General Waste Case Studies

Pilkington (Australia) Ltd.

Objective

Wanted to reduce the amount of cullet (broken glass and off-cuts), which made up 80% by weight, of materials going to landfill.

Actions

Through the use of a series of colour-coded bins placed throughout the plant and with ongoing auditing and education, cullet was removed from the waste stream and returned to the manufacturing process.

Outcomes

Pilkington has achieved 68% reduction in the amount of waste, by weight, sent to landfill, with an annual cost saving in excess of $1,000,000. This is a huge saving considering the company's waste disposal costs were $300,000 per annum, prior to the changes.

Source: EcoRecycle, Victoria, Australia.