Sustainability

Carolina Research Center Goes Green

Springborn Smithers' Carolina Research Center (CRC) started 2010 off with significant changes to facilities and operations in the interest of "Going Green".

The first green initiative was in facility improvement, installing an energy-sipping tankless water heater in a newly renovated study building. When hot water is not in demand, both the heating elements and the pilot light shut off. As soon as demand is registered, a low-voltage electrical signal flicks on the pilot light and the water is immediately heated by propane burners and sent down the line. Due to the sporadic nature of hot water use, a heater that essentially turns off when not in use reduces energy consumption. Amy Littleton, CRC Biological Technician, finds it "great for cage cleaning".

The second green initiative was directed at processing biowaste. Instead of contracting a biowaste company that uses energy-guzzling machines to incinerate the material, CRC installed a composting system. Such systems are regulated and licensed by the State of North Carolina Veterinarian's Office. CRC's system handles the huge quantities of waste feed, tissues, and eggs generated by studies conducted at CRC. By combining these wastes with hay mown from CRC's 5+ acres of hayfields, and mulch from the leaves and woody debris collected on the grounds, compost batches reach temperatures exceeding 131 degrees F, completely breaking all tissues and organic matter into basic elements found in soil. The composting procedure is regimented to ensure no noxious odors, slimy run-off, or toxic sludge is created from the process. The result is a nutritious soil amendment that can be used in landscaping and as a soil amendment to the hayfields on CRC property. The composting system was researched, designed, and installed by Ron Alcorn, CRC's maintenance professional extraordinaire. Ron says "the compost bin will help to keep trash out of landfills". The end product can be put back on the land to help make it more productive. Cindy Hamilton, CRC Laboratory Assistant, likes the blend of benefits and says "the new composter saves energy, and it's great for the environment. The composted waste can be used on CRC's landscaping." The staff appreciates the time savings of composting rather than partitioning out of waste batches to satisfy contract disposer weight limitations. The composter has nearly eliminated CRC's biowaste removal necessities and it processes the waste in a way that essentially destroys the waste material without generating more pollutants in the process.

The third green initiative involves data collection and record keeping done at CRC. CRC has gradually implemented the data management tool eStudy(TM) designed by iAdvantage Software, Inc. At this point, all standard guideline studies conducted at CRC are done using eStudy.This process eliminates the need for paper forms, printed reports, and printed archive storage.The system has been recently advanced by the merging of WinWedge(R) instrumental communications software with eStudy to transmit instrument readings directly into eStudy data forms, bypassing the human typo-error element.With 21 CFR Part 11 compliance standard with eStudy, the resulting data is secure, and can be analyzed, audited, reported, and archived entirely within the web-based data management program, eliminating the need for a paper trail. Not only can employees improve efficiencies, but no trees have to be cut, toxic dyes or toners used, UPS truck gasoline emissions spewed into the air, and no expensive archive facilities have to be cooled, heated, secured, or sprinkled. It does take some getting used to to look at once-overflowing data shelves now standing nearly empty. But it's tidy and we like it that way. Christine Redmond, CRC Biologist, says, "All of us were a bit wary of going to automatic data entry, but now it's so easy for us, we can't imagine going back to handwriting data." The entire staff recognizes the big conservation step this makes towards saving trees.

These projects are just a few of what we intend to be a long list of green initiatives implemented at CRC and throughout the entire Springborn organization.

Going Paperless