Zero Waste to Landfill is Possible — Let us Show you How

Photo of backhoe flattening landfill garbage
Photo of backhoe flattening landfill garbage

The problem with landfills

For some time, landfills provided an “out of sight, out of mind” solution to solid waste. However, the negative effects of landfills have begun to surface in other areas of our lives — it is at a fever pitch, and we can’t ignore it anymore. The truth is, the prevailing attitude to waste handling has a few undeniable, fundamental flaws:

  1. Plastic landfill waste will take up to 400 years to decompose.[1]
  2. 79% of plastic waste is not recycled or incinerated but accumulating in landfill or polluting the environment.[2]
  3. It can take up to 95% more energy to extract virgin materials from our environment as opposed to recycling.[1]
  4. Besides the overwhelming energy cost associated with extracting virgin materials from the planet, there are significant environmental costs as well:
    • Wildlife displacement due to deforestation — This is a necessity of most virgin, raw material extraction projects.
    • Oxygen/CO2 imbalance — This is another negative side-effect of deforestation as a result of raw material extraction projects.
    • Many extraction processes such as fracking, can permanently contaminate ground aquifers, which itself has a long list of additional, negative side effects.
    • Environmental Disasters such as landslides and earthquakes, are directly related to efforts associated with virgin, raw material extraction.

Zero Waste is simpler than you think

It’s not complicated. Achieving zero waste can be simplified with the 5 R’s:

1. Refuse

The first step in any Zero Waste program is evaluating your company’s waste-input streams. By far, the most effective way to eliminate waste from entering landfills is to prevent the waste from entering your program in the first place. This means:

  • Refuse to accept materials that are not recyclable.
  • Refuse overpackaged commodities for those transported in reusable containers.
  • Refuse to use foam containers and cups of any kind in your organization, and any other single-use containers that are not easily recycled.
  • Refuse to create products that are non-recyclable.
  • Refuse to over-package your products, and ensure your packaging is recyclable.

2. Reduce

Reduce waste and eliminate excess. This is the second strategy to eliminating waste from entering your waste-stream in the first place. Be proactive about your purchasing decisions and other passive contributors to your waste stream:

  • Reduce the amount of e-waste your company produces by purchasing upgradeable computers. Whenever possible, prefer electronic devices that have the longest operating period.
  • Reduce your dependence on paper by opting for paperless processes where available.
  • Reduce paper recycling production by investing in printers that have double-sided printing capability.
  • Opt for digital delivery of your Waste Report from Material Management instead of printed reports.

3. Reuse (and Repair)

This waste strategy is all about creating and reinforcing Zero Waste habits in your company. Material Management provides a Zero Waste handbook specific to your companies Waste Program that helps your employees stay on track, as well as signage for critical locations such as breakrooms. Here are a few tips to help you instill a “Reuse Culture” in your organization:

  • Deliver goods and materials in reusable containers whenever possible.
  • Material Management will provide reusable skips for your recyclables over single use gaylord boxes.
  • Utilize High quality, durable pallets. Material Management provides many resources to have your pallets repaired.
  • Maintain and upgrade computer equipment for as long as possible.
  • Allow your electronic equipment to be reused by other organizations via donation.
  • Give your staff reusable water bottles and remove single-use water cups from your break room.
  • Provide reusable utensils and dishes in your break room and eliminate waste producers like disposable forks and straws.

Recycle what you can’t Refuse, Reduce or Reuse

This step might seem obvious, but there is a lot involved in ensuring your company is maximizing its recycling potential. The goal is to recycle 100% of your recyclable waste-stream. A large part of achieving this goal is training. Material Management provides your staff with training materials on how to prepare commodities within your organization for recycling. However, besides preparation, Material Management is largely responsible for how recyclable material is handled in your company. Here are a few ways Material Management goes the extra effort when handling your recyclables:

  • Limit to Eliminate down-cycling of your recyclable material. Material Management works with you to ensure that only quality material enters your waste stream. Moreover, we are constantly creating partnerships with manufactures that will use your recycling waste to produce quality products — not waste.
  • 100% of your waste is recycled. The reason we work so hard with our customers in the Refuse, Reduce and Reuse strategy is so that we can ensure that only quality recyclables are sent to be recycled and 0% is unrecoverable and ultimately in landfills, or worst our forests and oceans.

Rot or burn the rest

Material Management provides several options for organic waste in your company's waste-stream:

  • Aerobic digestion can be a solution for medium to large producers of organic waste. Material Management maintains several such partners in the United States and Canada.
  • In many locations, Material Management may be able to provide industrial-grade composting options for consistent producers of organic waste.
  • For our food distributors and retailers, we provide several opportunities to donate excess food through several, nationwide shelter and food donation partners.

Even the strictest Zero Waste program needs to make accommodations for non-recyclable, unusable waste as a last resort. All Material Management Zero Waste programs are designed to eventually achieve zero non-recyclable and unusable waste. However, we also provide Waste to Energy (WtE) and incineration options to our Clients that guarantees that absolutely none of their waste will ever contribute to the growing Landfill Problem or worst, end up polluting our environment.

Hazardous waste recycling and destruction

The environment protection agencies in the United States and Canada have strict guidelines on handling hazardous waste as outlined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in the United States, and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act Registry. Each agency outlines strict guidelines for handling potentially hazardous waste such as: Lead acid batteries, electronic waste, light bulbs, hazardous chemicals, infectious and medical waste, pesticides, paints, solvents and many more.

Material Management works with our partners to ensure that 100% of your local guidelines are met and provide certificates of safe destruction when necessary.

We’re here to keep you on track

Implementing a Zero Waste to Landfill program can seem daunting, but we’re here to make it a reality. Material Management will provide you with the tools and experience to transform your company toward your goal of Zero Waste to Landfill:

  1. Every program we implement begins with a Free Program assessment. As part of this process, Material Management will first profile your Waste Stream.
  2. Following your Waste Stream Profile, Material Management then identifies key areas where your company can eliminate waste from entering your organization.
  3. MM also creates training material for Management and staff as well as signage and a corporate-level Waste Program Standard Operating Procedures handbook.
  4. Using our advanced reports, Material Management tracks your company’s progress toward Zero Waste. Our technology allows us to proactively identify procedural habits and depression to keep you on track.
  5. MM generates a quarterly/monthly Waste Audit Report for your Zero Waste Program. This report puts into numbers your company’s contribution to the environment. It summarizes the following:
    • Waste Tonnages diverted from landfill.
    • Carbon Reduction as a result of diversion, and program optimization.
    • Environmental Impact statistics, such as trees, water pollution avoided, energy, landfill area saved and other metrics that are the result of your Zero Waste efforts.
    • Along with quarterly/monthly reports, Material Management produces reports that detail your cumulative environmental impact, as well as your collective savings as a result of your company’s Zero Waste to Landfill commitment.

A Zero Waste to landfill commitment is probably the greatest contribution your company can make to the sustainability of the planet. There is a lot involved, but it is possible — let us show you how.

References:

  1. ”Environmental Factoids". https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/smm/wastewise/web/html/factoid.html
  2. “Planet or Plastic”. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment/