ELYRIA, Ohio – Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems says it has taken great strides in becoming a more ecologically responsible company.

The safety and braking systems producer has improved its waste diversionrate from 52% in 2008 to 96% in 2013.

“It’s a direct result of a company-wide commitment to recycling and remanufacturing, and continuous work toward our goal of ‘zero waste to landfill’ operations,” said Bendix director of sustainability management Maria Gutierrez.

According to the company, it diverted more than 9,500 tons of waste away from landfills last year, including sending over 9,240 tons of material such as cardboard, wood, plastic and metal to recycling facilities. It also sends discarded desiccant from its recycled air dryers to a company that reclaims the waste material for use in producing cement.

“Being environmentally conscious is more than just an idea or a solid business strategy at Bendix,” Gutierrez said. “The decisions we make and the improvements we strive for every day have a positive, direct impact in the communities where we operate and which our employees call home. And the changes we implement now can make all the difference in the future of our shared planet.”

As part of Bendix’ overall sustainability program, it also works to lessen its environmental footprint tough its remanufacturing business by “dismantling parts such as compressors, air dryers, valves, and brake shoes after their initial use, salvaging key components, and reassembling them with salvaged (when applicable) and new components to meet current specifications. This efficient form of recycling reduces the carbon footprint associated with the fabrication of new parts by 80%.”

Bendix has chosen to earn outside validation for its ecological efforts. Currently, it is working to achieve designations for some of its oprations from the independent safety science company UL.

In a statement, Bendix explained, “UL offers three landfill waste diversion claim validations: Landfill Diversion Rate, which validates claims of 80 percent and up; Virtually Zero Waste to Landfill, reserved for facilities achieving a diversion rate of 98 percent or higher; and Zero Waste to Landfill, a waste diversion rate of 100 percent. In 2013, Bendix’s Acuña III plant reached a diversion rate of 99 percent, making it eligible to apply for Virtually Zero Waste to Landfill classification.”