Smart Ways to Reduce Manufacturing Waste

As the concerns for the environment keeps growing, the demand for all parties, especially manufacturers, is to adopt cleaner production systems. One of the best methods for protecting the environment is reducing manufacturing waste. While it is the noble thing to do, you will realize that reducing wastes also helps you to cut down the cost of production. Here are some smart methods you can use:

Proper Inventory Management

One method of cutting the waste generated by your plant is controlling the raw materials. Take a closer look at your system and recalibrate it so that only the right materials for production are used. By cutting off the excess raw materials, it is possible to reduce the waste generated with a huge margin. Further, you should order only the right quantities of raw material for specific periods to avoid wastages.

Cut Packaging Materials

If you take a closer look at the waste generated in your facility, a significant part of it will be from packaging materials. By reducing the packaging waste, they will not take a lot of space, and you will not incur a lot of cost for disposal. Here are some strategies to cut packaging related wastes.

  • Go for reusable packaging content. These packaging materials can be used for cushioning the finished products or packaging your products.
  • Buy products in bulk. When you buy in bulk, the quantity of packaging materials will be less compared to buying multiple pieces of the same item.

Volume Reduction

One of the main concerns of environmentalists is that waste from manufacturing is harmful to species in different ecosystems. Volume reduction involves removing the hazardous portion of your waste. This method helps to reduce waste volume and cut the cost of waste disposal. Note that when the hazardous part of the waste is removed, some of it might become recyclable.

Recover and Reuse

Try to recover as much waste as possible, both onsite and offsite, by adopting advanced techniques. By using techniques like filtration, reverse osmosis, or electrolysis, it is possible to separate materials in wastes for easy recovery.

Another method that you should try is recycling. If your system uses materials such as plastic, paper and metal, it is possible to recycle them and extend their utility. Consider recycling directly or working with recycling facilities.

Adopt Preventative Maintenance Schedule

While it is true that wear and tear in manufacturing units is a normal occurrence, your unit could end up wasting a lot of materials, money, and time on the damaged machinery. But you can keep this cost low by using preventative maintenance. This entails preventing the breakdown as opposed to fixing them. Preventative maintenance can also help to extend the life of your machinery, increase productivity, and enhance product quality.

Whether you have a food processing plant or mining  industrial facility as showcased here, among others, cutting waste is one of the best practices. It not only helps to cut associated costs, but you can also use it to get a competitive advantage against your customers.