When it comes to reducing waste associated with your manufacturing business, starting small and gradually building to bigger changes may be what is best for your company’s future. If you are unsure where to start, here are some simple first steps you can take on your road to waste reduction.
Reduce Packaging
If you are shipping products from your facility, make sure the package size matches the item rather than going with a one-size-fits-all approach.
If you’re regularly receiving shipments, communicate with your suppliers to see if they will take their packaging back for reuse or recycling. If you are a frequent customer, you may be able to work out an arrangement where supplies are shipped to you on pallets or in reusable containers.
Reuse Wastewater
Investing in equipment that treats your wastewater can lead to reduced water consumption through reuse. If for whatever reason reuse isn’t viable, investing in oil water separators North Carolina may still be an attractive option as they can eliminate costs associated with wastewater disposal. Very often, treated water can be drained directly into sewers instead of having to be sent off to be processed.
Recycle Cast-Offs
If you regularly accumulate small, unusable scraps of material as a byproduct of manufacturing, pause before you call the janitor to take them away. Just because those scraps are too small for you to use, it doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t want them. Check around with businesses and other organizations in your area. They may be willing to take such things off your hands. The same goes for a surplus of unwanted material or damaged (but otherwise safe) items.
If you regularly throw out smocks, masks or gloves, consider switching from disposable to reusable. This way you aren’t at the mercy of the supply chain when demand is high and you keep tons of waste out of landfills.
In the end, making the decision to reduce waste may not just help the planet, but turn into saved money. Either way, it’s a “green” outcome.
