Creating Safe Workplaces and Protecting Our Resources

Sustainability is about preserving the planet and reducing our environmental impact on it. At Polygroup, we are committed to maintaining safe, reliable and environmentally responsible facility operations. To help prioritize our sustainability activities, we are focusing on the areas where we can have the greatest impact and that have the greatest impact on our business: Energy, Air Quality, Material Waste and Safety. Our goals are to:

  • Reduce energy usage in all the facilities
  • Reduce energy-related carbon dioxide emissions specifically with transportation and distribution
  • Reduce packaging material with a focus on using more recycled components
  • Reduce, reuse and recycle production materials such as PVC, PE, steel, and paper
  • Prevent work related injuries and illnesses

    • Our concern with the environment and employee welfare in maintaining safe sustainability practices has been part of our business strategy for many years. At Polygroup, we recognize that we must continue to implement projects that reduce waste and develop "Green Engineering" technologies to create new environmentally friendly materials. We are also focusing on programs such as worker safety education and routine physical checkups to protect the health and safety of our employees.

    Our goal is to reduce pollution by encouraging sustainable practices of the resources we use and to maintain compliance with all regulations in providing quality products for our clients. By making sustainability part of every business decision, we are making a conscious effort to reduce our company's production waste and carbon footprint on the world. Our focus to preserve the world ensures that we can make a difference for our future generations.

    We have created a framework that incorporates sustainability into every part of our business. Please mouseover on the focus areas below to learn more.

                     
    Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

    Polygroup recognizes the importance of efficient and responsible production systems designed to promote sustainability practices in our company. We constantly monitor the way our business operates to better understand the effect our operations have on the world around us. At the moment, the four types of raw materials used in largest quantities in our manufacturing plants are PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), PE (Polyethylene), steel and paper. Despite rigorous efforts, wastes and defective materials from production lines are unavoidable. Since 2001, Polygroup has set up stringent reduce, reuse and recycling programs and integrated them into the manufacturing process.

    PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

    PVC is the largest amount of raw material purchased for use in the manufacturing facilities. Rigid PVC resin is used in Christmas tree production and soft PVC resin is used in pools and inflatable toys. Wasted PVC film and defective tree tips and pool components are shredded into a very fine grain and then melted down into PVC pellets for future use. Since the quality of recycled PVC is lower than virgin PVC, recycled PVC is unsuitable for use in producing Christmas tree tips, pools and inflatable toys. However, recycled PVC can be used in other components that are necessary for production. Examples include plastic tree stands for our Christmas trees and light sockets used in the light strings on prelit trees. Additional applications for recycled PVC for daily use include protective covers for raw materials and finished products and plastic baskets for transporting goods.

    PE (Polyethylene)

    Recently, PE has become a popular alternative to PVC in making Christmas trees. At Polygroup, waste from PE tree tip manufacturing is gathered, melted down, and reused in the form of plastic bags for packaging replacement parts and as bubble wrap to protect finished products.

    Steel

    Aside from plastics, large quantities of steel are required for the production of Polygroup's products. These include components such as support poles for frame pools, metal tree stands, tree hinges, and wire for tree tips and branches. At this time, Polygroup does not have the facilities to recycle steel in our plants. Nevertheless, Polygroup is committed to recycling all salvageable manufacturing wastes including those that we cannot recycle on-site such as steel. As a result, Polygroup has contracted a third party to recycle all steel waste gathered from production lines.

    Paper

    Since all of our products require packaging for shipment, Polygroup is focused on reducing the amount of packaging needed and replacing packaging materials with recycled components. As part of our vertically integrated manufacturing system, we produce our own cardboard packaging with at least 25% recycled content and all discarded boxes and paper waste are recycled. Using recycled cardboard boxes in combination with bubble wrap recycled from PE, Polygroup continues to make every effort in becoming more environmentally friendly.

    Making Steady Progress

    Since the initiation of these reuse and recycling programs in 2001, Polygroup has consistently recycled a significant amount of the wasted PVC and PE. In 2007, over 6,000 metric tons were recycled and reused. This represents 14% of the total amount consumed during manufacturing. In addition, all 6% of wasted steel was outsourced and recycled. In total combined, Polygroup's recycling system reused over 9,000 metric tons of material during the production year that would otherwise be deposited in landfills.

    Reduce, reuse and recycling PVC, PE, steel and paper is only one of the goals that Polygroup has established for their environmental sustainability efforts. Polygroup will continue to provide the very best products to our clients while maintaining compliance with all environmental regulations and policies.
    Did You Know?

    Have a question about our raw materials and their uses in our products? Concerned about our product's safety? Below are some quick facts that may help answer your questions.

    What is PVC?
    Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first manufactured in Germany in 1931 as a durable and lightweight new plastic. PVC was introduced as a substitute for metals, glass, wood, natural fibers, papers and fabrics.

    As a raw material, PVC has many applications in today's world. PVC is used in water and sewage pipes and electrical lines. In housing, PVC can be found in sidings, flooring, and furniture. Agricultural and industrial purposes include green house coverings, tents, automobile parts and electrical appliances. Consumer products include food wraps, synthetic leather and stationary. Medical applications include IV bags, tubing and packaging for medications.

    PVC is the plastic of choice for many applications due to its cost efficiency, durability, fire-resistant properties, and natural resources-saving features.

    Is PVC used for artificial trees and pools safe?
    The misconception that PVC is harmful to humans may stem from the fact that PVC is produced from the raw material Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM), which is a high-pressure gas that can pose risks to human health due to its carcinogenicity. However, PVC is manufactured and processed under strict controls for safety and once produced it is an entirely new product that is chemically and mechanically stable and does not affect human health. PVC is a safe plastic under normal conditions of use.

    The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified PVC as Group 3 (Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity in humans), alongside caffeine, chlorinated drinking water, and tea.
    How is PVC an environmentally beneficial plastic?
    PVC requires only about 70% of energy needed for production when compared to other plastics. This means less carbon dioxide emissions; therefore, it is more environmentally friendly in preventing global warming.

    PVC also has excellent recyclable properties. Recovered products can easily be reconverted to other products. The physical properties of these recycled products are almost the same as with products made from virgin resin, and these second-life products continue to exhibit the same durability and strength. PVC recycling will continue to be extremely important as the world continues to focus on sustainability by reducing, reusing and recycling waste.
    Is PVC fire-resistant?
    PVC is inherently fire resistant as its composition contains chlorine that allows it to be very chemically stable. No additional fire retardants are needed in the production of PVC.

    PVC does not ignite easily as it requires a temperature of 455°C (851°F) to become ignited. In the unlikely event that PVC does burn, it releases much less heat than other materials essentially inhibiting the fire from spreading.
    After disposal, will PVC trees emit dioxins that pollute the environment?
    PVC's chemical composition is one of the most stable among all plastics. Products made from PVC will only emit dioxins if burned at low temperatures (such as forest fires) or heated to near but not complete-combustion temperatures. Professional incinerators are well equipped to eliminate PVC waste and keep dioxin emissions to a minimum. For example, the dioxins released from backyard trash burning generate almost 100 times the dioxins generated in both the manufacturing and disposal of all PVC products.
    POLYGROUP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, EXTENSION CORDS AND ARTIFICIAL TREES RECYCLING PROGRAM

    Don't want to throw your old Christmas lights, extension cords and artificial trees in the trash? Send them to us and we will recycle them for you. Here is how it works.

    What do we do with the lights and trees?

    When we receive your lights, extension cords and trees for recycling, we will remove them from the package and recycle the box. We will then ship the products in bulk to our in-house recycling facility located in Dongguan, China. Our recycling center will sort the products and process the lights and trees through a commercial shredder to break them down to smaller pieces. These pieces are then further processed, filtered and sorted into the various components that make up the lights and trees. (eg. PVC, copper and metal) These materials will then be re-used for second generation products such as bubble wrap and plastic bags.

    Why should I participate in the program?

    Be a responsible consumer and help protect the environment by reducing landfill waste.

    Where should I send my used lights and trees for recycling?

    Christmas Recycling Center
    5080 Hallmark Parkway
    San Bernardino, CA 92407-1835

    Please DO:

    1.    Pack your lights and trees in cardboard boxes or other packaging that can be easily recycled.
    2.    Pack items as tightly and compactly as possible to reduce size of packaging.
    3.    Coordinate with your friends, neighbors, co-works, social groups, church groups, or other organizations
           when possible to collect lights and trees and send in one bulk shipment. This will help reduce shipping
           costs for everyone and reduce the environmental impact of shipping.

    Please DO NOT:

    1.    Include any packing material or anything other than the lights, extension cords and trees themselves.
    2.    Put your lights, extension cords and trees in plastic bags or any other interior packaging.

     
    Thank you for visiting our website and for participating in Polygroup’s recycling program. Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions.