Being Green Can Turn Into Green
Greenstream Initiative
Is Environmentally
Responsible
As Well As Lucrative
A famous talking frog
named Kermit once
declared, “It isn’t easy
being green.” He may have
been right. But when it comes
to planet Earth, it’s the environmentally
sound thing to do.
The fact is, many consumers
have already embraced the “green” movement in their
daily lives through the use of hybrid vehicles, recycling of
various materials, even shutting lights off when they leave
a room. Industry has not been quite as enthusiastic about
jumping on the green bandwagon, largely due to financial
considerations. Such an effort requires revising and retooling
manufacturing processes, as well as re-educating workers,
all at substantial cost. And frankly, the payback – the
satisfaction of contributing to the health of the planet –
isn’t quite enticing enough to encourage such a significant
investment.
To their credit, firms in a
number of industries have
actually investigated more
environmentally friendly manufacturing
methods and products.
Energy companies, for
instance, have spent great time
and effort developing alternative
fuels that are corn- or sugar-derived (biodiesels,
ethanol, etc.). These substitute products however, will lead
to overuse and eventual exhaustion of different resources,
in turn affecting the food industries.
Of course, when it comes to conserving resources,
there’s no better strategy than recycling – using materials
that have already been produced rather than depleting
any resources to produce new ones. What’s more, the new
materials generated through alternate production methods
may not be as green or environmentally friendly as we
would like them to be – another huge upside to the recycling
effort.
There are few areas where recycling
has a more dramatic effect than in the
plastics industry. The vast majority of
plastics can be recycled; the only question
is how easily. Plastic recycling
tends to fall into two categories: preconsumer
and post-consumer. Most
manufacturers focus on the pre-consumer
variety; that is, utilizing the scrap
generated during the manufacturing
process and reincorporating it in to
their processes, an approach that has
been in existence for quite some time.
(“Pre-consumer” is defined as anything
that happens in the supply chain before
reaching the end user, i.e., manufacturers,
distributors, value-added resellers).
While manufacturers have become
increasingly active participants in the
green game, distributors have spent
most of their time on the sidelines—an
unfortunate reality since recycling is a
means to maximize profitability while
reducing waste. In fact, the part of the
downstream usage chain where recycling
can be most effective is at the distributor
level. Furthermore, distributors
can be an integral link in a process
that we refer to as the “greenstream.”
At Acrilex, the greenstream is defined as the multi-level
model that “demonstrates eco-awareness and responsibility
at all levels of the materials chain, including manufacturing
of raw materials, distribution, utilization, consumption,
reuse, disposal and recycling. Deciding which
processes take place at which level to ensure the most
eco-friendly and responsible approaches to being green
should, in fact, be determined by where a company fits
within this greenstream. These approaches are still
emerging, and the models for the greenstream are still
evolving as awareness and cooperation grows”.
Our own experience is an excellent example of this philosophy.
Acrilex transforms plastic sheets and plastic
products into parts and end products that are purchased
by our customers; in the process, we are
generating waste. Since we don’t have a use for
that waste internally, it would typically find its way
into landfills, as it would with most distributors.
This scrap can instead be reused as part of the
pre-consumer movement.
While the greenstream approach has a positive
impact on the environment, there are other reasons
that we participate in this initiative. The
excess material and scrap that we generate can be
sold back to manufacturers (or to specialty plastic
recycling companies, who will then sell it to the
manufacturers themselves). In doing so, we have
created a new revenue stream, a welcome addition in this struggling economy. So recycling plastic
scrap is not only environmentally responsible, but
it can translate to cold, hard cash. In other words,
being green can lead to green.
It’s not only scrap that can become an integral
part of a distributor’s greenstream process. Many
distributors have excess inventory and damaged
goods that manufacturers won’t take back as product;
consequently, the distributor is forced to dispose
of this excess in already-overcrowded landfills.
By recycling it as scrap, the distributor can turn useless
items into added revenue, while providing the
manufacturer with much-needed raw material – all
with virtually no environmental impact. It’s a simple
formula: every pound of plastic that you recycle is
one less pound of raw material you need to utilize,
resulting in one less pound of scrap in a landfill.
It should be noted that distributors are in a unique
position to take advantage of both sides of the
greenstream chain. Collecting their own scrap and
selling it back to manufacturers or third-party companies
is one side; but distributors also have the
opportunity to position themselves as a resource to
companies further down the supply chain.
For example, many end users, such as plastic fabricators,
sign shops, display and fixture manufacturers,
have scrap of their own that they may want
disposed of, but either they do not know where to
send it or, more likely, are not willing to expend the
time and money to set up a comprehensive recycling
program. As a value-added service, distributors can
offer to pick up this scrap from resellers, end users, even
their customers who need a way to get rid of their mistakes,
prototypes and excess materials. In doing so, the
distributor not only acquires more scrap for sale (additional
revenue), but further solidifies its business relationship
with that company. What’s more, by removing waste the
customer would otherwise have to pay to dispose of, the
distributor helps the customers become part of the greenstream,
even if the customer company itself would not be
considered “green” by manufacturing standards.
Of course there are some energy costs associated with
the collection, sale and distribution of scrap (cost of gas to transport the material, labor to collect it, etc.). But these
are minor compared to the potential revenue that can be
generated and the positive impact on the environment.
At Acrilex, we have a number of different levels of recycling,
all stemming from our dual role as both a plastic
manufacturer and a distributor. As distributor, we handle
multiple types of plastic. Some of our scrap - excess sheet
scrap, the skeleton remains that come off our CNC routers
- are placed on skids, palletized and stored. We warehouse
this scrap until we can maximize the economics of shipping
it out (i.e., make it the most worthwhile for the buyers by
maximizing their fuel consumption and minimizing their
shipping costs).
Another thing we do is pack all of our cutoffs in gaylord
boxes. We’re relying on previously used gaylord boxes that
are usually from other polymer suppliers. Our gaylords are
reused and our skids are reused so that we don’t have to
purchase (or dispose of) either item.
The final form of our scrap is plastic sawdust - predominantly
acrylic - that is generated during our plastics application
process. (This is an area that certainly requires more
industry-wide attention, given that over 80 tons of plastic
sawdust that Acrilex generates each year is not getting into
landfills). It’s accumulated by our dust collectors and
picked up by a manufacturer who utilizes it as filler for the
product they’re extruding.
Further, as a manufacturer, unused waste monomer will
be polymerized, or solidified, and resold as scrap for recycling.
This eliminates the chemical hazard while providing
material for recycling; no dumping is required. Additionally,
excess sheets of Acriglas (damaged sheets or ones that
cannot be sold) have an aftermarket in recycling or as inexpensive,
unusual sheet goods overseas.
It should be noted that many companies will group all
their scraps together and send them out en masse; that is,
all dissimilar polymer scrap being lumped together in the
same containers. This doesn’t necessarily help the greenstream
because at some point somebody is going to have
to reprocess or re-sort it just to categorize it, thus reducing
the overall value of the scrap. What’s more, contaminants
will often end up in the scrap material that can ultimately
pollute the greenstream. Therefore, one of the most critical
things a distributor, or anyone recycling materials, can do
is categorize their scrap.
How does a company begin establishing an effective
greenstream initiative? The first element in the process is
for distributors to ask themselves if they care about creating
a more environmentally responsible profile. Let’s face
it: distributors are not compelled by any regulations to be
part of the green movement unlike manufacturers, for
example, who are required to use a certain percentage of
recyclable materials. Frankly, some distributors might feel
as it they are absolved of any environmental responsibility
or any need to advance the green movement. There are no
requirements for any of their own materials because
they’re not going directly to the consumer; as a result, they
are not compelled to provide avenues for the consumers to
be able to recycle.
However, if a distributor does have the requisite social conscience, the next step is to figure out what your company is going to gain financially. As far as the distributor is concerned, it’s a volunteer program, and most businesses won’t volunteer unless there is an economic advantage. Thus it’s vital for the company to determine how much scrap it produces, the possible value of that scrap in an aftermarket scenario, whether the distributor has the resources, as well as the will, to establish efficient collection, storage and transport processes, and whether the distributor’s own customers can participate. By doing so, valuable new revenue streams can be created. These revenue streams are particularly attractive as they are derived from materials and product that have already been paid for.
Aside from the recycling of scrap, which is certainly a focal point of the greenstream initiative, Acrilex engages in a number of other initiatives to be a “greener” manufacturer, distributor and fabricator. What’s more, we have found ways to not only conserve energy but to increase productivity at similar energy expenditure. We have also changed out our thermostats to zone our heat more efficiently, as well as recalibrating our temperature monitoring and sensors. In addition, we have installed steel doors to section off areas of the plant – shipping and receiving in particular – to further reduce energy consumption (the doors roll up as needed).
Even our trucks contribute to our green efforts. The leased trucks that we use are kept in excellent operating condition, ensuring that they produce fewer carbon emissions. Plus we are constantly investing in the newest, most sophisticated machinery, allowing us to complete more work in the same period of time. All of these approaches are geared towards one primary objective: finding ways to decrease costs for ourselves and our customers while increasing energy efficiency, which ultimately adds revenue to everyone’s bottom line.
None of this should suggest that Acrilex is entirely green. However, we are constantly looking for ways to be greener in our daily operations. It is an ongoing effort, one that is never really complete and one that we take quite seriously. Making our company more “green-friendly” – as well as helping our customers to do the same – will remain a top corporate priority, regardless of the economic climate. In fact, the worse the economy, the bigger the payoff can be realized by adopting a green frame of mind.
Clearly, the greenstream initiative can be a profitable avenue for any company that is willing to do what is necessary to travel down that path. Perhaps more importantly, however, a greenstream approach can help give the planet a new lease on life. It may not be easy. But the alternative, in the end, is going to be a lot harder to deal with.
Written by Dan Rustin, Acrilex Corporation.
For more information, contact Dan Rustin, Acrilex, Inc., 230 Culver Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 800-222-4680, Fax: 201-333-1237, E-mail: drustin@acrilex.com, Web: www.acrilex.com.
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