Press information
Environmental Protection Award
The OSRAM Augsburg plant has received an Environmental Protection Award from the Bavarian government
In recognition of the unique process introduced in the Augsburg plant for handling waste water with material recycling OSRAM, the lighting manufacturer, has been awarded the Bavarian State Medal for Services to the Environment & Health from the Bavarian government.
In terms of environment protection, the Augsburg site is a shining example for the entire lamp industry. Not only does the plant produce innovative energy-saving lamps for domestic users and commercial customers, it also makes use of the most advanced production processes in the world. This has now been recognized by the Bavarian government with the award of the Bavarian State Medal for Services to the Environment and Health to OSRAM.
The award relates to two processes for recycling mercury, rare earth oxides and aluminum oxide. These substances are produced during the manufacture of fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (energy-saving lamps). The waste water system for handling residue containing mercury, which was put into service back in 1997, still outperforms the prescribed threshold value by 50 percent. And the system for treating the waste water contaminated with rare earth oxides and aluminum oxide, which was put into operation in 2002, is achieving similar values. Thanks to these two processes the amount of waste produced at the Augsburg plant has remained constant, despite a 70 percent increase in production over the past ten years. “These figures are clear proof that economic growth does not have to be to the detriment of the environment”, said Dr. Ralf Criens, Sustainability Officer at OSRAM
.Environmental Protection Award
The OSRAM Augsburg plant as role model for environmental protection
In recognition of the unique process introduced in the Augsburg plant for handling waste water with material recycling OSRAM, the lighting manufacturer, has been awarded the Bavarian State Medal for Services to the Environment & Health from the Bavarian government. Gudrun Fischer, Responsible for Water Protection Osram Augsburg plant, Dr. Kurt Gerl, CSO & Executive Vice President Human Resources von Osram und Dr. Werner Schnappauf, Bavarian State Minister of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, at the award ceremony
Press contact:
OSRAM
Reglindis Pfeiffer
Tel: +49-89-6213-2305
Fax: +49-89-6213-3457
Email: reglindis.pfeiffer@osram.de