Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner David Salyers announced the winners of the 2022 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards (GESA).
The GESAs are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements by individuals, local governments, businesses, organizations, educational institutions, and agencies for successful environmental projects and conservation measures, according to the Tennessee Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices. Florim USA was one of only nine companies statewide to receive an award. The category awarded was for Sustainable Performance.
In part Florim USA was recognized for ongoing sustainability efforts such as utilizing internally generated production scrap, using various post-industrial wastes responsibly, and use of post-consumer scrap glass as a novel raw material. Some of the numbers that made an impact included nearly 15 million pounds of post-consumer glass that has been used to make Florim USA’s tiles since 2019 with 5.6 million pounds in 2021; The capture and reuse of more than 19 million gallons of water without any industrial wastewater discharge to the local sewer system in 2021; And in 2021, Florim USA recycled into its process more than 11 million pounds of internal scrap representing 99% of scrap produced.
Environmental and Sustainability manager Don Haynes says, “Florim USA’s core principals are product innovation, quality, design, and ecological mindfulness. We feel as if it’s our duty and responsibility to be mindful of our impact to the environment both now and for times to come. It is a privilege and honor to be recognized, and to receive this prestigious award from the Governor and TDEC.” The winners were formally recognized at an awards ceremony for their achievements and positive impact on the state’s natural resources and communities.
About Florim USA
Florim USA in Clarksville, Tennessee is one of the largest floor and wall porcelain tile manufacturing plants in North America. Established in 2000, the facility spans over 1 million square feet of covered space and produces over 100 million square feet of tile annually. Our core principals are product innovation, quality, design, and ecological mindfulness. With several global and national environmental accreditations and certifications, Florim USA is the largest manufacturing facility in the world to achieve the WELL Health and Safety Rating. We source raw materials within a 500-mile radius of the facility, achieving local independence and strength in the manufacturing process. Produced for a variety of channels, Florim USA’s tile is represented in more than 2,500 stores nationally. Mile®stone is the manufacturer’s distributed brand.
