Why reduce waste?
Every year, humans worldwide generate 2.1 billion to 2.3 billion tons of urban solid waste. If not managed properly, most waste (from food and plastics to electronic products and textiles) will emit greenhouse gases or toxic chemicals. This will damage ecosystems, cause diseases, and threaten economic prosperity, especially causing harm to women and youth.
On March 30th, the world will celebrate International Zero Waste Day. This commemorative event also focuses on how to control conspicuous consumption that leads to waste crisis. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “Overconsumption is killing us. Humanity needs intervention. On this International Zero Waste Day, let us promise to end the destructive cycle of waste once and for all.
The specific strategies for reducing manufacturing waste include the following aspects:
1.Optimize raw materials and production processes: Select low toxicity and low pollution raw materials, such as bio based resins, to reduce harmful substance emissions during the production process. Optimize production processes, adopt advanced production equipment, and precisely control parameters such as temperature, pressure, and time during the production process to reduce the production of defective products and waste.
2.Waste classification and recycling: Detailed classification of waste is carried out during the production process, and a waste recycling system is established to recycle and reuse scraps and unqualified products. Recycled waste can be processed and used to produce new products.
3.Energy conservation, emission reduction and resource utilization: Optimize production processes, reduce energy consumption and emissions, such as using waste heat recovery technology and promoting clean energy. Fully utilize the waste generated during the production process, such as dust, and use it as raw materials or auxiliary materials for other products after appropriate treatment.
4.Environmental management and supervision: Establish a sound environmental management system, conduct regular environmental assessments of production equipment and processes, and promptly identify and solve potential pollution problems. Strengthen environmental supervision of the production process to ensure effective implementation of various environmental protection measures.
5.Renewable energy technology: One of the best starting points when looking for opportunities to reduce waste is energy. Fossil fuels generate waste through greenhouse gases (GHG) such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Transforming the company to renewable energy is crucial for reducing its impact on the environment and related costs. For manufacturers, transformation begins with the machines and vehicles used in operations.
Reducing manufacturing waste through clean energy is common in the automotive industry. These companies are shifting towards electric vehicles (EVs) because they do not emit greenhouse gases and have regenerative braking systems. Company leaders can increase the use of renewable energy in manufacturing facilities through electric forklifts and robots. In the past, machines required fossil fuels, but these equipment options could utilize electricity.
6.Technological innovation and research and development: Encourage technological innovation and research and development, explore more environmentally friendly and efficient production processes and equipment. Collaborate with universities and research institutions to jointly carry out research and development of environmental protection technologies and the transformation of achievements.
7.Factory layout optimization: Reasonably arrange raw material warehouses, production workshops, finished product warehouses, etc. to shorten material handling distances. Adopting advanced logistics management systems and automated equipment to reduce waste during material handling.
8.Inventory control and reduction of overproduction: Establish a lean inventory management system to monitor and alert inventory in real-time, avoiding inventory backlog and waste. Design flexible production lines, quickly adjust production capacity according to market demand, and avoid overproduction.
9.Quality control: Establish a strict quality inspection system, promptly detect and handle defective products, and reduce production costs and waste.
The specific strategies for reducing manufacturing waste include the following aspects:
Improve production process
From the automotive industry to the construction industry, manufacturing companies all generate waste. Reducing waste may be challenging, but it is crucial for the health of the planet. The manufacturing industry holds an important position worldwide, so producers must pay attention to emissions and harmful substances. Untreated waste can seriously damage water sources and endanger community members. Modern innovation makes reducing waste easier to manage. The principles of sustainable packaging and lean manufacturing lead to improved operations.
Adopting advanced technology: Introducing efficient and low waste production techniques and equipment, such as using advanced smelting reduction ironmaking processes in steel production, can reduce the generation of waste residue; In chemical production, the use of new catalytic technologies can improve raw material conversion rates and reduce waste generation.
Optimize the production process: Conduct a comprehensive evaluation and optimization of the existing production process to eliminate or reduce unnecessary production steps, thereby reducing the amount of solid waste generated. For example, in the mechanical processing industry, the production of metal scraps can be reduced through precise material calculations and optimized cutting processes.
Improve resource utilization
Strengthen raw material management: In the procurement process, select high-quality and pure raw materials, improve the utilization rate of raw materials, and reduce the generation of impurities and waste. For example, in the paper industry, using high-quality wood pulp raw materials can reduce the generation of waste residue during the production process.
Carry out resource recycling: Establish a sound resource recycling system in the production process, classify and recycle reusable materials. In electronic and electrical manufacturing enterprises, waste electronic components, metal parts, etc. in the production process are recycled and dismantled to achieve the reuse of resources.
