AT&T ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY

This teaching note describes the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques at AT&T, specifically at the Columbus Works, to eliminate environmental hazards like Perchloroethylene (PERC) and 1,1,1 Trichloroethane (TCA). It details AT&T's success in eliminating CFC usage by May 1993 and reducing toxic air emissions. The document provides a framework for measuring environmental performance through scientific, management, and systems assessment data, while emphasizing the legal liabilities and financial incentives associated with corporate environmental compliance.

• AT&T established specific environmental goals in 1990, achieving the total elimination of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) usage by May 15, 1993. The company also worked to reduce reportable toxic air emissions, reducing them by 81% in 1992 from a 1987 level of 11,500,000 pounds, with a target of a 95% reduction by the end of 1995.
• At the AT&T Columbus Works, the company applied TQM techniques to eliminate the use of Perchloroethylene (PERC). By identifying the root cause of the problem—excess flux on circuit boards—the team redesigned the process to use a low-solids flux applied via spraying rather than dipping, which removed the need for cleaning and eliminated PERC usage entirely. This resulted in the saving of $5,000 per month in scrap and reduced the average throughput time from eight days to four days.
• AT&T's efforts to reduce CFCs provided significant financial benefits; the early phase-out saved the company $25 million annually in supply costs. This was driven by taxes that increased the price of CFCs from approximately 80 cents per pound in 1986 to over $11, while substitutes averaged 50 cents per pound.
• The document outlines a framework for measuring environmental performance divided into three categories: Scientific Data (e.g., physical amounts of substances used or emitted), Management Data (e.g., compliance costs and waste management savings), and Systems Assessment Data (e.g., ISO 14000 certification or self-assessment matrices).
• The teaching note highlights the legal and financial risks for corporate executives regarding environmental negligence. Under the 'responsible corporate officer liability doctrine,' executives can be prosecuted for improper chemical storage by subordinates even without direct knowledge, provided they are deemed negligent for not knowing.

APA

Patell, J. (1994). AT&T ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY. World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-127-6_teaching_note_english.pdf

Chicago

Patell, James. AT&T ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY. World Resources Institute, 1994. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-127-6_teaching_note_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Patell |first1=James |title=AT&T ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=1994 |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-127-6_teaching_note_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{patell1994att, author = {Patell, James}, title = {{AT\&T ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {1994}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-127-6_teaching_note_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }