Do you want to know some of the most effective waste management ideas?
Waste management is a broad category, including solvent recycling and preparation for recycling before use. But, at the end of the day, any idea that emphasises reduction, reuse, recycling, repurposing, repositioning or reprocessing of materials can be considered consumer-friendly.
Waste management is not just for industries that produce large quantities of industrial waste, but it is also crucial for smaller businesses to take care of.
Water treatment plants generate plenty of industrial wastewater that can create serious pollution if they are not appropriately managed. Food processing plants also generate industrial wastewater that needs to be treated. And smaller processing plants for paints will also need to be mindful of solvent recycling as well.
There are many good waste management ideas, but if you are looking for ways to mitigate it even more, some of the following waste management options may help.
But remember, waste management ideas need innovation to run smoothly for an effective waste management company. Extending the life cycle of products is one of the best waste management ideas.
The following is a list of some modern waste management techniques:
- Recovery and recycling (such as solvent recycling)
- Biological reprocessing (for organic matter)
- Waste to energy systems ( non-recyclable items to be turned into energy such as heat, fuel, etc)
- Bioremediation (hazardous waste is transformed into non-toxic products)
- Plasma Gasification (transforms carbon-based materials into fuel)
How is Waste Management Done?
Waste management and control play a vital role in an organization’s environmental status. But more than that, it can become a costly endeavour if companies disposal of waste and their management is inefficient.
Waste Minimisation
Waste isn’t a dirty word. Waste minimisation is a strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the products and services we all rely on.
In practice, waste minimisation is a simple idea: We all need to produce less waste. But, getting there isn’t as easy as it sounds. Waste minimisation means changing the way we design goods and services and the way we use them once they’ve been delivered.
A waste minimisation system is an integrated set of activities, outputs and tools to reduce waste in practical ways for your business. It helps you plan waste prevention strategies, measure progress and share best practices with your peers.
Waste Reuse
The basic idea of reuse is simple: use a material that is no longer valuable to make a valuable product. In today’s society, we have a considerable amount of valuable resources going to waste, with millions of pounds dumped every single day.
Reuse processes support sustainable product design by extending the lifetime of products and materials, increasing their value to society.
Companies can support reuse at all stages of the lifecycle of a product or material using regulation, awareness-raising, labelling, legislation, quality assurance schemes and other forms of information provision.
Such measures can encourage suppliers to supply components that are reusable or repairable.
Construction and demolition (C&D) debris represent a valuable resource to reduce the need for virgin raw materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide economic opportunities for job creation, all while helping to make the world a cleaner place.
A comprehensive waste strategy that ensures that waste is minimized and that waste management, recovery and disposal are undertaken in a manner that optimises environmental performance and economic opportunities.
Waste Recycling
Recycling is a process, approach, or system that diverts recyclable materials from the waste stream to conserve natural resources. There are five universally accepted stages of recycling: collection, separation, processing, manufacturing and marketing reductant.
Recycling waste is the reprocessing of waste materials to be used as raw materials in another production process. Doing so prevents the waste from entering landfills or incinerators, decreasing the consumption of fresh raw materials, saving valuable resources and reducing pollution.
Recycling waste helps to save natural resources and also conserves energy.
This is an environmental-friendly process that reduces pollution. The waste material so reprocessed can be used as raw materials in another processor can simply be used as an ingredient in another process, creating a secondary product or reducing the waste production.
This is important as the amount of waste produced is continuously increasing as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation; these can now be avoided by recycling waste materials through reusing them as raw materials.
The process of recycling waste begins with the collection and storage of recyclable waste. This could be the recycling of glass, metal, paper and plastic. For instance, in an electric and electronic equipment (EEE) recycling facility, electronic wastes such as computers, televisions and refrigerators are segregated from other types of wastes.
Recycling is a key strategy in reducing waste and the environmental impact of waste. In local communities, it may be organised by local government or via voluntary agreements with commercial or industrial enterprises.
In addition, it is often supported by public education campaigns. Where companies can recover resources for human use, recycling is a critical component of a cradle-to-cradle approach to products and materials. All materials used become inputs to other processes rather than being discarded as waste.
Waste-To-Energy
The primary processes involved in waste-to-energy are:
- mass-burn incineration
- RDF incineration
- anaerobic digestion
- gasification
- pyrolysis
Gasification and pyrolysis is a process of superheating of municipal solid waste in an oxygen-controlled environment to avoid combustion.
Gasification and pyrolysis are processes of decomposing solid waste into gas. The difference between them is the level of oxygen, temperature, and heating source.
While the cost of gasification and pyrolysis vary, both processes can be used for energy recovery, fertilizer production, and chemical recovery. As such, gasification and pyrolysis are two ways of disposing and converting municipal solid waste.
Pyrolysis uses temperatures as low as 300C while plasma gasification can reach temperatures up to 11 000C.
Solid waste incineration produces significant amounts of bottom ash, of which about 40% is sent to landfills. The remaining 60% can be further treated to separate metals, which are sold, from inert materials, which are often used as road base.
After incineration, MSW produces several byproducts, including 40% ash that must be landfilled. The remaining 60% can be reprocessed to separate metals that are sold for profit and inert materials that are often used as road base.
How to improve waste management in the workplace
A committed, well-run waste management system not only limits costs and emissions but also reflects a company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. Well-designed waste management systems do more than reduce operating costs and emissions.
They send a clear message to employees and customers, which encourages business loyalty and increases brand loyalty.
Organisations that want to protect the environment are increasingly adopting new systems to manage their waste. These new systems are committed to reducing costs and emissions so that the organization’s bottom line is not negatively affected.
The introduction of effective waste management systems is a step towards a reduction of costs and an increase in environmental awareness. A management system that does not keep up with the latest technology is highly inefficient.
Efficient recycling systems such as Solvent Washer or a solvent recovery machine will provide insight into an organisation’s commitment to making a positive impact on the environment as well as cut back on production costs.
The health and safety officer or representative will typically take responsibility for a company or manufacturing facility’s waste management.
Here are a few key components of the ideal waste management in the workplace:
A waste management strategy plan includes understanding effective waste management concepts. These concepts will be according to their waste category.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 states that companies and organizations have to safely dispose waste in a manner that abides by the law. There is a waste hierarchy (according to the 2008 European Union Directive) that ranks how to manage waste and how to properly control waste.
- Prevention (includes waste prevention techniques)
- Preparation for reuse & repurposing (part of waste management control measures)
- Recycling
- Other methods of recovery
- disposal
The truth is, not all waste can be prevented, especially in the manufacturing and industrial sector. But if businesses are still asking the question: what are some solutions for waste disposal?
They are missing out. Because the cost saving question is this: What are some modern waste management techniques that can save our business time and money?
And the answer is simpler than it seems. Machines like solvent washers for solvent recovery are the solution for the need for effective waste management.
And if your manufacturing company is still wondering: What are some ways to manage biodegradable waste? Or, what are some other waste management ideas, then they need to be aware of the latest waste management techniques, particularly, a solvent recovery system.
If your company is ready for more efficient waste management techniques, then it’s time to see how Solvent Washer can help. Adding an industrial solvent washer to a facility is one of the most effective waste management measures your company can take.
Waste disposal comes with a high cost – but it is also outdated and ineffective. Solvent recycling is an essential part of any company’s recycling strategy, and all recycling strategies should have solvent recycling as part of their plan.
Businesses should also ensure they stay up to date with the legal recommendation for proper waste disposal as well as the most modern waste management techniques. This is especially important for manufacturing companies and facilities that use solvents.
Solvents can be particularly detrimental to the environment and can also be expensive to recycle, especially since they can be classified as hazardous waste.
Solvent recycling is, therefore, a pivotal element of a waste management program. Contact the team at Solvent Washer today to see how to get started with solvent recycling today.