Whatever area of manufacturing a business may be in, the need for a sustainable approach to protect the future of our planet is more important than ever. Whether from a production, energy or waste perspective, ensuring goods are produced in a way that supports the circular economy is vital. However, sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin and what your business can really do in a practical sense to make a real difference.
Although cutting your carbon footprint may seem an obvious place to start, this takes real fundamental changes to working processes, can be expensive and is often a longer-term project. Similarly, switching to a full fleet of electric vehicles and electric powered machinery is a great idea but will take time to make the transition and implement. Whilst these changes are going on the background it might be appropriate to consider some easier, more timely alterations to your operation that can have a more immediate impact on your environmental credentials. One such area is Waste and Resource Management.
Any manufacturing process tends to produce more waste than many other sectors and the waste it produces can be varied, hazardous and sometimes tricky to deal with. Ensuring this waste is optimised for recycling is one way to boost environmental credentials and contribute to the circular economy. Choosing the right recycling partner is vital. Manufacturing can be extremely diverse and it pays to work with a partner that can deal with all manner of waste types and secure routes to successfully recycle them.
Cawleys can recycle food, including coffee grounds, hazardous waste in all forms, metals and baled commodities, as well as general waste. What’s more the firm works directly with manufacturing facilities and warehouse managers to ensure that maximum cost savings can be achieved through effective segregation at each disposal point. For example, separating used card and storing it separately to keep it as clean and dry as possible, potentially using balers and compactors, could ensure a business receives a recycling rebate. Similarly scrap metals can have a real and tangible value if sorted and segregated correctly. Wooden crates and pallet waste can be bulky and cumbersome to store but is an ideal waste stream for recycling.
If your manufacturing business is geared towards more perishable goods, there are huge opportunities in the area of food recycling. Collecting food surplus separately from general waste can make a real impact on the fight against food waste whilst also helping to keep general waste costs lower by diverting heavy food elements from general collections.
Working with a company such as Cawleys also provides the opportunity to deal with any aspect of hazardous waste. From dangerous chemicals to paint waste, lighting or reactive metals, the firm’s hazardous division has all the necessary expertise and in house fleet of vehicles to ensure this waste will be dealt with ethically, safely and in keeping with the strict regulatory guidelines.
As well as the ability to be able to deal with all types of waste streams, a first-class service from a waste and recycling partner is vital for the manufacturing sector. An efficient, reliable service will help to ensure that there is no disruption to production or any subsequent interruption to onward supply chains.
Back to environmental issues and there are also huge sustainability advantages that can be gained by working with a local provider. With less distance for your waste to travel to facilities to be sorted and segregated, road miles will be kept to a minimum resulting in fewer carbon emissions.
Cawleys is the leading independent waste and recycling service provider in the local area and has a fully optimised materials recycling facility which ensures all waste, including general waste, is processed through a series of blowers, fans, magnets and manual sorting lines to extract as much recyclate as possible. Anything remaining is sent for conversion into refuse derived fuel – to produce green energy.
Ultimately, manufacturing businesses that can show they have switched to a mindset that sees waste as a resource for future production, rather than a problem to dispose of, will be those that are able to fully embrace the circular economy in the longer term. Switching to the use of recycled products within production is also a great way to boost sustainable sourcing – this can be seen perfectly in the lithium battery industry where spent batteries are dismantled in order to recover the valuable elements such as nickel and cobalt which are then used in future battery production.
Cawleys is a leader in the lithium battery recycling field as well as in manufacturing and industry recycling. What’s more Cawleys are also offering local businesses an extra environmental boost by planting a tree at the Forest of Marston Vale for new partners who come on board. Switch to Cawleys and discover the difference of working with a truly local partner with a more sustainable focus.
For more information, contact Cawleys on 0845 260 2000 or visit www.cawleys.co.uk