Hi-Crush Partners has been accepted into the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Green Tier program. This program is designed to highlight companies in Wisconsin that are exceeding environmental standards to benefit the community.
Hi-Crush’s business operations have been designed to minimize environmental impacts; its processing and rail-loading facilities are located on-site, reducing costs and impacts of trucking sand between wet and dry plants.
Hi-Crush operations utilize overland conveying systems to transport mined materials, eliminating the need for trucking or hauling the material with heavy equipment or a fleet of diesel burning trucks over local roadways, also helping lessen its air quality impacts. Hi-Crush’s environmental management system (EMS), which went into effect earlier this year, is expected to optimize operations over time and improve environmental performance.
“Environmental stewardship plays a key role in our business and our culture,” said Mark Skolos, Hi-Crush general counsel. “We place an emphasis on improving the areas where we live and work, and our inclusion in the Green Tier program is the result of our continued commitment to not just meet, but to exceed, environmental regulatory requirements in the communities where we operate.”
Hi-Crush’s EMS is based on the ISO 14001 standard at its production facilities to ensure accountability in its compliance with all local, state and federal environmental regulations. Hi-Crush also adheres to a silicosis prevention program based on the National Industrial Sand Association’s Occupational Health Program for Exposure to Crystalline Silica in the Industrial Sand Industry, along with an associated smoke-free workplace policy at all its facilities, to ensure the protection and health and well-being of its employees and customers.
“We are proud to be recognized by the state of Wisconsin for our dedication to implementing environmental practices which exceed normal standards, and we plan to continue to improve our policies moving forward,” Skolos said. “Already we use innovative solutions such as pump-back systems which return process and storm water to our plants, greatly reducing the need to draw on groundwater resources. Moving forward, we intend to find more ways to reduce our environmental impact and lead our industry and community in environmental stewardship.”
Hi-Crush’s future environmental performance goals include, but are not limited to:
• Increasing awareness by hosting meetings and open houses for the public, local government, and other stakeholders to discuss environmental performance and address concerns; along with participating in and/or leading local community beneficial projects.
• Going beyond industry standards when rebuilding landscapes with full-phase reclamation projects, along with the planting of trees in or around the facility property and community areas.
• Increasing water-recycling efforts to reduce groundwater use.
• Converting all pressure drop gauges to wireless feeds, allowing for real-time monitoring of all air filter-based pollution control devices.