed into a reusable gravel product for a parking lot or driveway subgrade foundations.
  • Slag and Fly Ash in Concrete
    • LEED Certification credits using recycled manufacturing cast-off materials in concrete mix designs
  • Partner, Carbon Climate Concrete (C3)
    • Carbon Dioxide offset program reduces emissions by substituting portland cement in concrete production
  • Concrete Washout Containment Areas
    • Lined concrete washout area to contain sediment settling and reuse washout water
  • Switched crushing operation at pit location from diesel to electric, reducing overall air quality emissions
  • Café has eco-friendly serving products - compostable to-go cups and containers with reduced energy production used in the manufacturing process
  • Reuse paper as scratch pads prior to recycling
  • Implemented plastic, glass, metal, paper, and cardboard company recycling program
  • Replaced cleaning products with more environmentally friendly products
  • Use environmentally-friendly and biodegradable citrus soap in all asphalt trucks as a release agent

We Recycle: Asphalt + Concrete 


Recycler of the Year

Learn about Team Elmer's Recycler of the Year award from the Michigan Recycling Coalition.

Michigan Recycling Coalition Recycler of the Year award

 

Check out these videos:

Team Elmer's helped lift bags of soil and rock onto some roofs in downtown Traverse City to build rooftop yards.

Kids Creek made a comeback with the help of the Grand Traverse Watershed Center in Traverse City, Michigan. The Watershed Center has been restoring Kids Creek for more than 20 years.

Home Office:
 

1.800.3ELMERS
231.943.3443
231.943.8975  Fax

P.O. Box 6150
3600 Rennie School Rd.
Traverse City, MI   49685