Effective Waste Management is a global requirement and organizations across the world are aiming to reduce production waste and all other forms of waste related to raw materials, finished goods, operations, suppliers, and more.
The amount of waste produced in the manufacturing sector is becoming increasingly a global concern. Eliminating waste is a must and it remains an essential aspect of the business to tackle waste management effectively.
Effective Ways to Eliminate Waste in Production
So, minimizing waste must remain the key priority of every organization. All businesses must take a proactive approach to treating their waste effectively. Here are a few effective ways to eliminate waste in production
There are multiple ways to eliminate waste in production and manufacturing units. The organization can follow the below process to eliminate the waste in their production.
1. Identify the Area of Waste Generation
In the organization, identify the area of waste generation within the functional teams and their operations. The company can maintain a zero-waste policy by identifying the potential areas where resources utilization is not the right way.
Waste in manufacturing units can be of many forms. Unused raw materials, defective products, items that have no value addition to customers, damaged items, etc.
The team must identify these items and get initiate the disposal to ensure the manufacturing unit is free from waste deposits.
2. Manage Inventory Efficiently
The manufacturing company must maintain its inventory levels at an optimum level. The company must keep track of its assets and resources.
They must improve the strategy by reducing the raw material purchase and effectively forecasting their inventory needs in the future.
3. Manage the Purchasing
The purchase department must be well aware of stocks and inventory. Waste management includes managing the raw material purchase by ordering optimum quantity.
Proper inventory management and maintaining stock levels will help to keep the waste levels low. Avoid overstocking the resources. Also, it will help in reducing the overproduction of items.
Practice the principles of Just-in-Time manufacturing, i.e., manufacture only when the product order is in place.It helps in effective workflow management and also keeps the overhead cost low for the assembly line.
4. Conduct Waste Reduction Audits
Conducting periodic waste reduction audits helps to keep the production at an optimum level. It will help to understand the resource utilization.
The Waste Reduction Audit will help in identifying the potential areas of improvement in the assembly line and other operations. It will help the organization to effectively plan the production schedules.
5. Reduce Packaging Materials
Large quantities of Packaging materials are in use for wrapping, and packaging the final item in a manufacturing unit.
Avoiding single-use plastic wrapping, finding more eco-friendly packaging materials, etc. will help reduce the environmental impact of using plastic wrappings.
As an organization, the functional team must oversee the reduction of the use of packaging materials and maximize the use of reusable cardboard boxes or any other reusable materials
6. Analyze Waste Reduction Goals
Set clear goals for waste reduction by introducing frameworks that will support zero-waste initiatives. Depending on the assembly line’s complexity, there are various functions in the production process. Waste management is important in all stages of production.
So, the Production team must review the operations, raw material purchase, production schedules, finished products, supplier contracts, etc., and identify areas where waste management is not in practice.
Assign goal-setting principles to these areas and teams to measure the Waste generation and its treatment. Analyze the waste reduction goals and take the necessary actions based on the results.
7. Allocate a Budget
Allocate a budget to the entire waste management system in an organization. There are various sections in the organization that handle various production requirements.
So, to identify the effect of waste management in each stage of production, the team must conduct periodic audits.
There must be a special budget allocation across the production lines and supporting departments. It is to reduce waste production and make the organization zero-waste.
8. Involve Employees
Involving employees across all departments and functionalities is helpful for effective waste management. The employees will be well aware of methods of waste reduction in an organization.
Especially, with employees working in the production line and operations will have knowledge of areas to focus on for reducing waste production.
Gather employee feedback and conduct training sessions for involving employees to suggest ways to reduce waste in production and other areas of operation in the organization.
9. Automation of Machinery
Machinery automation and following Lean Manufacturing Practices will help in reducing the quantity of raw material waste, build-to-order type model or just-in-time production will help in keeping the inventory low and eliminating the chances of raw materials becoming waste.
Similarly, the final product will be made with great efficiency using the automated Machinery and following the Lean Manufacturing Process.
10. Re-Use and Recycle
Identify various means to convert the waste into a product or use the waste to recycle and make a new product. For example, electronic waste can be collected back and repurposed to make new products.
Similarly, there are many by-products or waste generated while manufacturing a specific product. These bi-products can be used to fulfill customer desires.
Here are a few examples, Wheat production has a by-product called Whey, which is now used as a protein supplement. Similarly, during soap production, glycerol is a by-product.
So in total, Waste Management is an essential technique that all organizations must apply to their production strategy.
It is our commitment as humans to protect nature, so companies must ensure they have a proper waste management system in place to protect the environment.
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ISO 14001 Certification will complement the organization’s efforts of waste reduction and waste management the right way.
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