Wastes and Emissions

Industry Goal:  An industry aiming for zero waste and emissions

The manufacture of plastics and chemicals consumes resources and energy and at a number of points along the processing pathway, waste products are produced that enter the gaseous, liquid or solid waste streams. This can include off-specification product, sludges, wash water, packaging, and trade waste (sewer) discharges.

Plastic and chemical processes can also emit gases and particles to air as a result of the production and transport processes. Some of the waste generated is also hazardous and may include pollutants such as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals.

The wastes generated represent lost product and revenue, and time and resources must be applied to manage wastes and emissions to ensure environmental impact or pollution does not occur.

Companies have made significant gains in reducing waste in recent years through lean manufacturing, process improvements and using the waste hierarchy - prioritising options to avoid, minimise, reuse, recover or recycle over other disposal options, wherever possible. The cost of disposing and managing waste will also continue to increase, in some cases dramatically, and these changing costs can highlight solutions, such as converting waste to a saleable product for others, process or technology changes and product design opportunities.

The industries have a strong record of continuous improvement to achieve waste reduction. Companies that can use this capability to re-design or re-engineer processes and business systems to transform to zero waste will be best placed to maximise the value of their products. Innovation and new technology, and approaches like biotechnology and green chemistry, will help drive towards zero waste and maximum value.

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