If you’re researching waste reduction methods, then the good news is you’ve made the first step to helping your business reduce waste.
Recognising that reducing manufacturing waste is important, is the key to implementing measures that will help you get there. As manufacturing is a huge industry spanning various sectors, the environmental impact of the waste produced is profound.
Waste is produced in every manufacturing process, and that’s not going to change any time soon, but there are ways you can be clever and resourceful to help minimise the environmental impact and save you money at the same time. Here are just a few options…
Reduce Packaging
The most obvious and simplest way to reduce manufacturing waste is to look at the packaging of your products. Think about the materials used in the packaging and consider replacing them with recyclable alternatives or assess whether packaging is absolutely necessary in all cases.
If the waste is coming from packaging on materials you are buying in, to produce your own products, consider buying in bulk as this will usually mean reduced packaging. Analysing the entire supply chain and where unnecessary packaging may be used can dramatically reduce waste created.
Organise And Label
Another simple solution is to get organised with your processes and labelling, to ensure no materials are incorrectly or accidentally wasted. Not only will this save you money, but it also ensures you are helping reduce unnecessary waste C02 production.
By having clearly marked recycling and waste bins, processes signposted around the building, and perishable goods labelled with sell-by dates, you reduce the risk of human error. Being organised is particularly important for business who are newly starting out, and when onboarding new employees. Modern technology can particularly help with the efficient use and storage of products within a warehouse, with product scanning automating the collection and reporting of key data such as use-by date on a warehouse management system.
Recycle And Re-Use
Try to create a circular economy in your business by re-using materials. For example, timber pallets can be upcycled and used to build furniture and excess metals can be sold on to recycling companies for a profit.
Food waste is another big cause of waste, given UK produces a staggering 10 million tonnes of food waste every year. Instead of letting food go to landfill, redistribute it to food banks or pet food producers. At SL Recycling we can take care of this for you, and where it is not possible to redistribute food waste, we will transfer it for Anaerobic Digestion; a process whereby renewable energy is created from the waste.
Just because a product or material is no longer useful for your business or manufacturing processes, doesn’t mean it has lost value.
Cut Out Middlemen
Employing someone to manage your waste disposal might seem like the easiest solution to your excess waste problem, however it’s important to ensure you pick the right company. At SL Recycling we offer end to end waste management, which means there are no hidden third-party costs or wasted transport costs involved. Our comprehensive service means that we offer flexible, personalised, cost-effective waste solutions, plus we are committed to working towards a zero-waste-to-landfill offering.
Without a costly middleman, recycling and other positive waste management methods are more efficient and effective. You can trust in SL Recycling to always put your business environmental goals and tailored requirements at the forefront of what we do.
Reduce Transport
If you are only producing small amounts of waste every week, but lack space to store it, you could actually be working counterproductively – as you will be wasting money and energy on regularly transporting waste to landfill or recycling centres.
Instead, opt to hire a high-volume skip which you can fill with waste and then have collected when it eventually fills up. At SL Recycling, we have a range of skips and waste containers available for hire to businesses, helping manufacturers better manage their waste loads and spend.
Make Money From Metal
Rightly or wrongly, there is often no better incentive to look after the environment by reducing your waste production than the possibility of making money from doing just that. If your business produces large amounts of metal waste, you can arrange for it to be collected and bought by companies such as SL Recycling.
This metal (be it ferrous, non-ferrous, scrap and more) is then recycled and sold on again, meaning that other companies are able to buy recycled metal and therefore reduce their own carbon footprints.
Volume Reduction
If you are repeatedly left with waste at the end of a day, either because products have not sold or because you have nowhere to store materials, you may want to consider reducing production volume. In fact, manufacturing too early or in excess is the most serious and wasteful type of waste.
To avoid overproduction waste, try to refine processes so that batches are always well sized, and build strong relationships with your suppliers so that you can cut down lead times and improve collection processes.
Reduce Manufacturing Waste with SL Recycling
SL Recycling are a local, family-run business who are passionate about excellent customer service, environmentally friendly processes, and cost-effective solutions.
Get in touch with our expert team to find out how we can help assist you through the whole waste management process.
