Lockheed Martin has built its success on long-standing innovation and business excellence, as well as strategic acquisitions. Some operations conducted over the years, although in compliance with relevant laws at the time, resulted in soil or groundwater contamination. Where remedial actions are warranted, Lockheed Martin works collaboratively with regulatory agencies and communities to remedy the effect of the contamination.
Not only are we committed to taking effective remedial actions, but we also aim to make our remediation projects sustainable wherever possible. We do this by using innovative technological solutions like disposing of contaminants with waste-to-energy incineration and renewing the activated carbon that acts as a filter in many of our treatment plants by safely burning off contaminants and reusing the carbon. We have expanded the use of reactivated carbon to 13 sites where it is approved for use by the regulator.
At several of our remediation sites in water-stressed areas, in cooperation with regulators, we treat contaminated groundwater to such a high standard the local water agency can then direct it into the potable water supply, providing water to more than half a million residents in those service areas. We are also investigating ways to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and sharing results internally and externally to allow the expansion of this water-saving technology.
To improve energy efficiency at our water treatment sites, we have installed variable-frequency drives on pumps. We also partner with utility companies, participating in demand-response programs to scale back energy use during peak utility hours. We measure and track energy efficiency, the amount of water treated, remediation efforts and the efficiency of our sites through an internal operational dashboard.
Lockheed Martin’s Director of Environmental Remediation reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Ethics and Enterprise Assurance, providing significant executive-level focus on the importance of properly managing Lockheed Martin’s environmental remediation responsibilities. The director not only has responsibility for effective implementation of remedial solutions, but also ensures accurate financial reporting to the Vice President and Corporate Controller in support of SEC reporting requirements.
Currently, we have 71 active remediation projects across our operations. You can read more about our commitment to remediation on our Lockheed Martin Remediation website.