Chris Rodinis
https://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/04/03/pg-achieves-zero-waste-at-45-sites-2/
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has achieved zero waste in 45 facilities.
This means there is no waste from manufacturing. Which is a serious achievement. It does not include waste from running an office or employees personal waste, however, it is an excellent milestone.
Which, by the way is their next goal. No waste going to landfills at all by 2020!
In 2007, P&G’s first location to prove “zero manufacturing waste to landfills” was Budapest.
How did they achieve it? Each step along the way played a role. By focusing on quality outcomes, reducing packaging, recycling everything possible, their rate of material supply usage is 99%.
Now they can say everything that leaves these 45 plants is either processed into clean energy fuel, a recyclable with value, a reusable product or a finished product.
A One Billion Dollar Windfall
The BEST THING, which all CEO’s, environmentalist, moms, children and businessmen everywhere will love, is that this zero waste achievement has created more than $1 billion in value for P&G!
Take for example, our neighbor south of the border, Mexico. There “paper sludge from a Charmin toilet tissue plant is turned into low-cost roof tiles used to build homes in the local community.”
“At a US Pampers site, scrap from the wipe manufacturing process is converted to upholstery filling, P&G says.”
“And, in the UK, waste created in the production of Gillette shaving foam is composted then used to grow turf for commercial uses.”
They Are Not Done Yet
Here are some other ambitious green sustainability 2020 goals for P&G: “powering its plants with 100 percent renewable energy, using 100 percent renewable materials or recyclate for all its products and packaging and designing products that maximize the conservation of resources.”
As far as fiber-sourcing, P&G will be using only recycled pulp for tissue, towel, baby care, and feminine products by 2015. This goal was inspired and assisted by the World Wildlife Fund.
As for the Unilever arm of the company, they are ahead of their goals. Over fifty percent are meeting the zero waste benchmark and the plan is to be at 100% zero waste by 2015. That is five years ahead of schedule!
Great job P&G.
For more information about zero-waste and recycling, visit: