“Going green” is not just a mantra, it’s a reality for the local Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) plant.

Recently, a garbage truck drove off from the FCCC facility for the final time, making Freightliner one of the few Zero-Waste-to-Landfill facilities in the state, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Center for Waste Minimization.

“We maintain a strong commitment to environmental responsibility, which is why we are excited to announce that our Gaffney manufacturing plant is now a Zero-Waste-to-Landfill facility,” said Robert Harbin, FCCC president.

FCCC was chosen by its parent company, Daimler Trucks North America, as the pilot program for the Zero- Waste-to-Landfill program, Marketing and Communications Manager Jennifer Edwards said.

The plant achieved the goal about three months ahead of the Jan. 1, 2010 deadline. The company began the program in September 2007.

Aside from plastics, the FCCC plant also recycles materials such as paper, aluminum, cardboard, metals, wood and nylon. The plant participates in other “green” initiatives to reduce energy costs as well as emissions pollutants, carbon dioxide and fuel consumption.

Edwards said the plant encourages its suppliers to use recyclable shipping containers.

Not surprisingly, the company’s “green” initiatives have influenced its workers to “go green” at home.

“It’s a cultural changing initiative and we’ve had a lot of workers tell us they are recycling at home now,” she said.

The Zero to Waste Landfill Program has earned FCCC several regional and statewide awards and recognitions, as well as partnerships with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DHEC.