Circular Economy

How to dispose of industrial waste: 5 effective methods to enhance production waste

Let's look specifically at a few examples to get started right away with the circular management of company production waste

Simone Tabellini per Sfridoo

Simone Tabellini

Green Marketer

The problem of waste disposal for enterprises

The disposal of industrial waste (or special waste), today, represents a complex problem for companies: if present in large quantities, in fact, these materials can burden company budgets, covering an important cost item.

Disposal of production waste through traditional techniques such as, for example, waste-to-energy or landfill storage, presents a major limitation as obsolete waste management practices.

Regarding innovation in the management of corporate special waste, considerable progress has been made over the years, particularly through the increasing diffusion of practices, schemes and models peculiar to the Circular Economy.

Indeed, at this moment in history, the adoption of more circular production processes is a decisive strategic, economic and environmental factor for one’s business.

The benefits of circular waste disposal

Upon closer examination, implementing such practices within your company entails a range of significant benefits:

  • Economic benefit: As mentioned earlier, this aspect is crucial for business decisions. Implementing circular waste disposal practices can result in significant financial savings, positively affecting the company’s balance sheet.
  • Environmental advantage: This approach significantly contributes to reducing the company’s environmental impact. The circular valorization of waste reduces the emission of harmful waste and can considerably improve the company’s environmental reputation among stakeholders.
  • Competitive advantage: This scenario can open up new collaboration opportunities and relationships with other companies. These networks can lead to improvements in all aspects of your business, contributing to its overall growth.

How to dispose of industrial waste in a circular manner

After examining the main advantages, we proceed with a detailed analysis of the techniques to adopt for the circular management of production waste.

The focuses we have identified are:

  • Riciclo e riutilizzo.
  • Riduzione alla fonte.
  • Trasformazione in energia.
  • Recupero dei materiali.
  • Compostaggio industriale.
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Do you want to dispose of your special waste in a circular manner?

With Sfridoo® and its team of expertsǝ you embark on your journey into the circular economy, gaining economic, fiscal and environmental benefits.

SEND YOUR REQUEST

Recycling and reuse

When addressing sustainable waste management, recycling and reuse are two fundamental pillars in the industrial context.

But what do these practices concretely imply in the context of industries?

In the industrial context, recycling involves transforming used materials into new products, while reuse involves repeatedly using a material without making changes.

For example, plastic bottles can be turned into fabrics, while packaging can be reintegrated into the production cycle.

In addition to contributing to the reduction of environmental pollution, these practices offer cost-cutting opportunities.

For instance, a company in the household appliances sector can recycle used metal components, achieving savings on raw material costs while promoting environmental sustainability at the same time.

Source Reduction

Source reduction is a key element in the sustainable management of industrial waste.

This concept is based on preventing the generation and accumulation of waste from the early stages of the production process.

In an industrial context, this implies the implementation of targeted strategies aimed at minimizing waste production from the design phase, through process optimization, and promoting behavioral changes both inside and outside the company.

Among the effective strategies to adopt, we can include: Product design restyling. Improvement of production process efficiency. Changes in consumer behavior.

Source reduction entails a series of benefits both environmentally and economically.

From an environmental perspective, this strategy contributes to the conservation of natural resources, pollution reduction, and the overall limitation of environmental impact.

Energy Transformation

The concept of waste-to-energy is simple in essence but revolutionary in its impact.

It involves turning what was once considered waste, problematic for both the environment and companies, into a valuable resource: energy.

In this field, two particular techniques emerge as sustainable solutions: gasification and anaerobic digestion.

Gasification represents a thermochemical process that converts organic materials or fossil fuels into combustible gas.

On the other hand, anaerobic digestion is a biological technique that decomposes organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas.

In addition to energy production, these techniques offer significant environmental advantages.

They reduce the amount of waste formerly destined for landfills, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a more circular and sustainable production cycle.

Pulsante: valorizza ora i tuoi scarti aziendali Pulsante: Valorizza ora i tuoi scarti aziendali

Do you want to dispose of your special waste in a circular manner?

With Sfridoo® and its team of expertsǝ you embark on your journey into the circular economy, gaining economic, fiscal and environmental benefits.

SEND YOUR REQUEST

Material Recovery

Recovering materials from industrial waste is not just an option, but an imperative need for a sustainable future.

To fully understand the concept, we can define material recovery as the process of extracting and reusing valuable components from waste, thereby avoiding their disposal in landfills or incineration.

Recovering materials from waste significantly contributes to reducing our dependence on the extraction and production of new materials.

Concretely, this translates into a reduced need to mine resources, a decrease in overall consumption, and a reduction in the overall generation of waste.

The benefits derived from this practice go beyond just energy savings and pollution reduction.

They also encompass a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the safeguarding of natural resources, and a reduced impact on waste disposal infrastructures.

Industrial Composting

Industrial composting represents an advanced and sustainable technique for managing and enhancing the value of organic waste generated from production activities.

In summary, industrial composting is a biological process in which organic waste is decomposed under highly controlled conditions, resulting in high-quality compost.

This method relies on the action of microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria, within large facilities specifically designed to treat significant volumes of waste.

From an environmental standpoint, industrial composting reduces greenhouse gas emissions, limiting the methane production typical of organic waste destined for landfills.

Economically, adopting this method can transform a cost, namely the disposal of production waste, into a profit opportunity through the sale of the produced compost.

With large-scale composting of organic waste, not only is the overall amount of waste produced significantly reduced, but valuable compost is also produced.

This compost can be used in agriculture as a natural fertilizer, contributing to nature’s virtuous cycle.

How to implement circular strategies in your company

Integrating a circular approach in the management of production waste is not just an ethical choice, but also an economic and strategic one.

Here are three immediate actions you can implement to start valorizing waste through circular methodologies:

  • Conduct a waste audit: understanding the nature and amount generated is crucial. Detailed mapping allows for the identification of areas for intervention. Using tools, like the Circular Resource Scanner provided by Sfridoo, can greatly enhance the efficiency of this process, pinpointing opportunities to valorize your waste.
  • Staff training: effective change starts from within. Training your team on sustainable disposal practices and the potential of waste as a resource is essential. An informed team can proactively act to promote sustainability.
  • Collaboration with external partners: Often, the skills and technologies required for transforming waste into resources come from specialized external partners. Collaborate with experts in the field of recycling, reuse, and transformation to ensure the effectiveness of your initiatives.
Pulsante: valorizza ora i tuoi scarti aziendali Pulsante: Valorizza ora i tuoi scarti aziendali

Start disposing of your industrial waste in a circular manner

With Sfridoo® reap the benefits of the Circular Economy, reaping economic, fiscal and environmental benefits by collaborating with other companies in the network.

SEND YOUR REQUEST
Simone Tabellini per Sfridoo

Simone Tabellini

Green Marketer

One of the challenges of the Circular Economy is to be able to communicate clearly and effectively the benefits that this economic model can bring to companies. By investing in this aspect, we can increase awareness and knowledge in people.

Article updated on 28/10/2023