Sustainable Products

PolyOne Corp., a Cleveland, Ohio-based company that provides specialized polymer materials, has an entire line of products which are certified as "Sustainable Solutions."

These products must meet defined standards for sustainability in areas such as renew-ability, recycle-ability, reusability, eco-conscious composition, or resource efficiency in order to be labeled sustainable.

These criteria are:

* Renewable: Solutions that are based on, or support the use
of, renewable, compostable or bio-degradable resources.
* Reusable: Packaging and other logistics-related systems
which are easily returned or reused.
* Recyclable: Solutions which incorporate post-consumer or
post-industrial recycle content or which lend themselves
to recycling
* Eco-conscious composition: Solutions that respond to
ever-changing market needs by offering alternatives to
traditional materials such as lead, bisphenol-A (BPA),
phthalates, or halogens.
* Resource efficient: Solutions that help conserve the earth's
resources such as those that enable more efficient
production, reduce part weight or material
consumption, enable faster cycle times or lower energy
consumption or provide better insulating properties.

The company's most recent addition to this line of products are ECCOH Low Smoke and Fume, Zero Halogen (LSFOH) compounds for cables used in photovoltaic solar cells. To produce solar energy, these cells are assembled into panels that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

It's a growing field. "Photovoltaic installations are growing worldwide by about 30% annually. In many cases, growth is fostered by government subsidies and tax incentives," said Murielle Chuzeville, PolyOne's LSFOH general manager. PolyOne Corp. has annual revenues of more than $2.7 billion with operations around the world.

In addition to helping its customers become sustainable, the company is also cognizant of the environmental effects of its factories as evidenced by the 78% reduction in landfill waste from 2000-2007.