The Opportunity
When discharged waste water at one of DuPont's largest chemical plants had a lethal effect on a loal species of fish during labratory testing, DuPont faced daily fined of $25,000. Moreover, DuPont risked plant shutdown due to violations of EPA regulations. In accordance with its stance on environmental stewardship, DuPont sought to generate prevention plans as quickly as possible and chose QualPro to deliver fast, practical solutions.
DuPont Profile
E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company is a world leader in the chemical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1802, DuPont is the ninth largest chemical company in the world with over $34 billion in revenue from its hundreds of plant sites located in over 90 countries. At the core of DuPont's approach to market-driven innovation and science is a longstanding commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Client Impact: Chemical
The Approach
QualPro assembled a project team to work closely with DuPont over a period of six weeks. QualPro consultants assisted project managers and conducted interviews with plant employees and key stakeholders to gain insights into the design of the waste water collection and distribution system in order to determine the key source of contamination. The water was drawn from multiple product units, all discharging wastewater into different water systems, which were then combined before leaving the plant. Qualpro performed advanced statistical analysis to test ideas that could potentially impact the water quality and reduce the fish mortality rate. Based on QualPro's statistical methodology, the project team identified factors related to choice of chemicals used to treat the waste water, various pH levels, and combinations of additive compounds versus organic compounds.
The Impact
Qualpro's improvement process and analytical tools helped DuPont to avoid shutdown by the EPA and to surpass the EPA regulation of total fish mortality. DuPont achieved daily product cost savings of over $300,000, as well as the eliminations of over $5 million in potential business losses.
Moreover, findings from the project provided regulatory authorities with valuable information for future sustainability initiatives.
"During the eight years I've used QualPro, I've never once budgeted consulting fees because every year the payback has been in the 20 to 25 times range of what I've spent."
Scott Gray, Plant Manager
E.I. DuPont
