Rodgers was one of the first digital organ builders to be compliant with RoHS environmental rules. Similar rules are being adopted by countries around the world. If you are considering purchasing a digital organ, be sure to ask about the manufacturer's commitment to the environment.
Many years before recycling became a common part of our lives, Rodgers Instruments was taking a proactive approach to keeping as much of our waste stream as possible from going into a landfill. We are always looking for ways to reuse or eliminate waste from our manufacturing process. In every department, we scrutinize the materials we use and look for opportunities to reduce waste.
Manufacturing
In our cabinet shop and finish departments, we recycle many manufacturing byproducts. All of our sawdust and wood waste is recycled and used as ground cover or boiler fuel. The plastic shrink wrap, cardboard, pallets and metal banding straps that our material comes packaged with are recycled. In the finish shop, we collect all of our spent solvents and paint waste to be recycled into fuel products. We use stain-wiping rags that we can launder, reducing what would otherwise go into hazardous waste. In our finish application, we use high transfer efficient spray guns to cut the amount of finish going into the air.
In the electronic and final assembly departments, we have agreements with local vendors to deliver parts in reusable totes, which means less disposable packaging. We also recycle circuit boards, solder flux, metal, aerosol cans, electronic parts and equipment. Most of our assembly fixtures and workstations are made with materials that can be reconfigured if the workstation needs to change.
Office Supplies and Shipping Materials
We also recycle a great many materials used in other areas of the company. All of our paper products, printer cartridges, light fixtures, bulbs, used oil, old PCs, electronic equipment and all types of packaging material (even foam peanuts) are recycled or reused. Whenever possible, we purchase environmentally friendly new products and recycled items, such as shipping pallets.
RoHS
When tougher environmental regulations were adopted by the European Union and other governments to limit hazardous materials that could affect the environment, Rodgers responded immediately. Two of the regulations - RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) - affected all products with modern electronic circuitry, including circuit boards commonly used in digital and pipe organs.
The main materials that are restricted in electronic equipment are heavy metals including lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium as well as the flame retardants polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
To meet the new environmental requirements, we went to work redesigning products, purchasing new equipment, finding and buying compliant components, and training our staff to build compliant products. In a single year, Rodgers invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and labor to comply with new environmental rules.
To us, it is part of being good stewards of the environment that we all depend on every day of our lives. Rodgers is committed not only to building products that look and sound beautiful, but to doing our share to maintain the beauty of the Earth.
—Richard Cardwell, Director of Manufacturing
