About Us > Sustainability > Environmental Stewardship
Sustainability Practices
Environmental Stewardship
Swagelok is committed to operating responsibly and helping our customers meet their sustainability goals. In addition to compliance with international standards, legislative, and regulatory requirements, we assess our impact on the environment, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage, air emissions, water use, wastewater management, waste management, and the quality and longevity of the products we make.
Energy Management
Effective energy management is a key component to advancing our environmental stewardship. Our efforts around routine maintenance and upgrades contribute to the overall energy efficiency of the company.
Specific examples include:
- Leveraging energy-efficient technologies: We upgrade our facilities with energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems to reduce energy consumption on an ongoing basis.
- Ensuring leak-tight systems: Where possible, we use our own products to ensure our systems and processes are leak-tight and effective in reducing energy loss and improving efficiency.
- Engaging associates in energy initiatives: We establish mechanisms to promote efficiencies on the shop floor, which in turn promote the responsible use of energy. Learn more about how we help customers achieve their sustainability goals.
Greenhouse Gas Footprint
Swagelok tracks GHG emissions with the intent of identifying opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint. Scope 1 emissions at Swagelok originate from direct sources such as on-site fuel combustion for heating and manufacturing processes. To reduce these emissions, we will be considering fuel efficiencies and exploring opportunities to minimize fuel use in our manufacturing operations. Our Scope 2 emissions are associated with the electricity we purchase to power our operations. We actively seek to reduce these emissions by incorporating energy efficiency measures. Beyond our own operations, we play a significant role in helping our customers reduce their own emissions footprint through technical expertise and support, energy emissions surveys, and ongoing collaboration.
Water Use and Wastewater Management
Our approach to responsible water use and effective wastewater involves implementing best practices to minimize water consumption and ensure that wastewater is treated and managed in compliance with all relevant regulations.
In 2024, Swagelok invested in an advanced wastewater treatment system at one of our facilities. This advancement transitions the site to a batch discharge system, enabling robust water quality analysis and aligning with the highest environmental standards.
Waste Management
Our comprehensive Waste Management Program ensures systematic control over waste collection, characterization, storage, transportation, processing, treatment, recovery, and disposal.
In addition, our austenitic stainless products are composed of at least 70% recycled content, including 47% post-consumer scrap and 23% pre-consumer scrap from the recovery of material diverted from the waste stream during the post-making processes.
Waste Reduction through High Quality Product Design
Our products are engineered to perform reliably over extended periods, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing waste generation. This focus not only supports our customers in maintaining efficient operations but also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the overall material consumption and waste associated with product turnover.
Key aspects of our approach include:
- High-Quality Materials
- Rigorous Testing
- Innovative Design
- Customer Support and Training
