NCH conducts all business activities with integrity and in a responsible manner, with the aspiration of safeguarding and protecting human health and the environment. To this end, it is NCH’s goal to meet or exceed all relevant environmental, health, and safety (EHS) laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws and regulations do not exist.  We hold managers responsible and accountable for operating a safe workplace that creates a minimum burden upon the environment.  We strive to continuously improve our EHS program by:

1. partnering with various parties to identify, adopt, and promote best practices for EHS;
2. promoting EHS performance through education, information, awareness and training to those actively engaged in NCH business activities;
3. communicating EHS objectives to suppliers, encouraging them to improve their EHS performance;
4. applying risk management and pollution prevention principles to our activities, products and services;
5. developing and maintaining EHS management systems that add value to business objectives; and
6. maintaining a review process that includes EHS performance targets, progress measurements, continual improvement and communication with relevant interested parties.

Because of these efforts, NCH has seen continued improvements at its facilities.  NCH’s U.S. facilities have reduced the amount of SARA 313 reportable chemical emissions by 95% in the last 15 years.  NCH’s world headquarters achieved its Energy Star* rating in 2007 and continues to drive down its resource and utility usage with upgrades in building systems.  Many of NCH’s U.S. facilities are now certified as ‘no exposure’ under storm water regulations meaning no raw materials, products or wastes are exposed to rainwater which could cause discharges to our rivers, lakes and streams.  Our largest facility in the world has received recognition on numerous occasions from the local municipality as having one of the best wastewater pretreatment programs in the city.  These are just a few of many examples.

Also, we are continuing to protect the environment by reformulating and developing new products and technology. Examples include:

1. The NCH Torrent is a water-based partswasher that precludes the need to use solvent chemicals containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
2. NCH’s Terra Services business that uses chlorine dioxide in solution as an anti-bacterial product for the oil and gas drilling industry.  Chlorine dioxide is used in drinking water to control bacteria.  When used in hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas operations, it eliminates the need for other chemical biocides that could harm surface or ground water.
3. NCH’s biological treatment program uses naturally occurring bacteria for drain maintenance and wastewater treatment.  The bacteria digests greases, fats and oils unlike surfactants and emulsifiers that simply send such materials downstream causing upsets in publicly run water treatment facilities.
4. NCH’s retail division has developed a way to recycle 3^rd party unused material in its puppy pad line of products.  By doing so, it is annually reclaiming approximately 6,000,000 lbs of material that might otherwise end up in local landfills.
5. With the implementation of regulations to control air pollution, NCH has been able to provide its customers with quality and effective products through reformulation or new product introductions using alternative raw materials to eliminate or lower VOCs and toxic air contaminants. Some of our products carry the U.S. E.P.A.’s Design for the Environment (DfE) logo.

When it comes to safety, NCH believes accidents and injuries are preventable.  We believe that having every employee go home safe at the end of the day is good business.  As an example of this commitment, NCH’s insurance carriers continue to rate NCH’s safety performance with its associates as one of the best in its industry sector.

Also, to insure our efforts don’t stop at the door, we often help our customers on basic safety concepts.  NCH provides resources including training programs and procedures to its customers. For employees and customers alike, NCH’s focus on safety is a key differentiator.

NCH – focused on its customers, people and the environment.

*Registered Trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency