Firestone Building Products Company, LLC Gains Certifications For Environmental Initiatives In Kingstree Wildlife Habitat Council recognizes projects with two certifications

KINGSTREE, S.C. (Dec. 3, 2009) - Attention all South Carolina bluebirds: teammates from the Firestone Building Products Company, LLC facility in Kingstree, S.C., have built you some new homes. Teaming up with local Boy Scout troops, the Kingstree facility’s Wildlife Habitat and Refuge recently earned Wildlife at Work and Corporate Lands for Learning certifications from the Wildlife Habitat Council.

“We are very excited about the habitat on the plant property, and we’re honored to receive two certifications from the Wildlife Habitat Council,” said Dave Mahan, Kingstree Plant Manager, FSBP. “Converting a portion of our property from basic turf grass into a wildlife habitat area is another way our facility can have a positive impact on our immediate environment and local animal life.”

More than 275 participants — including teammates, volunteers and local Boy Scout troops — helped plant more than 200 species of indigenous plants and place 17 bluebird boxes in the habitat since work began in the spring of 2008. The manufacturing location uses the habitat for annual Earth Day activities with local Cub Scouts. Future plans call for expanding the current habitat by converting more turf grass around the facility to native grasses.

“Our property enhancement projects have provided a great opportunity for us to reach out and work with the Scouts to do something good for native plant and animal species,” said Mahan. “We have a blast every time we have the Scouts out to the plant.”

Certainly no stranger to environmental recognition, the Kingstree plant recently earned ISO 14001 recertification and received an Honorable Mention Award for Environmental Awareness from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. In addition, Mahan was recently awarded the Iron Eyes Cody Award from the local Chamber of Commerce, as well as a Hornaday Award from the Boy Scouts of America for his work in environmental management.

A group of 19 teammates are leading the plant’s environmental initiatives: Phillip Boyd, Ralph Boyd, Ken Burt, Lennie Corbett, Michael Cunningham, Otis Franklin, Brian Gause, Chuck Grier, Claudette Hall, Vera Isreal, Dave Mahan, David McFadden, Stan McFadden, David Miller, Todd Newell, Archie Robins, Paula Smith, Mary Thompson and Wesley Watts.

The Kingstree plant produces EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) high-performance synthetic rubber roofing systems and rubber pond liner.