How to Reduce Waste in Production

Packaging accounts for 140M+ tons of waste each year. Here are actionable strategies my team has explored with clients to optimize packaging and save costs: First, we start with a Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) to identify the environmental hotspots and the most relevant actions to take. That analysis may lead us to many of the actions below. 1. Reduce Material Usage • Lightweight Materials: Use thinner and lighter materials that still provide adequate protection. • Minimal Packaging: Evaluate packaging design to eliminate unnecessary layers and excess space. 2. Use Sustainable Materials • Recycled Content: Opt for materials that are made from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled content. • Compostable/Biodegradable Options: Use materials like paper, cornstarch, or bioplastics that decompose naturally. • Renewable Resources: Incorporate plant-based materials like bamboo or hemp. 3. Design for Reuse and Recycling • Single-Material Packaging: Avoid mixing materials (e.g., plastic and metal) to make recycling easier. • Clear Labels: Mark packaging with recycling symbols and instructions to guide consumers. 4. Adopt Circular Economy Principles • Take-Back Programs: Offer incentives for customers to return used packaging for reuse or recycling. • Closed-Loop Systems: Work with suppliers to reclaim and reuse packaging. 5. Choose Responsible Suppliers • Source materials from suppliers that practice sustainable harvesting and manufacturing processes. • Ask suppliers to supply carbon and waste data associated with the packaging they provide. 6. Monitor and Adapt • Conduct Audits: Regularly analyze the environmental impact of your packaging. • Gather Feedback: Engage customers for suggestions on improving packaging. • Stay Updated: Keep abreast of advancements in sustainable packaging materials and technologies. https://lnkd.in/gTbkH_HM

What’s one thing that can turn a good sustainability plan into a great one? As we work to make businesses more sustainable, there’s one approach that often flies under the radar but makes a real difference: Six Sigma. Yes, the same Six Sigma that transformed manufacturing can also be a powerful tool in sustainability efforts. Here’s how. Six Sigma starts with a focus on the customer—whether that’s a buyer or the environment. It’s a way of reducing waste, spotting inefficiencies, and refining processes to reduce errors. In sustainability, accuracy matters more than ever. Six Sigma helps teams pinpoint where waste occurs, how much, and what impact it has, using data to make decisions with confidence. To break it down, Six Sigma follows five steps, each with a purpose: -Define – This is where the team starts by identifying the problem clearly. Imagine a project aiming to cut down on packaging waste. Define the specific waste issues, what success would look like, and who the key “customers” of this improvement are—whether it’s the planet, a community, or the bottom line. -Measure – Next, collect data. For instance, if packaging waste is the focus, measure how much waste is currently generated. Analyzing the flow of materials allows for precise benchmarks that ensure improvements are tracked effectively. -Analyze – This is where teams dig deep, examining the causes of waste or inefficiencies. In our packaging example, they might find that excessive or non-recyclable materials are the primary issues, pinpointing areas to change. -Improve – Now, with root causes in hand, it’s time to make changes. Teams might test out solutions like biodegradable materials or redesigning packaging to use less. Improvements are guided by data, making the process both strategic and impactful. -Control – Finally, sustaining progress means implementing control systems. Regular checks make sure that the new packaging methods continue to reduce waste and meet environmental goals. The result? Real, data-backed progress. Studies show that Six Sigma projects can reduce errors and waste by up to 50% while increasing productivity. For sustainability, that means cutting resource use, lowering emissions, and hitting those ambitious goals. Have you used Six Sigma in your work? Or Are you considering it for sustainability efforts?

The waste of "overproduction" goes beyond simply manufacturing in excessive quantities. It can also mean producing or performing tasks prematurely, before the next stage in the process, (i.e., the customer!), actually needs it. In manufacturing, overproduction will often show up as Work in Progress (WIP) buildup before the next process step, and/or as excessively high finished goods levels. This makes it fairly easy to spot. However, in office environments, identifying overproduction can be more challenging. Ask yourself… have you ever been asked to prepare a report before you had the right data and information to complete it, or to write a proposal before the customer asked for it? While working ahead may appear to be proactive, it can actually lead to a lot of wasted effort and overproduction. Many organizations invest substantial time generating unnecessary work, such as designs, project plans, proposals, quotes, and contracts, preemptively preparing for *anticipated* customer needs… that often never materialize into *actual* customer needs. Although some will argue that this approach can enhance responsiveness, what it really does is to conceal process inefficiencies with excessive and wasteful activities. This ultimately results in additional costs for clients and customers, which unsurprisingly, they would prefer to avoid! So, how can you address this issue? 1) Challenge requests for early/ preemptive work by proposing process improvements to shorten turnaround times instead. 2) Proactively work to improve your processes during non-“urgent” periods to reduce lead times, eliminating the need for “early” work. Understand how much time will (really) be required for tasks, so that you can plan accordingly and respond promptly. 3) Monitor and highlight instances of waste, quantifying the time spent on unnecessary tasks. Investigate instances where proposals or projects were unsuccessful due to premature actions, emphasizing the importance of thorough understanding and tailored solutions instead of rapid-fire, cookie cutter approaches. 4) Educate colleagues on the complexities of the work your team does, so that they can understand why non-repetitive tasks may take more time to complete. Continue to invest in refining and improving processes for better outcomes. I’d love to hear your ideas for how you have tackled this!

Home Solutions Are Great, But What Can I Do About Food Waste at My Business? 🤔 At your business location, there are a number of ways to minimize waste going to landfills. And - they don’t need to be complicated! Here are some options you might consider, both on-site and off-site: 🌱On-Site Options 🌱 Composting: Implement a composting program to convert organic waste into valuable compost. This can be used to enrich the soil on your premises or be given away or sold to local gardeners and farmers. Anaerobic Digestion: Invest in an anaerobic digester to break down your organic materials. This process not only reduces waste but also produces biogas that can be used as a renewable energy source. Animal Feed: If your organic waste is suitable, you can process it to be used as animal feed. Collaborations with local farms or zoos can be beneficial. On-site Treatment Technologies: Explore smaller-scale technologies that can treat organic waste on-site, such as dehydration or composting machines designed for commercial facilities. 🌱Off-Site Options 🌱 Industrial Composting: Partner with a commercial composting facility that can handle large volumes of organic waste. This is particularly useful if you generate more waste than you can process on-site. Waste-to-Energy Programs: Engage with facilities that convert organic waste into energy. This helps reduce landfill use and can generate electricity or heat. Donation Programs: Establish connections with local food banks, shelters, or community centers where edible food can be donated. This reduces waste and supports your community. Recycling Programs: Participate in or develop programs aimed at recycling specific types of plant materials, such as wood or fiber recycling. 🌱What else to consider? 🌱 Assessment of Waste Streams: Regularly assess the types and quantities of waste your business produces to optimize the waste management strategy. Education and Training: Train your staff on proper sorting and reduction techniques to minimize contamination and ensure the success of recycling or composting efforts. This can be a fun game setup vs. boring rules! Collaboration and Partnerships: Work with other local businesses, government agencies, or environmental organizations to find synergistic waste management solutions. Implementing any of these practices can significantly impact reducing landfill waste and promote sustainability.  It is also a great way to engage with your employees and your community. There is even potential for additional revenue streams or cost savings for your business! #makecompostmainstream #sustainability #makeyourimpact

According to Deloitte's 2023 survey, 68% of procurement leaders say that sustainability is now a key factor in their supplier selection criteria. If you're manufacturing and supplying parts, here are 9 things you can do to reduce and report your carbon emissions and companies that can help you execute these changes. 🌱 Use recycled or sustainable materials – Opt for materials with lower environmental impact. Heartland Industries, Sawgrass Sustainable ⚡ Improve energy efficiency – Upgrade to energy-efficient machinery and optimize production processes. Siemens, Ice Energy 🌞 Switch to renewable energy – Power your facility using solar, wind, or other clean energy sources. NextEra Energy Resources, Iberdrola 🚚 Optimize logistics – Reduce emissions by consolidating shipments and choosing greener transportation options. American Crane and Equipment Corporation 🔄 Implement a circular economy – Design parts for reuse, repair, or recycling at the end of their life. B & B Plastics, Inc., Matium 🏭 Minimize waste – Reduce scrap, improve precision, and recycle waste materials whenever possible. UL Solutions, Valicor 💧 Conserve water – Adopt water-saving technologies and reuse water in production processes. Earthshot, Brite Solar 🏷️ Label for sustainability – Clearly communicate your products' eco-friendly attributes to customers. EcoVadis 📊 Track and report emissions – Use tools to measure and report Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and set reduction goals. Carbon Report #manufacturing #procurement #supplychain #sustainability