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Team Efforts and Good Housekeeping
Help Plastics Manufacturer Cut Solid Waste
| Company |
STARTEX,
Lakeville, Minnesota. Employed 200 people. |
| Industry |
Manufactured
plastic sheeting and extruded plastic packaging. |
| Waste |
Various
wastes including, polyfilm scrap, cardboard
Gaylord boxes, paper cores and resin pellets. |
| Change |
Implemented
techniques to reduce or reuse wastes. |
| Cost
|
$8,000
for wire cages to store paper core waste. |
| Results |
Reduced
total volume of solid waste by 88 percent.
Saved $72,000 per yearin disposal costs and
generated $36,000 annually from the sale of
used Gaylord boxes. |
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Background
STARTEX produced multi-layered
plastic film sheeting and used a blow-film extrusion
process to make plastic packaging for commercial medical,
food, construction and agricultural products. It manufactured
about 60 million pounds of packaging materials annually.
STARTEX was disposing of approximately
16 to 20 tons (two or more 40-yard Dumpsters) of solid
waste weekly. This waste consisted of polyfilm scrap
(extruded plastic waste), resin pellets and cardboard
(from Gaylord boxes and paper cores). As production
increased, the waste volume increased to three 40-yard
Dumpsters weekly, or approximately 1,150 tons annually.
In addition, disposal costs were increasing by approximately
$3 per ton annually.
STARTEX addressed its growing waste
problem by establishing a waste reduction team. The
team consisted of five to eight employees who worked
to identify the types, amounts and sources of solid
waste generated, and to find ways to reduce this waste.
Waste Reduction Initiatives
To start the waste reduction
process, the Waste Reduction Team held early morning
"Dumpster dives," during which team members
would sort and document the types and volumes of solid
wastes being disposed of in Dumpsters at STARTEX.
After collecting this initial data,
the team developed a strategy for reducing solid wastes,
which included:
- Focus the first waste reduction
efforts on a waste that could be greatly and quickly
reduced to show results that would stimulate employee
participation.
- Review and evaluate the process(es)
generating a waste to determine how it can be modified
to reduce or eliminate the waste.
- Explore possibilities for reusing
or recycling wastes that cannot be reused.
A critical part of implementing the
waste reduction strategy was to provide training to
employees on waste reduction techniques, and encouragement
and motivation to participate in the overall effort.
Waste Reduction Techniques
The most successful waste reduction
technique used at STARTEX was good housekeeping. By
preventing spills and raw material contamination, waste
generation was greatly reduced. The four primary wastes
reduced at STARTEX and the techniques used to reduce
or eliminate these wastes are detailed below.
Polyfilm Scrap
Polyfilm scrap (extruded plastic waste from the manufacturing
process) contributed to over 50 percent of the total
waste generated at STARTEX. Approximately eight tons
of scrap were generated weekly. Because this scrap was
the largest contributor to STARTEX's waste volume, it
was the focus of the first waste reduction project.
By showing quick and large reductions if this waste,
the Waste Reduction Team speculated that STARTEX employees
would see the results of their efforts and be more likely
to accept and contribute to the overall waste reduction
process.
After comparing purchasing data with
waste volume data, the Waste Reduction Team found that
only 80 to 90 percent of the virgin polysheeting fed
into the extrusion equipment became product. After evaluating
reuse options, the team determined that polyfilm scrap
could be fed directly back into the extrusion process
along with virgin material to produce lower-grade packaging
(not medical or food packaging).
The Waste Reduction Team documented
procedures on how to reuse scrap in the extrusion process
and provided training to employees.
By reusing polyfilm scrap, STARTEX
reduced the amount of scrap it disposed of by 97 percent—from
approximately 16,000 pounds per week to 1,000 pounds
every three weeks.
Resin Pellets
Transferring resin pellets to production areas often
resulted in losses before the waste reduction efforts
began. STARTEX's Waste Reduction Team found that approximately
248,500 pounds of resin pellets fell onto the floor
while being loaded into process equipment, and were
subsequently disposed of.
The team evaluated ways to prevent
pellet loss and implemented the following changes. First,
the conveyor systems was improved to convey the pellets
directly into the processing area. Second, after it
was found that up to five percent of all resin pellets
used remained inside the cardboard Gaylord boxes (caught
under the flaps), the boxes were replaced with steel
tanks. Since steel tanks had no edges or flaps, pellets
could be completely removed.
Next, the team determined that spillage,
however minimal, would continue to occur. The alternative
to disposal was to collect the pellets and send them
off site to be washed and reprocessed at a cost that
was significantly lower than the purchase cost of virgin
pellets. These reprocessed pellets were then used for
making lower-grade packaging.
To implement the changes in handling
resin pellets, the Waste Reduction Team documented procedures
for cleaning up pellets and provided training to employees.
Cardboard Gaylord
Boxes
STARTEX continued to receive virgin pellets in 1,000-pound
quantity cardboard Gaylord boxes, which are then emptied
into steel tanks. The boxes cannot be recycled, however,
because they are contaminated with resin pellets that
are difficult to completely remove. After exploring
alternative disposal options, STARTEX found numerous
companies that would purchase the boxes for reuse, if
they are properly broken down. STARTEX received approximately
$36,000 annually from the sale of its used boxes.
Paper Cores
Plastic sheeting produced at STARTEX is shipped out
on solid paper cores. Cores were purchased in 12-foot
lengths and were cut to fit the various widths of plastic
products. STARTEX generated approximately 5,000 to 6,000
pounds of paper core waste every three weeks and was
anxious to find a recycling market for this material.
However, the Waste Reduction Team was unable to find
a recycler who would accept the cores. STARTEX staff
contacted the supplier of the paper cores and found
that it shredded and reused its core waste. Since the
supplier was only a few miles away, STARTEX worked out
an agreement with the supplier to take back the waste
cores. One requirement of the supplier was that the
cores be free of plastic waste. To help employees keep
the cores clean and to prevent accidental contamination
from other wastes, STARTEX purchased open-wire cages
for a total of $8,000, which were used exclusively to
collect and store the waste cores.
Results
Cost Savings
STARTEX had disposed of approximately 2,500 tons of
solid waste at a cost of $90,000 ($35 per ton). After
implementing the techniques to reduce or reuse wastes
highlighted above, it disposed of about 290 toms at
a cost of $18,000 ($62 per ton). This was a savings
of $72,000 annually (not including the increase in disposal
costs per ton) and an 88 percent reduction in total
waste volume.
In addition to reduced disposal costs,
selling the used Gaylord boxes generated approximately
$36,000 annually.
Employee Satisfaction
Since employees saw the results of their efforts, most
were committed to STARTEX's continuous process improvement
efforts to reduce waste. A monthly newsletter to employees
included articles from the new Material Conservation
Team (formerly the Waste Reduction Team) that highlighted
overall waste reduction successes. The articles also
showed amounts and disposal costs of wastes still produced,
and encouraged employees to find solutions to waste
problems.
Customer Satisfaction
Customers reacted very positively to the "clean
shop" appearance that resulted from the waste reduction
efforts and good housekeeping practices at STARTEX.
Customers from the medical industry who were required
to audit STARTEX's operation were particularly pleased
with the clean results.
Keys to Success
The most significant factors contributing to
the waste reduction success at STARTEX were:
- Forming a team, composed of employees
from throughout the operation, to focus on waste reduction.
- Training employees.
- Communicating to employees through
an in-house monthly newsletter providing updates on
waste reduction efforts, recognition of company-wide
accomplishments in reducing waste and encouragement
to employees to be ever mindful about reducing wastes,
cutting costs and keeping a clean shop.
For More Information
MnTAP has a variety of technical assistance services available to help Minnesota businesses implement industry-tailored solutions that maximize resource efficiency, prevent pollution, increase energy efficiency, and reduce costs.Our information resources
are available online. Or, call MnTAP at 612.624.1300
or 800.247.0015 from greater Minnesota
for personal assistance.
Note: STARTEX
has been acquired by Tyco Plastics, a Tyco International
Ltd. Company.
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