Carrier Corporate News

CONTACT:   Jonathan Shaw
CARRIER CORPORATION
(315) 432-3147

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

NEW YORK GOVERNOR HONORS CARRIER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jun 3 -- Carrier Corporation's Syracuse operations were honored today with the 1997 New York Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention during ceremonies at the state capital in Albany.

The award recognized Carrier's long-term efforts to reduce hazardous air pollutant emissions, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the generation of hazardous waste in the company's equipment painting, coating and cleaning operations.

"As the result of changes in the way we clean, coat and paint our products, Carrier has made the environment safer and more healthy for our employees and neighbors," Gerald Bailey, Carrier's vice president of Environmental Health and Safety, said. "We have reduced annual emissions of VOCs by 80 percent and hazardous air pollutants by 89 percent. In addition, we've reduced our hazardous waste stream by more than 92 percent since 1991."

The reductions were achieved despite increased production in three factories on the site.

The hand-spraying of organic solvent-based primers and paints in the production of reciprocating compressors was eliminated in favor of an automated electrostatic/powder paint system. The new system also yielded improved products with four times the resistance to corrosion in maritime and coastal environments. Many of the compressors are used by Carrier Transicold, a sister division that manufactures transport refrigeration and air conditioning equipment with special corrosion resistance requirements. When corrosion resistance improved, Carrier Transicold was able to eliminate its own organic solvent-based cleaning and painting system for compressors.

Carrier Transicold also installed an automatic electrostatic coil-coating system that, by itself, reduced the emission of VOCs by 91 percent and hazardous air pollutants by 96 percent.

The Carrier factory that manufactures centrifugal and screw chillers for large commercial air conditioning systems modified its four organic solvent-based spray painting booths to use a water-borne epoxy primer and topcoat system. The chillers, once washed in organic solvent-based degreasers prior to painting, are now steam cleaned.

"Carrier is proud of its product designs that address environmental concerns, now the Governor's Award recognizes the hard work done by many employees over the last several years in building those products," Bailey said. "As a result of that hard work, we already are ahead of our own ambitious goals and those set by our parent company, United Technologies. Carrier's efforts to reduce both emissions and hazardous waste are continuing."

Carrier Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of heating and air conditioning systems and equipment. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, provider of a broad range of high-technology products and support services for the aerospace, building systems and automotive industries.

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