11.01.2005 ET

(CSRwire) RACINE, Wis. - The start-up of a 3.2 megawatt gas turbine/generator at SC Johnson's Waxdale manufacturing plant completes yet another compelling chapter in the company's environmental leadership story.

The natural gas-powered turbine is the second of two now operating at the company's largest manufacturing facility - a 2.2 million-square-foot manufacturing plant in Racine, Wis. Generating a total of 6.4 megawatts of electrical power, the two turbines meet the facility's daily base-load electrical demand while recovered heat from the turbines' exhaust also produces nearly 40,000 pounds per hour of plant steam.

Completion of the co-generation system gives SC Johnson the novel distinction of having the first consumer goods packaged plant in the Midwest to produce a nearly all of its own energy through clean-burning technologies. The twin turbines are fueled by natural gas and by waste methane generated by the Kestrel Hawk Landfill located near the Waxdale facility. As a result, the turbines have significantly reduced SC Johnson's usage of heavily-coal dependent electricity along with emissions of carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases and other pollutants in Southeastern Wisconsin.

"We have a long, proud history of firsts when it comes to harnessing technology and innovation to do what's right for the environment while managing a very successful business," said SC Johnson Chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson. "This latest achievement at our Waxdale plant is particularly rewarding in light of the construction of two coal-fired plants in Oak Creek, Wisconsin."

SC Johnson embarked on the co-generation plan in 2003 with the start up of the first turbine, powered solely by waste methane. After its first year of operation, Waxdale's emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) dropped 47 percent and fossil fuel energy use was slashed by 50 percent. In recognition of this performance, the State of Wisconsin awarded SC Johnson the Wisconsin Governor's Award for Excellence in Environmental Performance.

"The second turbine will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 20,000 tons per year, bringing total emissions reductions from the co-generation system to 52,000 tons per year," said Scott Johnson, SC Johnson Vice President of Global Environmental and Safety Actions. "That's equivalent to the amount of GHGs generated by 5,200 automobiles annually."

Johnson added that by powering the turbines with natural gas and waste methane, "We're removing the equivalent to 298 rail cars of coal from the Southeastern Wisconsin environment."

Generational Commitment to Leadership
The $11 million Waxdale co-generation system is the latest initiative in SC Johnson's continuing commitment to environmental leadership. Since the baseline year of 2000, the company has reduced worldwide emissions by 23 percent, reduced fossil fuel use by 30 percent in its top seven factories and reduced GHG emissions by 29 percent. (Source: SC Johnson Public Report 2005)

Led by the Johnson family for five generations, SC Johnson has held steadfast to its environmental commitment and spirit of innovation. From being a pioneer in the introduction of water-based aerosols in 1955 to its leadership as the first company to remove chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from all aerosol products - three years ahead of the 1978 U.S. mandate - SC Johnson continues to look for innovative ways to safeguard our shared environment. Today, for example, the company is spearheading a new environmental classification system, Greenlist(tm) that actively integrates environmentally-preferred raw materials and packaging components into its products, thus setting new SC Johnson environmental standards that surpass regulatory requirements and drive innovation.

No aspect of SC Johnson's operations is too small to be included in the company's environmental leadership efforts. Earlier this year, SC Johnson made a contribution to Conservation International (CI) to offset the carbon emissions associated with the printing and distribution of its 2005 Public Report. The contribution will help CI fund the Makira Forest Project which is managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). This initiative was developed by WCS in partnership with the Government of Madagascar and CI to reduce the deforestation rate of Makira. Last year, SC Johnson made a similar contribution to CI to support the restoration of degraded forests in the Chocó-Manabí corridor of Ecuador, another biodiversity hotspot.

SC Johnson is a family-owned and -managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as EDGE®, GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, ECHO®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The 119-year old company, with more than $6.5 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in more than 110 countries. www.scjohnson.com

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