Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : An Industrial Blog
Posted on Mon, Jul 06, 2009 @ 02:28 PM
By Marissa Palisoul, Technical Services Representative
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It's the mantra recognizable by its distinct the arrows in the triangular pattern. But how does it apply to the industry and manufacturing?
Reduce your waste. Closely monitor your inventory supply and look for ways to improve your process. Research is key! Can you switch to a water based, or less toxic ingredient? Can you switch to synthetic oil and extend the time between oil changes just a bit? Buy only what you need so that you do not have to worry about expired unused chemicals.
Reuse what you can. Again, do your research! I read that you can extend the life of buffered hydrogen fluoride (BHF) in semiconductor manufacturing with ammonia and water evaporated from the BHF. The etch rate can be maintained and the BHF is reused when it was previously only used once per application. Do your research, there is information out there that pertains to you.
Recycle is the golden child of the three. There is recycling in the traditional sense, where you might send your spent oil for fuels blending and it is recycled as a fuel. Or perhaps you send your fluorescent light ballasts/electronics to a facility where it is dismantled and the parts are recycled separately. However, there are other wastes, that are not hazardous wastes, that also have the ability to be recycled. I have a client who sells the crushed glass from flawed products on their line to another consumer who makes something new out of their waste.
The EPA even has a Resource Conservation Challenge where they help you recycle these types of wastes. Commonly coal ash, foundry sand, and construction debris are the most popular items recycled as part of the challenge (http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/rcc/index.htm). Also check out New Hampshire's Certified Waste Derived Products Program to see what products are available for your use, or submit your own product for distribution to others (http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/swmb/pdrs/waste_derived.htm). Don't forget to see what is available in your own state.
If you do your research, the 3 R's might save you a little green, which is something we all need in this tough economy!