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Copyright © 2014 Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

New Beginnings Woodlawn Wildlife Area and Warren County Manufacturing Plant

Ecological Restoration at Bridgestone

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2 Copyright © 2014 Bridgestone Americas, Inc.

Bridgestone Corporation Overview

Tires for Passenger cars, Trucks and buses, Construction and mining vehicles, Industrial machinery, Agricultural Machinery, Aircraft, Motorcycles and scooters, Retreading materials services, and others

Conveyer Belts Bicycles

High Performance film

Automobile Parts

Seismic Isolation Rubber

Sporting Goods

Tires (83% of Group Sales) Diversified Products (17% of Group Sales)



Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSA) Overview

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Bridgestone Retail Operations

Firestone Industrial Products

• Tire Manufacturing – Consumer, Commercial, Agricultural, Off-Road • Retreading products, services & technology

• 2200+ Retail Locations • Service and Repair • Retail Tire Sales

• Air Springs for highway trucks and many other applications

Firestone Natural Rubber • Tire Rubber

• Latex & Hevea Wood

Firestone Fibers and Textiles • Tire Cord

• Industrial Fabrics

Firestone Building Products

• Roofing, Insulation, Building Systems



Bridgestone Environmental Mission Statement

Our Environmental Mission covers all aspects of our business: •Products & Services •Operations •Communities

Objectives: •Protect and enhance our environment and communities •Help our customers reduce their footprint •Protect and enhance our business



Woodlawn Landfill History

Typical landfill site • 1950s - Sand and Gravel Quarry.

• 1960 to 1978 - Agricultural, Municipal, Industrial Waste Landfill

• 1982 - Vinyl Chloride Detected in Groundwater

• 1987 - Listed on CERCLIS (Superfund Sites List)

• 1992 – Original Site Investigation Report Completed for EPA

• 1993 – EPA remedy Decision (ROD) Signed, Cost: >$42 Million Engineered “Waterproof” Cap

Pump Groundwater, Treat and Discharge to Nearby Stream

Perpetual Groundwater and Stream Monitoring

Perpetual Cap Maintenance

Bedrock

Saprolite

Landfill

Sand/Gravel

Dissolved Oxygen, Redox and Vinyl Chloride Distribution

Dissolved Oxygen

Redox

Vinyl Chloride

Manganese

waste soil

saprolite

bedrock (gneiss)

Concentrations Declining due to biological destruction of contaminants (not just dilution)

Area of contamination shrinking

Exchange of dissolved gases (O2 in, CO2 & Methane Out) is necessary

Computer modeling demonstrated no significant future risks



BSA Goals for Woodlawn Landfill

Prevent Exposure to Contaminated Groundwater

Prevent Ecological Degradation

Clean Groundwater to Potential Drinking Water Quality (defined by EPA)

Enhance Wildlife Habitat & Biodiversity

Leave Local Community with Improved Asset, Rather than Degradation and Potential Stigma



WHC* Proposal for Woodlawn

Woodlawn Vision: Develop and foster

environmental education program and community involvement to the point where partners will adopt various habitat projects on site.

*



Wildlife Habitat Enhancements • Planting hundreds of native

trees and shrubs • Creating native wildflower

meadows on top of the landfill

• Constructing raptor perches • Installing bluebird/ songbird

nest boxes • Planting native warm season

grasses and wildflowers in the adjacent parcel

• Vernal pools*, brush piles...the list goes on!

• Wildlife Habitat Council Certification!

*

http://www.firestonesp.com/rubberLining.aspx



A New Name – “New Beginnings - The Woodlawn Wildlife Area”



Environmental Education and Habitat Management

Cecil Co. residents planted over 500 native trees and shrubs

Boy and Girl Scout Badge Programs

Engage both youth and adult groups

MD DNR’s Forest Stewardship Program

WHC CLL* Certification

*Corporate Lands for Learning


Remediation Results Vinyl Chloride Concentrations and Extent Declining Rapidly through Natural Attenuation


Warren County Manufacturing Plant Ecological Restoration and Environmental Community Service Through Partnership with the Wildlife Habitat Council



Warren County: From Horticultural Nursery to Tire Plant, Native Forest and Prairie



Warren Site Ecological and Community Goals (2008)

Wildlife Habitat Area Goals: Approximately 610 Acres to be Certified •Promote plant employee and community involvement with the wildlife habitat area •Make the area more accessible for local community activities to encourage community involvement. •Increase bio-diversity through projects •Link existing and adjoining habitats to provide more stable, diverse ecosystem. •Involve plant employees and local community volunteers in projects and learning about wildlife conservation and bio-diversity. •Promote native wildlife and/or discourage aggressive nonnative wildlife. •Install Bluebird and Wood duck nesting boxes in areas that are already good habitats for Bluebirds and Wood ducks. •Nonnative nursery to be removed and area prepared for growing American chestnut. •Grow American chestnut trees to participate in producing blight resistant chestnuts. •Communicate our plans to develop a wildlife habitat area with local and state community leaders. •Name the wildlife habitat area through employee-naming contest. •Submit blue bird nesting results to the Wildlife Habitat Council as part of their tracking program. •Build a trail through the 170 acres along the Southern portion of the wildlife habitat area. •Hold wildlife habitat events with the Kids of the Community where they will work and learn about wildlife. •Obtain guidance from local wildlife experts. •Establish wildflower/butterfly gardens and plant a nut orchard for American chestnut trees. •Eradicate Fescue/Bermuda grass in selected areas with late spring burns. •Late winter or early spring burns of selected native grassland areas to clear out litter and fertilize. •Establish paths through the northeast portion of the wildlife area. •Install a sign identifying the wildlife area. •Maintain and promote community involvement by the local Boy Scouts, Kids of the Community and Schools. •Obtain the WHC Corporate Lands for Learning Certification. •This plan will be modified to allow for growth to the wildlife habitat program…

Inspired by a WHC presentation (and a sister plant in Oklahoma), the Warren the plant decided to restore the ecology on their land



Ecological Improvements

Mowed Fescue to Native Prairie Controlled Burn

Lots of Wildlife!


STEM Education

Common Core

Environmental

Science Centers

BEECH is in its 6th year of classes with over 14,000 student visits from surrounding areas . A day filled with meeting state standards of

education in a fun hands on way!!

http://www.warrenschools.com/warrenschools

Students see and learn about animals

and their habitats.

Students learn “hands on” by visiting the animals’ habitats.

Students learn “hands on” by Centers, Simple Machines, etc.


Ecological Restoration Benefits for Site Management

•Progress towards Bridgestone biodiversity goal: “In Harmony with Nature” •Public gains a community asset

•open space •environmental education •Improved ecological health (ecosystem services)

•Wildlife habitat is enhanced: everyone loves nature and wildlife! •Innovation in remediation: reduced costs by $millions

•some of which can be used for an environmental education center •Demonstration for others to emulate •Bridgestone gains positive community recognition = reputation value! •Less fertilizer, pesticides, water: lower footprint •Reduced maintenance •Saves money!

•Study by Applied Ecological Services (Brodhead, WI) estimates over 20 years, the cost of maintaining a prairie or a wetland is $3,000 per acre versus $20,000

A win / win / win for nature, our communities, our business

ecological restoration at bridgestone · roofing, insulation, building systems . ... •obtain...

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