Our Zero-Waste Journey started when we set an ambitious goal to achieve ‘Zero Waste to Landfill by 2023’ for all our plants in December 2019. This journey is supported by the 5R principles (refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and then recycle), innovative thinking and the ambition of our people.
The target is an integral part of our journey to review waste management and generation, operational efficiency and manage the ‘end-of-life solutions’ of the materials and inputs we use in our manufacturing processes.
At Ansell, we protect people and the planet. Our Zero Waste to Landfill target is aligned with two of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely the 12th SDG “Responsible Consumption and Production” and the 13th SDG “Climate Action”.
FY23 was the ‘last mile’ of our journey to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill by 2023. Ansell’s manufacturing plants implemented the technical knowledge they have accumulated since we embarked on this goal to address their final waste streams in collaboration with specialised waste management vendors.
To date, Intertek* has certified all plants as Zero Waste to Landfill. Our new plants in Kovai, India and Seremban, Malaysia will need to begin their journey to zero.
*Intertek certification: Intertek is an independent third party that certified each plant’s waste to landfill diversion rate* exceeding 99%, against Intertek’s Zero Waste to Landfill certification criteria.
Having achieved our Zero Waste to Landfill target, we will continue to be ambitious with our waste and circularity initiatives and partnerships at each plant to maintain our strong performance. From FY24, we will begin work at our new plants to achieve ZWL certification.
The road to achieving this target is unique to each plant:
Awareness and Training
Announced our zero waste target and increased employee awareness and training.
Waste Identification
Identified the different waste streams and sources of generation.
Waste Segregation
Segregated waste beyond regulatory classifications, into types of waste and the recyclability of the waste.
Waste Reduction and Diversion
Looked for alternative disposal methods, including waste to energy from incineration, and looked for waste reduction opportunities.
Zero Waste to Landfill Certification
Independent, third-party certification of landfill diversion rate exceeding 99%, accomplished at each certified plant.
Sharing Improvements
Focused on ‘last mile’ challenges, and solutions from each plant are shared with each other.
Constantly Improving
Continue to improve our processes in line with circularity principles.
Different categories of waste generated and the availability of waste management vendors capable of handling different waste streams required us to segregate our waste in new ways. This resulted in an ecosystem of waste management and waste disposal destinations that is unique to each plant. The diagram below illustrates and consolidates disposal methods from all the plants:
Upcycle
Fabric offcuts are converted to yarn. Iron waste is upcycled into steel bars.
Re-used and recycled – paper and cardboard waste
Paper and cardboard waste is re-used, wherever possible, and the balance is recycled.
Reduce – plastic waste
We reduced our plastic waste by bundling finished goods into canvas bags instead of polythene bags. Plastic waste, such as uncontaminated plastic tubes, threads, barrels, buckets, and polythene waste, is converted to polythene bags and plastic pellets.
Energy recovery – timber waste
Timber waste is provided to army camps in Seeduwa, to be used as firewood (fuel for cooking).
Co-processing
Hazardous waste goes to a cement plant, where waste
is used as a fuel source in the kiln, which reduces their use of energy from fossil fuels.
Composting
Started composting vegetable waste and loose leaves/cut grass waste. Compost is used to tend plantings on the facility grounds.
Waste to energy
Under the Landfill Directive of the European Union, for example, hazardous waste such as chemical-contaminated containers, absorbents and expired chemicals are handled by vendors to convert waste-to-energy.