Firestone and Liberia —
Environment
Practicing sound environmental stewardship is just one way Firestone Liberia positively impacts the lives of Liberians. The company's commitment to the environment is reflected in its comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (EMP). First established as part of its 2005 Agreement with the Government, the ongoing plan continues to serve as Firestone Liberia's daily guide for enhanced and improved environmental stewardship, as well as for safe and environmentally sound operations.
Firestone Liberia continuously communicates with its neighbors and with those in surrounding communities. By gathering information and constantly reviewing its operations, the company is able to identify any environmental issues and address them in a timely manner.
Water Treatment
Firestone Liberia is committed to protecting the health and welfare of our employees, neighbors and fellow citizens in Liberia, and that commitment includes our treatment of the water used in our plant. The company's operation includes a state-of-the-art, multimillion-dollar water treatment facility and constructed wetlands, a process developed in collaboration with the Liberian Environmental Protection Agency and with Dr. Robert Knight, the foremost environmental wetlands expert in the world. That system includes, among other things, an equalization tank and clarifying tanks that remove solids from process water and treat it. The process water is then sent to constructed wetlands, which further filters it. The end result of this process is water that exceeds applicable standards for water quality. This type of water treatment system is unparalleled in Liberia and compares favorably to water treatment facilities in developed countries.
Since the facility was opened, analytical data and sampling, gathered at strategic locations along the treatment stages, have confirmed that the water quality is as designed throughout the system and is excellent leaving the wetlands — the first point at which the water impacts local communities.
Firestone Liberia regularly samples the water in the adjacent Farmington River (even though process water is not discharged into the river) in addition to locations throughout its treatment system to ensure compliance with recognized water quality standards from other rubber-producing countries, as prescribed in its 2008 Agreement with the Government of Liberia.
Sustainable Hevea Wood
Firestone Liberia also recently launched a new Hevea wood operation, an environmentally sustainable enterprise that will create at least 500 additional Liberian jobs. After reaching the end of their latex-producing lifecycle, rubber trees are now cut and processed into an ecologically friendly and durable hardwood. Firestone Hevea Wood will be sold for use in furniture and flooring throughout the world. This operation required significant investment by the company in building a new facility and in purchasing all necessary equipment.