In the past, office furniture manufacturing facilities, as well as many other industries such as painting and coating operations, were significant sources of air emissions. As part of their continuous improvement focus on the environment, KI manufacturing facilities have made considerable progress in reducing the amount and toxicity of air emissions that are generated in their manufacturing processes. These changes have positive impacts for KI and their customers by:

• Improving KI employee work environments
• Improving regional air quality in the areas in which the furniture manufacturing occurs
• Reducing potential for off-gassing and indoor air quality issues associated with the use of the final product lines, benefiting KI customers
• Reducing hazardous and toxic wastes generated at the manufacturing facilities, since solvent-based (i.e. volatile) materials commonly produce hazardous waste
• Focusing KI staff energy and efforts to productive activities rather than the strenuous and complicated tasks of air emissions permitting, record keeping, and monitoring required when a facility is a major source of air emissions.

The following table identifies some of the traditional methods for Kl's operations and how many KI facilities have reduced air emissions using these methods. Note that air emission reductions have also achieved other environmental benefits, such as water conservation and waste reduction.