Zero Waste – Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
, by Irene Kirchhoff , 3 min reading time
What has our network achieved so far?
A life without plastic is no longer possible. However, in view of increasing environmental pollution and ubiquitous microplastics, the question arises as to how a meaningful counteraction to the flood of waste can look. Where and how can waste be reduced, reused, and recycled in the business environment?
Completely different industries, company sizes, and individual conditions.
In 2019, 8 companies founded the network "Zero Waste – Reduce, Re-use, Recycle". Initially, the focus was on avoiding single-use plastic. But here too, we have undergone a small change. So now it's no longer just single-use plastic that's in the spotlight. All possible topics of resource waste are dealt with in the network. We view the topic of waste as a whole and look for solutions ranging from waste reduction to reuse and recycling.
A great help is the value-neutral perspective that the companies have due to their completely different industries and company sizes. A meeting takes place every six months. Implemented measures and ideas are presented here. In addition, new ideas and knowledge are gained in workshops, lectures, and discussions. The diverse mix of industries proves to be a great advantage, as the view on the challenges within the network is always independent.
Who we are
Currently, 11 companies support each other. These are the companies Arqum, Bärbel Dierks - Theatre for Business, HAWE Hydraulik, Kinshofer, Karopack, Schiedel, Schreiner Group, Spinner Group, Tikiwe®-Taschen aus Kork, Umweltcluster Bayern, and the IHK Munich and Upper Bavaria.
The network participants have already been able to implement several measures. Since the network's foundation, over 41 tons of waste have been saved to date! Small, easy-to-implement examples include switching from plastic containers for lunch to-go in the canteen to exclusively reusable plates with lids, collecting old coffee grounds in the office and having employees use them as plant fertilizer, replacing paper envelopes with envelopes made from recycled material, switching from portion sachets for mustard and ketchup to pump dispensers in canteens, and so on.
Good results are also visible in the production and shipping areas. For example, Kinshofer was able to reduce plastic packaging from suppliers in incoming goods by a proud 42% (2.7 tons p.a.). The Schreiner Group can now recycle a full 10 tons of siliconized paper/plastic carriers. Furthermore, the participants have many open ideas for waste avoidance. For example, it would be possible to switch to reusable cleaning cloths, or to paper towels that can be fed into the recycling process. Ideas like these are worked out and tested until the next meeting. The experience gained will be shared next time. In the participating companies, over 41 tons of waste have been saved since May 2019!
Employees drive the project
Involving employees and apprentices has proven successful. They are much closer to the action. This not only ensures greater efficiency in waste-saving efforts but also fosters a sense of community and appreciation. Employees are much more environmentally conscious than expected. At HAWE Hydraulik, they are currently looking for ways to avoid single-use coffee cups in production. Since no sustainable solution was found, the HAWE apprentices took matters into their own hands. They have already built their own dishwasher that can clean a cup in a few seconds. This prototype is now being redesigned and improved so that a sustainable and environmentally friendly series model will ultimately emerge.
At each of our network meetings, external experts present their solutions. We have already learned a lot of inspiring things about bioplastics, packaging on demand, or waste campaigns in the city of Munich.
More Info
Our experience is that the savings potential in companies is immensely high. We would be happy to share our knowledge with you. Please send us an email to zero-waste@hawe.de.
HAWE Hydraulik, www.hawe.com, info@hawe.de, Tel.: +49 89 37 91 00-1000
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