#4 – Conduct Regular Assessments of Current Practices

Information must be collected and analyzed to gain an understanding of current performance in terms of sustainability.  If the company adheres to a standard such as ISO 14001 or has an environmental management system in place, this practice will already be occurring.  But if not, there are several ways to benchmark performance.

 Track the volume of waste generated on a daily basis as efforts to reduce waste are implemented.  Map temperature and humidity data in lab spaces before and after the addition of thermal barriers, insulation, etc. to provide concrete evidence of improvement.   Track energy consumption as changes are implemented to demonstrate the cost saving capabilities of these programs.

Read Tip #5

#3 – Follow the Three R’s

Here at DDL, like all packaging labs, we go through a vast amount of packaging material: cardboard boxes, packing peanuts, dunnage, plastic wrap, palates, etc.  Finding ways to reuse any or all of these materials can extend their useful lives and keep them out of landfills. 

Reduce: using less packaging when shipping products between sites or to customers will reduce shipping costs and the amount of material that will enter the waste stream.  Choosing reusable and recyclable materials in place of those that are not will reduce the amount of waste generated.

Reuse: reusing packing peanuts, dunnage, and boxes bolsters their life cycle and increases their value.

Recycle:  actively seeking out recycling opportunities and choosing to use products that are recyclable or compostable demonstrates commitment to sustainability and can lead to long term savings.

Read Tip #4!