Repost from http://sustainableindustries.com/articles/2011/11/trash-raw-materials
Technology is not a destiny. We are the smartest beings on the planet and if we do not like what we can see of the future, there is still time to change it. Hazardous waste is the inevitable byproduct of industrial development. These wastes can be unhealthy both for people and the environmental. The future of all living things depends on how we relate to the Earth and how we use materials. What we do know of material flows in our global and national economy shows both crisis and promise. On the crisis side, our exponentially increasing use of materials is challenging the capacity of the Earth. On the promise side, we are beginning to practice lifecycle management and learning how to reduce the materials that run through our economy.
It has been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. It is possible for companies to turn their trash into their own treasure. Disruptive technologies are often born through repurposing. Whether it is reuse of existing buildings or waste re-envisioning, innovating on top of excess makes sense. Every manufacturing process creates something that by default creates waste. Using waste instead of trashing it can cut costs by reducing disposal fees, at the very least. The greatest returns are realized when companies broaden their scope to include a joint production process and start thinking about how to use resources to produce value.
Synergies can lead to reduced disposal costs, reduced raw material costs, improved efficiency, and income from new “products” Byproduct synergy (BPS) takes the waste stream from one production process and uses that to make a new product. BPS makes sustainable development tangible for companies and other organizations, and is a sound greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy. Taking “wastes” from one company and using them as raw materials for another means industry can turn a negative into a positive for both the environment and for shareholders. Looked at this way, the glass that was half empty can suddenly seem half full. The challenge is finding a way to fill it to the top.
The key consideration is profit. Companies cannot be expected to pursue byproduct synergy for altruistic reasons. Unless the strategy positively affects the bottom line, it is likely to go the way of other feel-good efforts. No matter how compelling the societal benefits, companies will pursue byproduct synergy primarily because it is in their self-interest. Sustainable development makes good business sense because it can create competitive advantages and new opportunities. Byproduct synergy is a clear example of this concept. Companies can actually make money by coming up with innovative ways to convert their waste into useful products for others.
TerraCycle upcycles and recycles non-recyclable waste like chip bags into products. Innovation like this is the key to a sustainable competitive advantage. Sodium fluoride is more or less a hazardous waste byproduct of the nuclear and aluminum industries, but it is one of the basic ingredients in Prozac and military nerve gas. The day is not far away when companies will mine landfills to extract metals, plastics, and other materials. As businesses join forces to reuse and recycle their wastes, those landfills will shrink and even disappear from our landscape.
Because polyester rags cannot be tossed in the trash, one recycling company found another use for them. By breaking the rags down to their original polyester state, they extrude material to produce covers for wiring harnesses. Ford and Chrysler use them for harnesses under vehicle floorboards. GM trains their employees to see waste as “a resource out of place.” Last year, General Motors reused 2.5 million tons of waste.
Everything old is new again or, better said, “waste not want not.” It seems that mankind has always been resourceful. Maybe we are not as far ahead of the curve as we thought. Centuries ago animal skins became the fabric of choice. The leather industry is based on turning the food industry waste into a desirable end product. The leather industry produces 18 billion square feet of leather a year valued at $40 billion. About 65% of the world production of leather is estimated to go into leather footwear. The value of leather produced for the automotive industry is $1.3 million internationally.
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Dennis Walsh is a writer, researcher, and consultant. Visit his website: www.walshfuturist.com