CAMARILLO COMPANY PRAISED FOR REDUCING LANDFILL-BOUND REFUSE.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

After 28 years of manufacturing magnetic recording tape and later evolving into the world's largest maker of data cartridges, Imation Corp. decided to get really smart.

The company implemented a waste-reduction program in 1990 that has not only saved nearly $600,000 since then but garnered recognition as one of the state's Top 10 environmentally sound enterprises.

``We're looking at preserving critical landfill space in California,'' said Lanny Clavecilla, spokesman for the state Integrated Waste Management Board, which issues the awards. ``What (Imation) used to throw in landfills, they've been able to reduce by an impressive (83) percent.''

California's landfills have an average remaining life span of 28 years before they are filled to capacity. Without waste reduction efforts, the average would drop to 15 years, he said.

Imation's Camarillo plant, one of 16 worldwide, was dumping 4,000 tons of plastic, paper and metals into landfills annually when it decided to be more environmentally conscious.

Its self-imposed Beyond Compliance program sought to cut back waste by locating the source of the problem and using less packaging, creating improvement teams for its 500 employees, purchasing state-of-the-art assembly line equipment that produces fewer defective products, and producing smaller products - its data cartridges are now smaller than an audio cassette.

``We looked at the way our business was changing,'' said Bob Michels, Imation's production manager. ``It's a common sense thing for businesses to do. Waste costs money.''

The results have paid off.

In 1996, the company dumped only 1,100 tons of waste into landfills - a 2,900-ton reduction since its program began.

Last year, the figure dropped to 688 tons, or an 83 percent reduction.

As far as cost savings are concerned, the company paid landfills $135,000 in 1990. Last year, it paid only $23,000.

Imation was honored for the effectiveness of its efforts in helping to cut California's annual 52 million-ton waste stream, Clavecilla said.

Hillside Press, a four-employee printing business in Rolling Hills Estates of Los Angeles County, was another company that made the Top 10 list.

It earned recognition for recycling nearly all waste paper, cans, plastics, cardboard, newspaper, phone books and magazines it uses.

Companies apply for the recognition, answering a series of comprehensive questions pertaining to their waste reduction programs.

``The application tends to eliminate those companies that aren't into that kind of activity,'' Clavecilla said.

The first Top 10 list was issued last year for efforts in 1996.

Imation, the first Ventura County business to be honored, was one of 307 companies across the state to apply for the 1998 honor.

The waste management board's awards represent one of many methods it and other state and environmental boards are using to comply with the state Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which mandated that California reduce its waste by 25 percent by 1995 and 50 percent by 2000.

The state is on course to achieve that goal, having reached a 26 percent reduction rate by 1995, Clavecilla said.

Imation, whose main headquarters is in Oakdale, Minn., was for many years part of the St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M Corp. In July 1996, Imation broke off from 3M, which manufactures Scotch tape, Post-It Notes and sandpaper.

Imation's overall sales reach $2.6 billion last year, Michels said.

The waste management board may be visited on the Internet at www.ciwmb.ca.gov.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO (Color) Production Manager Bob Michels shows how Imation cut waste by using pocket-sized cartridges instead of bulky rolls of tape.

John McCoy/Daily News