Lockheed Martin’s Camden Operations facility has received the 2015 Diamond Award for Excellence in Environmental Leadership from the Arkansas Environmental Federation for its work in recycling tons of paint waste containing silver.
The award was presented Oct. 1 at AEF’s 48th Annual Convention and Trade Show in Hot Springs.
“We commend Lockheed Martin Camden Operations for its precious metals reclamation program,” said AEF President Chuck Buttry. “Creating an alternative method to dispose of significant amounts of silver-containing paint waste highlights Lockheed Martin’s commitment to conservation and environmental sustainability.”
In 2012, Lockheed Martin launched a program to recover silver particles from residue that accumulates as a protective paint coating is applied to missiles manufactured in Camden. To date, the project has reclaimed nearly 7,000 pounds of waste and generated $445,000 in revenue for Lockheed Martin.“Lockheed Martin is committed to sustainable growth and environmental responsibility,” said Camden Operations Director Colin Sterling. “We are honored to be recognized for showing industry how to recycle waste while generating revenue. I appreciate all that our Camden employees do to push the boundaries of innovation, both for our servicemen and women and for Arkansas.”
Lockheed Martin ships both the residue from the coating and objects that come into contact with it — including paint-booth filters, plungers and containers — to a facility that extracts the silver and sells it on the precious metals market. Proceeds are returned to the company.
Camden Operations manufactures missiles and launch vehicles, including the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile, the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher and elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System.
This is the site’s second Diamond Award. In 2010, it was recognized for its waste-to-energy program, in which waste is converted to energy instead of shipped to landfills.
Main photo: Lockheed Martin’s Camden Operations team received the Arkansas Environmental Federation’s 2015 Diamond Award. Photo copyright Lockheed Martin 2015.
