- 1 Reducing material waste at source means greater resource efficiency, less pollution and more profits
- 2 If you consider the cost of materials, treatment, energy and wasted labour, the real cost of waste can be 5-20 times the costs of its disposal
- 3 Reductions in waste go straight to the bottom line, as raw materials often account for a significant amount of turnover
- 4 Typical waste reduction projects have payback periods of months, not years
- 5 Accuracy, control, com-munication and attention to detail form part of any quality improvement, total quality management or just-in-time programme. Concentrating on finished product quality only or throughput may increase waste by increasing rejects
- 6 Make a flow chart of material and waste flows and try to put numbers on it for amounts and cost
- 7 Waste is not inevitable. Ban phrases such as unavoidable waste, natural waste, paid for waste and costed waste
- 8 Employees are motivated by feedback about a company's waste reduction programme
- 9 Report waste as a percentage of production - it's a good way of monitoring progress over time
- 10 Find a waste champion to make things happen. More free information in ‘GG27 Saving Money Through Waste Minimisation: Teams and Champions', via www.envirowise.gov.uk
Finding Hidden Profit - 200 tips for reducing waste, Envirowise
