Zero Waste Initiatives
Zero waste is a term that describes the coveted status of running a business that, put in oversimplified terms, produces no waste. Producing no waste serves both the environment and a business owner’s wallet.
To achieve “zero waste” status, a business will likely do one or all of the following:
- reduce the use of materials
- recycle waste
- reuse or upcycle the waste for other purposes
The best zero waste policy will reduce the amount of resources and pollutants involved in the production of materials and aid waste diversion by lessening the amount of materials that go into landfills. Below, you can find out how many of the largest companies have reached their zero waste goals.
How The RB Company Gains Options By Sending Less Waste To The Landfill
RB is the company responsible for Lysol, Clearasil, Woolite, Veet, and more. All of their facilities in Europe and North America send zero manufacturing waste to landfills, and 74% of their overall facilities have reached zero waste status.
On their website they say, “We are creating a culture of zero waste and crowdsource waste reuse and recycling ideas that deliver alternative revenue streams and disposal options. For example, our Nowy Dwor site in Poland has turned water from the water treatment plant into organic fertilizer.”
Unilever Puts Their Waste To Many Uses
According to their website, Unilever has kept all of the non-hazardous waste from their over 600 facilities from going to a landfill. They go to great lengths to eliminate waste at the source by using less packaging and according to waste360, they also manage waste by inventory management, composting, creating animal feed, recycling packaging, and generating biodiesel fuel. According to Unilever, its waste diversion efforts have resulted in $225 million in savings while boosting social enterprise projects and jobs.
Ford’s Methods For Reaching Their Zero Waste Goals
Ford was one of the first in achieving zero-waste-to-landfill goals in individual plants, and they have reduced their overall landfill usage per vehicle by 50% in the last five years. One of their most exciting plans is described on their website, “In 2014, we implemented closed-loop recycling processes as part of the manufacture of the all-new Ford F‑150. Through these programs, described in more detail in a case study, we return production scraps of aluminum and seat fabric directly to suppliers to be recycled into new material. Between 30 and 40 percent of a typical aluminum coil is turned into scrap during the stamping process. This will now be recycled into new metal for our trucks using the closed-loop system.”
They also employ this five step action plan:
“Five Key Actions
Invest – Continue investing in new technologies and programs that minimize waste
Standardize – Standardize how waste is tracked and sorted at each point to make recycling and reuse easier
Identify – Identify the five largest-volume waste sources of waste-to-landfill at each facility
Partner – Partner with suppliers to increase the use of eco-friendly packaging
Enable – Enable local plants to affect waste management change”
GM Reaps The Financial Benefits Of Recycling
GM generated $2.5 billion in revenue between 2007 and 2010 through various recycling activities. One example seen at Pontiac Metal Center in Michigan resulted in the generation of $7.5 million in recycling revenue, including metals, in 2011 alone. Much of the money generated from recycling is also put right back into research and development of clean-energy technology and product innovation.
Sunny Delight Beverages Co. Credits Employees For Maintaining Zero Waste
They reached zero waste to landfill status in 2009 and worked hard to maintain it. In their 2015 Sustainability Report, Ellen Iobst was quoted, “Achieving zero waste to landfill was difficult, but even more challenging is maintaining zero waste to landfill,” said Ellen Iobst, chief sustainability officer and senior vice president, supply chain. “This accomplishment requires creativity, innovation and tenacity from people who are passionate about environmental stewardship. We are proud of our workforce’s efforts to maximize our impact while minimizing our footprint.”
They made a similar comment in their 2014 Sustainability Report found on their website, “In the end, I hope you agree that sustaining a sustainability program over the long haul – as market conditions change – can only be done through exceptional creativity and persistence from committed employees who are passionate about their mission. We are fortunate to have employees like that and this report is a testament to their efforts.”
We applaud all of the organizations who are taking on this challenge and we love Ford’s philosophy on the topic… “Ford pursues ZWTLF as an important component of being a green and sustainable company,” Czich says. “We measure the success to Ford and the environment by the amount of waste diverted from landfills. The reduction of future liabilities that result from landfilled wastes is an additional benefit resulting from ZWTLF initiatives.” For the full article talking about Ford and Zero Waste To Landfill initiatives, click this link.