TABLE OF CONTENTS. Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries. Acknowledgements

Transcription

1 Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Overview of the Solid Waste Situation in Singapore NEA s Strategies on Waste Minimisation Why Develop this Guidebook? CHAPTER 2: BENEFITS OF WASTE MINIMISATION What is Waste Minimisation? Benefits to Companies Benefits to Singapore CHAPTER 3: EIGHT STEPS TO A WASTE MINIMISATION PLAN Step 1 Get Management s Commitment Step 2 Select a Waste Minimisation Working Team Step 3 Conduct a Waste Audit Step 4 Determine the True Costs of Waste Step 5 Develop Waste Reduction Options Step 6 Assess the Scope of Savings & Rank Options Step 7 Develop a Waste Minimisation Plan Step 8 Implement and Improve the Plan CHAPTER 4: CASE STUDIES Baxter Healthcare Pte Ltd Chevron Oronite Pte Ltd IBM Singapore Pte Ltd Kyoei Engineering Singapore Pte Ltd Sony Display Device (Singapore) Pte Ltd Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd REFERENCES

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The National Environment Agency (NEA) would like to thank the following organisations for their participation in the Working Group to produce this Guidebook and for their invaluable contributions and support: i) JTC Corporation, ii) iii) iv) Singapore Manufacturers Federation, IBM Singapore Pte Ltd, Sony Electronics (Singapore) Pte Ltd and v) Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore The NEA would also like to thank the following persons and their companies for their contributions of the best practices in waste minimisation & recycling to the Guidebook and for their invaluable advice and suggestions: i) Ms Shirley Pang [Baxter Healthcare Pte Ltd] ii) iii) iv) Mr Ting Eeng Hoe [Baxter Healthcare Pte Ltd] Mr Alan Chong [Chevron Oronite Pte Ltd] Mr Lim Tew Team [Kyoei Engineering Singapore Pte Ltd] v) Mr Windsor Chan Jr [IBM Singapore Pte Ltd] vi) vii) Mr Chan Pheng Hwa [Sony Display Device (Singapore) Pte Ltd] Mr Ong Lye Huat [Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd] Our special thanks also to Dr Tan Kee Wee, (Director, Research & Corporate Communications of Singapore Manufacturers Federation) for editing the Guidebook. We would like to thank all who had provided feedback and suggestions. 1

3 Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Overview of Solid Waste Situation in Singapore Over the past three decades, the solid waste disposed of in Singapore has increased 6-fold. Domestic waste increased about 3-fold. Non-domestic waste increased even more by about 8-fold mainly from the high growth in the manufacturing and services sectors. Since 1979, the government has spent billions of dollars to build four incineration plants and sanitary landfills. The incineration plants have been designed to incinerate waste safely and fitted with air pollution control equipment. They effectively reduce the volume of waste for final disposal in the landfill and also recover energy and scrap metals. Even then, the last landfill on the main island of Singapore was filled up by 1999 and a new offshore landfill at Pulau Semakau was developed for non-incinerable waste. With the rate of growth in solid waste, Singapore would need to build a new incineration plant every 5-7 years and a new landfill the size of Semakau Landfill every years. Strategies on Waste Minimisation It is not sustainable to go on building more waste disposal facilities to meet increasing amounts of waste. Moreover, building and operating new disposal facilities is very costly and could only lead to a higher refuse disposal fee. The sustainable waste management solution is to minimise waste, and maximise recycling. Such an approach would help to defer the construction of new disposal facilities, reduce the demand for land to build the facilities, and avoid unnecessary increase in the refuse disposal fee. Recognising the need to reduce waste, the Ministry of the Environment (ENV) started to promote waste reduction and recycling in the 1980s and 1990s by adopting a policy of waste incineration to reduce waste volume and encouraging recycling. By 2002, about 90% of the waste is disposed of by incineration thus reducing the landfill space taken up by waste very significantly. Industries have also responded well and by 2002, about 60% of the waste generated by industries was recycled. The overall waste recycling rate for all waste was 45% in To step up the efforts, the National Environment Agency (NEA, a statutory board under ENV) has adopted three strategies. One is to reduce waste going to incineration plants. The other is to reuse incineration ash. The third is to reduce waste going directly to landfills. To achieve a long-term goal of sustainable waste management, the Singapore Green Plan (SGP) 2012 sets the following key targets: 2

4 increase the overall waste recycling rate to 60% by 2012; extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill to 50 years, and striving towards zero landfill ; reduce the need for new incineration plants, from the current one every 5-7 years, to one every years. The NEA has been working closely with various partners in the people, private and public sectors to educate, plan and implement waste recycling programmes to meet the targets of the SGP Why Develop this Guidebook? A growing number of manufacturing companies in Singapore has been practising waste minimisation at various levels and realised savings and other benefits. However, the fact that our disposal facilities still receive large amounts of waste materials from industries indicates that there is still room for improvement. Currently, non-domestic waste from industries and commercial premises accounts for about 50% of the waste disposed at our waste disposal facilities. Studies show that there is scope to reduce waste at source and to recover more recyclables from the industrial sector for reuse and recycling. This Guidebook is a joint effort of NEA, JTC Corporation (JTC), Singapore Manufacturers Federation (SMa), Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS), and industries. The aim of the Guidebook is to assist companies to reduce waste at source and to maximise recovery of recyclable waste for reuse or recycling. This would in turn lead to further improvement in productivity and profitability, and reduce waste. This Guidebook will provide companies with practical information on how to approach, plan, and implement a waste minimisation plan. It also provides case studies of several companies that have achieved cost savings and waste reduction. BENEFITS OF WASTE MINIMISATION What is Waste Minimisation? There are many ways to define waste minimisation. In its broadest sense, waste minimisation includes all practices (including waste prevention, reuse and recycling) that reduce the amount of waste entering the environment. More specifically, waste minimisation in industry means practices, including, but not limited to: 3

5 Product design modifications, Inventory management changes, Operational & maintenance procedure changes, Material changes, Equipment replacement or modifications, Reuse/recycling of waste materials. Benefits to Companies Waste minimisation has positive outcomes to industries. It can provide competitive advantages to a company in two main ways: Improved Resource Efficiency & Cost Savings All the resources (such as raw materials, consumables, energy, water, manpower and time) that a company puts into their business process will result in either products which can generate revenue, or waste which costs money to treat or dispose of. A representation of a resource throughput is shown below. raw materials & consumables energy & water manpower & time Business Process Products Revenue waste (gaseous / liquid / solid) waste energy waste manpower & time Cost Cost Practising waste minimisation in any area of a business process can help reduce business costs. This can be done through improved resource and process efficiency, reduction of waste, and cutting down of waste handling and disposal costs. Many companies experiences have demonstrated this. Several examples are given in Chapter 4 of this Guidebook on Case Studies. Improved Public Image & Winning Edge Furthermore, companies that make efforts to achieve waste reduction can also improve their public image, enhance their reputation by going green, and gain a winning edge in the market place as preferred suppliers. Many businesses have enhanced their relationship with customers through initiatives such as reusable transit packaging, end-of-life take-back schemes, etc. 4

6 An electronic company used to spend large amounts of money on one-way packaging materials to deliver their products to customers. They then formed a waste minimisation working committee. This led to an intensive waste audit at every stage of the manufacturing process, and in-house reduction targets were set. The company found opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. One of the options - the reuse of packaging materials found strong support with their customers - resulted in large reduction in packaging waste, and realised savings of about $1 million a year. Benefits to the Nation Singapore disposed of 2.6 million tonnes of solid waste in Collecting, processing and disposing the waste in land-scarce Singapore are expensive and resource intensive. At the current refuse disposal fee of $77 per tonne, this represents a $200 million value per year in expense. A 10% reduction in waste disposal would result in savings of $2 million or more each year. In turn, the reduction in waste would help reduce the demand for new waste disposal facilities and the associated expenditure. Just as important, waste minimisation helps to conserve finite natural resources, expand the lifespan of the landfill, and move a step closer to sustainable waste management and towards zero landfill. EIGHT STEPS TO A WASTE MINIMISATION PLAN Your company may already have a waste minimisation plan or programme in place. If so, you may use this Guidebook as a point of reference and go to the sections most appropriate to your needs. Or you could make use of the resource information listed in References section to further improve your plan. If your company is starting from scratch, this Guidebook would help you move along step by step in developing and implementing a waste minimisation plan for your facility. The steps are as follows: Step 1: Get Management s Commitment Step 2: Select a Waste Minimisation Working Team Step 3: Conduct a Waste Audit Step 4: Determine the True Costs of Waste Step 5: Develop Waste Reduction Options Step 6: Assess the Scope of Savings & Rank Options Step 7: Develop a Waste Minimisation Plan Step 8: Implement and Improve the Plan 5

7 Step 1: Get Management s Commitment To stay competitive, companies need to continually find new ways to improve efficiency and cut costs. If you are the decision-maker of the company and would like to achieve the same benefits that other companies have reaped, then the first step, which is an essential prerequisite for success, is to give a clear and strong signal of the senior management s commitment to support waste minimisation efforts. If you are an environmental engineer or manager (or from any other departments), and believe that there are scope to reduce waste in your facility, take this first step to propose a waste minimisation plan to your senior management to draw up and implement a waste minimisation plan. You need to collect data on the amount of waste generated by your company and the cost of disposing it and estimate the potential savings today and in the future. You should also find the most effective channel; to present your idea and proposal so that senior management has a chance to study and consider your idea and proposal. When the senior management has made their decision, it is important to get a clear direction on appointment of the appropriate personnel to take charge of the project and the time frame for implementation. Request your senior management to demonstrate its support and commitment as follows: Circulating or make known to all staff a policy statement on waste minimisation; Announcing the formation of a waste minimisation team and give the team the authority and responsibility; Keeping staff informed of plan and the progress of the project Giving recognition as appropriate to the staff involved; and Showing interest and participating in key activities on waste minimisation. The policy statement, which conveys waste minimisation plan objectives to employees, may include these main points: Reducing waste at source to eliminate waste is the main goal in research, process and product design, plant operations, and is as important to management as quality, safety, yield, and loss prevention. Reusing and recycling materials before disposing them as waste. 6

8 In the policy statement, you may also want to list certain motivations for waste minimisation. These could be product quality improvement, cost reduction, and being an environmentally-responsible corporate citizen. Following are some examples of policy statements. You may use them as the reference, or amend the language to suit your facility. Examples of Policy Statements 1. [Your Company]'s policy is to reduce all waste to the minimum levels that are economically and technically feasible; As both a responsible citizen and [Company] employee, each individual is responsible for reducing waste, and for complying fully with all waste reduction programme goals established by the company; Employees are urged to come forth with suggestions for further reducing waste in their own work areas, and in any other areas which they may have ideas. 2. [Your Company] is committed to excellence and leadership in protecting the environment. In keeping with this policy, our objective is to reduce waste and emissions. We strive to minimize adverse impact on the air, water, and land, through excellence in waste reduction. By successfully reducing waste at its source, we can achieve cost savings, increase operational efficiencies, improve the quality of our products and services, and maintain a safe and healthy workplace for our employees. [Your Company] promotes environmentally-sound measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. Once management signs and dates the policy statement, display it prominently and distribute it widely. How a company first distribute the written policy to employees indicates its commitment. Posting it unexpectedly at work stations could send a negative message. We suggest that you call a special meeting to explain and distribute copies of your company's policy, and ask employees for their ideas. This will help to send a positive signal to employees and get them involved and treat the matter seriously. Step 2: Select a Waste Minimisation Working Team Following the policy decision, a waste minimisation working team need to be formed to make things happen. A company needs to select a waste minimisation working team, identify a competent team leader, and give the leader sufficient authority to lead the team. The team leader would best possess the following attributes: 7

9 Familiar with the facility, its production processes, and its waste management operations Familiar with quality control requirements Good rapport with management and employees Familiar with waste reduction principles and techniques Familiar with new production and waste management technology The size of the team can vary depending on the complexity of the company s operation. Preferably, the members would be well represented in terms of experience, knowledge, and perception of the issues, and from different sections / departments / divisions and levels such as : Management Engineering / design Production Maintenance Purchasing Accounting / Finance Shipping / Receiving It may be useful for the team to involve the company s suppliers in the planning process. Suppliers would have the technical knowledge about the raw materials, or equipment, or packaging that they are supplying. They may also have experience with their other customers on similar projects and can share information and success stories. For the same reason, it would be helpful to involve your company s customers in the process. Step 3: Conduct a Waste Audit Solid waste in a manufacturing facility is usually generated in three areas: manufacturing (wastage of raw material and process waste); shipping and receiving (packaging waste); office operations (paper and print cartridge waste, etc.); 8

10 Understanding the waste generated in these areas is an essential step and can be done through conducting a waste audit. The objective of a waste audit is to profile the waste streams by finding out information on the types of waste, quantity of each waste stream, how they are generated, why they are generated, where they are being generated, and how they are managed after being generated. Doing this alone will not reduce waste, but it helps to identify areas of wastage and problems, and discover opportunities to reduce them in the later stage of planning. You can obtain information on waste materials through: getting material purchasing records, waste disposal invoices, records of waste and rejects produced at generation points in daily operations; walking through different operational processing areas; surveying the waste in the refuse bins; and talking to the relevant employees. Create a checklist for all waste streams and use a waste assessment sheet for each waste stream identified from all activities / processes / operations. An example of a waste stream assessment sheet is as follows: Date: Process / Operation / Activity: Profile of waste: Type of Waste: Point of origin: Quantity/month: Physical & chemical properties: Rate of generation (i.e. kg/unit of product): Potential for contamination (e.g. mixed with other types of waste): 9

11 Cost to manage and/or dispose: Why it is generated (e.g. due to frequent machine break down): How it is managed after being generated (i.e. reused / recycled / disposed?): When conducting the waste audit, an estimate should be made of the resources required to carry out the audit. Your resources requirements may include the following: adequate time for assigned people to carry out audit tasks to ensure the quality of your audit data; storage containers to isolate, move, and sort waste and recyclables; different-colour bags, tags, or labelled containers to identify waste from various generation points; space for sorting and storing waste during the audit; a weighing scale. The suggested waste audit approach is not intended to provide a highly accurate and detailed measurement of all waste, but to identify the major waste and to provide a starting point for your waste diversion initiatives. If the operation of your company is a highly complex one that needs experienced personnel to conduct the audit, or the resources are limited in your company, you may want to consider hiring consultants specialising in waste audits. Special attention needs to be given to find out why a waste is generated. It can help to discover the root cause of wastage and identify solutions. Step 4: Determine the True Costs of Waste Having identified the waste streams and filled in the related information in the waste assessment sheets, you would have the basic information on the waste produced by your company. The next step is to determine the true cost of dealing with the waste streams from various processes, operations, or activities. This would help to provide a clearer picture of how much it costs the company when these waste are produced and then disposed of. You can then identify the high cost waste streams, prioritise efforts, and track the overall success of the waste minimisation programmes. There are two broad areas of costs that should be considered. From the analysis of costs below, it can be seen that the true cost of waste is more than what meets the eyes. 10

12 Disposal Costs Hauling Charge Container Rental Fee Disposal Tipping Fee is the cost you pay a contractor for collecting and transporting waste to an incineration plant or the landfill. is the monthly fee for having a compactor, or an open top container, or refuse bins on-site. is the charge for the amount of waste (tonnage) being disposed of at an incinerator or the landfill. These three elements of the disposal costs may not apply in some cases. Some waste collectors may charge a company a flat fee to include all the three elements of the costs depending on the contract agreed upon. Associated Costs The true costs of producing waste goes beyond the disposal cost. In its simplest form, we need to add the cost of the raw material in the waste to the cost of disposal. Where more than one material is in the waste, this calculation should be made for each component. Simplest calculation of the true cost of a waste Cost of waste = Cost of raw material that becomes waste + Cost of disposal of waste = [Amount of raw material purchased amount of raw material in product] x unit cost of raw material + Cost of disposal of raw material waste In reality, any business process involves many resources on top of the raw materials used. Hence, when we calculate the true cost of a waste, we need to assign all the associated costs contributing to the true cost of producing a waste, and they can include the following: Purchasing cost of raw materials o the raw material that exceeds the shelf-life; o the raw material lost / leakage before it gets to the production process; o the raw material in the rejects. Manpower costs o operating labour and supervision 11

13 o maintenance work o material handling o inspection o record keeping o training Utilities costs o electricity o water o steam o refrigeration o fuel o sewerage Equipment depreciation Loss of revenue (i.e. downgraded product, seconds, or an off-standard reject that can not be sold) Cost of waste handling o storage, o internal transport, o managing waste-disposal contractors; Although businesses have many elements in common, it is impossible to cover all aspects of costs associated with individual waste. The true costs should be examined for each and every waste. In summary, the true cost of a waste should include all associated waste and the disposal costs. True Cost of Waste = Associated Costs + Disposal Costs Experience has shown that many businesses spend around 4% of their turnover generating waste. The true cost of waste can be between 5 and 20 times the cost of their disposal. And in an average company, it could be around ten times the cost of disposal. Step 5: Develop Waste Reduction Options After conducting the waste audit and determining the true costs of waste, the next step is to identify the opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste and cut down costs. 12

14 Objective Your objective at this step is to generate a comprehensive set of waste minimisation options. Consider every waste stream as a reduction opportunity until proven otherwise. Most of the time, an opportunity exists if a waste stream exists. Prioritising waste streams If your company has quite a few waste streams, you may want to prioritise them. One-way of ranking them is in terms of their true cost. Generally, we can target at the higher cost waste streams as they may represent higher cost of raw materials, higher process inefficiency, and thus more potential for cost savings. Other factors, such as whether the high waste cost can easily be reduced, and the payback period for high investment measures to reduce waste, can also play a part. These factors will be considered at the ranking of options stage later. Tapping on all resources Identifying potential options relies both on the expertise and creativity of the team members. Much of the information needed can come from their education and on-the-job experience. The team should tap on all resources available and involve as many employees as practically possible. Consulting staff from different departments, such as purchasing officers, engineers, machine operators and maintenance technicians, would be useful too. These people know their working areas best and may be able to suggest good options for waste reduction. Your suppliers / vendors and customers are also valuable resources. Consider all options At this stage of developing options, the working team should list all the possible opportunities of reducing waste within the facility. The team should not consider in detail the technical or economic aspects of any particular option. This will be done at the next step. The list may include several options for each waste stream or process. General areas for waste reduction In general, we could identify options to reduce waste in three areas: manufacturing (raw material and process waste), receiving/shipping (packaging waste) and office (paper, cartridge etc. general office waste). The waste minimisation techniques or practices listed below may help inspire you to generate ideas on options to reduce waste at your facility. (1) Reduction of Manufacturing Waste (a) Inventory management 13

15 Proper control over raw materials, intermediate products, final products, and the associated waste streams is an important waste reduction technique. Experiences show that better inventory control and material handling could lead to reduction of raw material waste. You may look for waste reduction options by observing some general guidelines described below. Inventory control: purchase only the amount of raw materials needed for a production run or a set period of time; purchase the material in the proper amount and the proper size container; approach the suppliers to see if they can take back the excess materials; develop review procedures for all materials purchased, to minimise the chances of storing them beyond their shelf-life period. Material handling: Ensure that raw materials reach the production process without loss through contamination, spills, and leaks; Ensure that the material is efficiently handled and used in the production process and does not become waste; Handle waste or rejects like a product. Allowing a recyclable or clean waste material to be contaminated can reduce or eliminate its recovery potential; Encourage employees to separate waste that can be recycled from those that have to be sent for incineration or landfill. Label and place recycling and trash bins in strategic locations of production process areas. (b) Production process modification Improving the efficiency of a production process can significantly reduce process waste generation. It can be achieved or enhanced through modification in operational and maintenance procedures, material change and equipment. Operational and maintenance procedures: Look for opportunities to further improve efficiency of operational process procedures; Most production processes can be operated more efficiently, no matter how long they have been in operation or how well they have been run. 14

16 Some process steps may in fact be unnecessary, and eliminating them will reduce waste generation. For example, a paint manufacturer found that instead of using a series of coarse to fine filters to remove grit, only the fine filter was necessary. As a result of this change to using only one filter, the generation of spent filter cartridges was reduced by more than 50%. The costs of purchasing, handling, and disposing of the cartridges have also been reduced. Document fully improved operating procedures, and make them part of the regular employee training programme; Implement a strict maintenance programme, which stresses preventive and corrective maintenance, to reduce waste generation caused by equipment failure. Such a programme can help spot potential sources of release and correct a problem before any material is lost; Maintain a strict schedule on all maintenance activities under the programme and keep accurate records. Material change: Consider material change that will lead to the elimination of one step of the process. This could lead to elimination, or reduction of raw material used and waste generated, and improve the process efficiency; Consider material change that may have an impact on overall waste reduction; Use a less hazardous material in a production process where possible; Look for ways to avoid contamination of a waste so that it can be put back into the originating process as a substitute for a raw material; Look for ways to use a waste as a raw material in another process; A high-technology and scientific equipment supplier uses employee teams to identify waste reduction opportunities. In the course of a discussion between an engineer and a purchasing expert, they discovered one opportunity that now saves the company nearly $100,000 each year. By changing the specifications for a steel-alloy part used in manufacturing seals, the company was able to purchase an alternative material which requires less cutting and shaping to meet the customers needs. Just this one material switch reduced their labour cost by 33% and other related costs. The company also realised substantial savings through a 66% reduction in metal waste. 15

17 Process equipment modification: Modify existing or install more efficient process equipment to take advantage of better production technologies: New or updated equipment can usually process materials more efficiently, reduce the amount of raw material used, and cut down the number of off-specification products or rejects. This will reduce waste and costs. Sometimes the modification of equipment can be simple and effective in improving efficiency. A manufacturing company s core business is to produce office furniture. The mechanical sensors on a machine that cuts desk and table tops were reliable, but occasionally failed to function. As a consequence, the tops were sometimes cut out-of-square. Each mis-cut top had to be discarded, because they could not be repaired. Under their Machine Improvement Programme, they started looking into how to improve the reliability of the process. A simple low-cost solution to the problem was proposed by the team involved in the programme. They replaced the mechanical sensors with more reliable optical sensors. For an investment of US$181, the company saved 17 tonnes of marketable tops valued at US$8,950 each year. It also saved on the cost of 17 tonnes of raw materials, the cost on waste disposal, and all associated costs such as labour and energy costs. In many cases, improved operational procedures and process equipment modifications are used together to improve efficiency, and reduce costs and waste. (2) Reduction of Packaging Waste The packaging materials usually include cardboard, plastics, and drums. Your packaging waste will be either from your suppliers, who deliver the materials you need for your production, or in the form of packaging materials you use to pack and ship your products to your customers. Using packaging materials more than necessary to pack and ship your products costs you more in purchasing, materials handling, and shipping. This generates more packaging waste at your customers end. If your suppliers use packaging materials more than necessary to supply you the goods, or use single-use packaging, it generates more waste at your facility, costs you more time to handle, and incurs more disposal cost to you if the packaging is not recyclable. 16

18 Many companies experiences have shown that the easiest area to begin waste reduction is most likely in the packaging area. Thus, in waste reduction, packaging waste is often referred to as low hanging fruit". So look into the ways to modify the design or change the material of packaging that can: improve packing / shipping efficiency, reduce the use of packing materials, and / or allow reusable or recyclable packaging. Work with your suppliers and customers for opportunities to reuse and / or recycle packaging materials. A software company develops, markets, and ships computer software products that support software libraries for computer programmers and math experts. The company has implemented several waste reduction measures in its product packaging. Below is one of the examples: Previously, each product (which might consist of several disks and manuals) was packed in a small corrugated cardboard box. Since many of its customers order more than one product at a time, these small boxes were then consolidated into one or more larger boxes. Under the new system, manuals and disks are shrink-wrapped together, eliminating the smaller boxes. This has reduced the weight of packaging sent to customers by an estimated 68% and significantly reduced staff time. They have achieved financial savings (packaging only) of $21,000/year. In addition, they have achieved significant resource savings on packaging each year. An engineering company manufactures and assembles precision custom sheet metal parts for its customers. They have created a "closed-loop system" for some transport packaging. By convincing a customer to use a local vendor for an interim manufacturing step, the company was able to create custom packaging to ship sheet metal parts. The second vendor inserts additional components, then ships the 17

19 completed assembly to the end customer. The durable cardboard packaging is returned to the company and is reused at least 10 times before being recycled. Financial savings amounted to more than $50,000 a year. (3) Reduction of Office Waste In a typical office, usually half of the total waste is paper-based. Paper is therefore a major purchasing and disposal cost to the average office. Yet it is a cost that can be brought down easily through reduction, reuse and recycling. The following suggested practical options could be considered to reduce paper waste in an office: Reduce Make it a company policy that all printing, photocopying and publications are produced in double-sided format where possible. I can print DOUBLE-SIDED. USE ME TO THE FULLEST!!! Put reminder posters near printers and photocopiers. Cancel subscriptions of unwanted publications to reduce paper waste. Avoid overproduction of marketing and publicity material by reviewing distribution lists and regularly updating databases Use electronic communication where possible to reduce printing and faxing. Ensure that your staff is comfortable with new technology and provide training where necessary. Encourage them not to print out s unless absolutely necessary. Eliminate the use of fax cover sheet where possible. Ensure fax machines are set so that they do not produce unwanted headers or report sheets. Reduce confidential waste costs by giving clear instructions to staff as to which material is strictly confidential, and which is general paper waste. Use single-spacing for report or memo writing. Set narrower margins for drafts. Change margins to avoid the last page of your report with little text. Edit and proof-read carefully on the computer before printing. 18

20 Share newspapers / magazines. Reuse Collect all paper that has been printed on one side and re-use it for printing in draft or for scrap message pads. Re-use envelopes wherever possible, especially for sending information internally. Reuse paper file folders. Recycle Set up a waste paper collection system and send waste paper for recycling. Place paper recycling bins in all office areas. A good guide is one bin between six staff members, and one next to each photocopier and printer. Use paper ream lids as additional staff desk top collection trays. Ensure that cleaning staff are in support of the recycling scheme and that emptying the recycling bins is part of their contracted work. Promote the scheme to staff by putting up posters around the offices, and on bins explaining the types of paper that can be recycled. Provide staff with on-going feedback about the scheme, including figures on the amount of paper collected. Suggest making a donation to charity or planting a tree when targets are met. Use recycled paper Paper is a natural resource that can be recycled up to about five times. This substantially reduces the impact on the environment. By using recycled paper, you can help boost the market for recycled products. This will in turn support the recycling industry and reduce unnecessary use of virgin materials. Today the quality of paper containing recycled fibre (e.g. 51% recycled fibre) has improved and is comparable with virgin paper. Where possible, you may consider purchasing and using recycled office paper. Reduction of other office waste Reuse paper clips, rubber bands 19

21 Collect print cartridges for recycling. Some local recycling companies can pick up and buy back the used cartridges from you, depending on the quantity and model of the cartridges, and whether they can recover transportation cost. Purchase re-manufactured print cartridges from cartridge recycling companies. The costs are much lower, and you could look for the companies that can provide you warranty on the re-manufactured cartridges. Step 6: Assess the Scope of Savings and Rank Options Having generated a number of options to solve a waste minimisation problem, and a range of options for various waste streams, the next step is to assess their feasibility. It is also to assess the scope of savings of options, and rank and decide the options that can be implemented. (a) Technical Assessment Technical assessment is to determine whether a proposed option will work, and whether there are any facility constraints or product requirements which will make it technically unwise to implement. The completed technical assessment should be reviewed by all affected sections / departments / divisions of the company. During the screening procedure to assess the options, the following questions can be asked by the team to facilitate the assessment: Does the proposed option of equipment / technology change have a good track record in the market? If not, is there convincing evidence that the option will work as required? Is the option compatible with the current manufacturing process; Does the change maintain product quality requirements; Does the change meet shipping / packing criteria to protect the products from damaging; Is this option appropriate to the problem (e.g. installing automatic controls where a simple change to operating procedures would be just as good)? Who can implement this? (i.e. Is external help needed or can it be done inhouse?) When can it be implemented? Some solutions may take longer than others to come to fruition. 20

22 Any options that are deemed to be technically feasible now require economic assessment. (b) Economic Assessment An economic assessment of a potential solution to a waste minimisation problem includes: one-off cost of implementation (i.e. capital investment, costs of design, testing and implementation); on-going cost of operating or maintaining the solution (i.e. running costs, maintenance costs); savings from the associated costs (i.e. raw material cost and other relevant costs listed in step 4) and disposal costs; In many cases a simple payback calculation is sufficient to assess the economic feasibility of an option or to identify an optimum option. Calculating payback The payback can be calculated by dividing the total one-off cost of the project by the net saving of the project (the difference between savings and operating & maintenance costs). This gives a payback figure in years. In some cases, more in-depth assessment methods may be required. These could include undiscounted and discounted financial analysis. The waste minimisation working team could approach the company accountant if there are any doubts about calculating cost and benefit. There is also a UK guide available which can be found at this website ( called Investing to Increase Profits and Reduce Waste. It contains detailed examples of financial appraisal. (c) Other Considerations Other factors that could be considered include: How much waste could be reduced through the change? Is the option easy to implement? Does the option ensure the lowest environmental burden or impact compared with other options (e.g. an option that reduces or eliminates waste is better than a recycle route identified for the waste)? 21

23 Does the option ensure that the change will not create problems in other environmental areas (e.g. the decrease of solid waste does not increase liquid waste or hazardous waste)? The overall assessment based on the technical and economic assessments, and considerations of the factors listed above should lead to the final ranking of the most reasonable options for reduction of waste streams. Step 7: Develop a Waste Minimisation Plan What to be Included in a Waste Minimisation Plan When the tasks outlined in the previous steps are completed, you can start to develop and write a waste minimisation plan for your company including: Targeted waste streams for reduction; Proposed options to minimise the waste and a description for each option; Estimated costs involved; Estimated payback period and net savings; Estimated volume of waste reduction (i.e. kg) for each waste stream; Implementation schedule of the options (steps or phases and timing for implementation); Implementation requirements (such as tasks and personnel assignments), Training of personnel involved, Management requirements, Measurable, performance goals Target dates for completion of goals In addition to the write-up of the plan, you could create a summary table of the plan similar to the one below for ease of reference for your team and the management. Summary of waste minimisation plan Waste Qty Proposed type (t/ kg) option for waste reduction Waste reduction goal (t/kg) Estimated costs Estimated payback period Start date End date Status 22

24 Considerations for Scheduling the Implementation: Packaging usually provides the easiest reduction opportunities and thus the greatest potential for savings. So you may wish to schedule the easy options first. Some options, which do not involve equipment change, are inexpensive and quick to implement. Thus, you could schedule such options like operation procedural changes or material changes for implementation as soon as possible. Also, the options that have shorter payback period and produce greater savings can be scheduled for implementation early. In waste minimisation plans that call for equipment changes, it's essentially the same as any other capital improvement project. The phases of the project include planning, design, procurement, construction or installation, and you may need to schedule them for implementation at a later stage when resources are available and the team can cope. Establishment of Goals & Measuring Indicators In order to measure the success of the waste minimisation plan, specific performance goals need to be established and expressed in numeric terms. To measure waste reduction, it would be more meaningful to measure it in terms of actual waste reduction in tonnes, or kilograms of waste generated per standard unit of production. The following are some useful measurements for setting the waste and cost reduction goals: Ratio of waste generated to production rate, before and after implementation of the option; *Ratio of raw materials consumed to production rate, before and after implementation (an indirect measure of waste reduction); Savings on raw materials costs and waste disposal costs; Changes in utilities and maintenance costs; Changes in manpower and other associated costs; Changes in production capacity and product quality; The programme's actual costs and savings compared with the initial programme estimates; * Obtaining good quality data for waste stream volume, flow, and composition can be costly and time consuming. For this reason, in some instances, expressing waste reduction indirectly in terms of the ratio of input materials 23

25 consumption to production rate may be more practical. These data are easier to obtain although the measure is not direct. If the establishment of numeric performance goals is not practical, include a clearly stated list of actions designed to lead to the establishment of numeric goals as soon as possible in your waste minimisation plan. When using suggested measurements to set the waste reduction goals, the team need to try to set the goals that are: Understandable Acceptable to those who will work to achieve them; Flexible to adapt to changing requirements; Measurable over time; Suitable to the overall corporate goals; and Achievable with a practicable level of effort. Step 8: Implement and Improve the Plan When the waste minimisation plan is firmed up, the implementation is the key. At this stage, several important actions are needed to ensure success. Firstly, the team should be clear about the goals and objectives of the plan. Assign clear responsibility and authority to appropriate personnel in all administrative, operating and maintenance areas. Make the right resources available, and ensure that the personnel take implementation actions according to schedule. At the same time, the team should develop a waste minimisation awareness programme to get the key messages across to all employees and gain their support. The following measures could be used for creating awareness: Launch the waste minimisation plan by the CEO or Managing Director of the company; Display the plan and the implementation schedule with explanation of waste reduction goals in prominent locations; Organise waste minimisation educational talks for staff in training sessions; Put up educational posters in strategic locations; 24

26 Prepare waste minimisation tips for individuals to take action and make them available to staff through ing and notice board; Share and update waste reduction results periodically with all employees; To ensure a sustainable programme, the team should: make all implemented options or measures a functioning part of a company's standard operating procedures. Include product development, operational procedures, and training; make on-going improvements. The team need to monitor waste reduction performance against the goals established and conduct annual reviews to compare the current performance with the pervious year. During the process, additional waste reduction opportunities might arise. More action might be needed or different methods might become available. So you need to: make changes to the planned actions and adjust operating procedures, incorporate new options or methods, establish new priorities for action, and set reviewed waste reduction goals, ideally upwards. By following the steps in this guidebook, and using the resource information listed in References section, it is hoped that your company can achieve sizable cost savings and waste reductions, and contribute to solving Singapore s waste disposal problem. WASTE MINIMISATION CASE STUDIES Baxter Healthcare Pte Ltd Chevron Oronite Pte Ltd IBM Singapore Pte Ltd Kyoei Engineering Singapore Pte Ltd Sony Display Device (Singapore) Pte Ltd Tetra Pak Jurong Pte Ltd 25

27 REFERENCES A Guide to Waste Audits and Reduction Workplans for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Sectors Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ontario, Canada, 1995 Developing a Pollution Prevention (P2) Plan: A How-To Book for Kentucky Generators Published by The Kentucky Pollution Prevention Centre (KPPC), University of Louisville, August 1995 Green Officiency: Running A Cost-Effective, Environmentally Aware Office, Envirowise, UK, 2002 Industrial Solid Waste Reduction Workbook Prepared by: Cam Metcalf (Executive Director), Keith Ridley (Assistant Director of Assessments), and Todd Logsdon (Engineering Associate), Kentucky Pollution Prevention Centre, University of Louisville, August 1996 (Revised) Minnesota Guide to Pollution Prevention Planning [Joint effort of the Minnesota Technical Assistance Programme (MnTAP) and the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance (OEA), with assistance from the Minnesota Emergency Response Commission (ERC)], Authors: Robert Lundquist (MnTAP), Mark Snyder (OEA), Staff Team: Kenneth Brown (OEA), David Cera (OEA), Cindy McComas (MnTAP), Kevin McDonald (OEA), John Polanski (MnTAP), 1999 (2 ND Edition) The Measure of Success Calculating Waste Reduction WasteWise Update, EPA, US, July 1999 No Time to Waste a practical guide to waste minimisation Scottish Environment Protection Agency, 1999 Waste Minimisation An Environmental Good Practice Guide for Industry, Published by the Environment Agency, UK, Revised edition April 2001, First published April 1998 Waste Minimisation and Recycling Guide (Covering the North East Regional Development Area) Environment Agency, UK, 1999 Where are the Biggest Cost Savings? WasteWise, US Environmental Protection Agency, ---- END