Reducing waste by Environmental Management: Chemetall PLC.

Chemetall has always complied with the Environmental regulations, but in 1994 it decided to integrate all its environmental activities into a co-ordinated Environmental Management System (EMS). This has led to a reduction in solid waste of 50% per tonne of product, less water use and a drop in rejected product by 75%. Total savings are well in excess of £100,000.

Chemetall achieved these reductions by implementing several programmes which included:

Staff training was seen as central to the success of the initiatives. All personnel were made aware of the importance of environmental issues and the part that they could play in achieving the desired waste minimisation.
The amount of rejected products, and therefore waste, was reduced by improved diagnostic processes to prevent future problems with production processes.
Waste water was minimised by improving the procedures for cleaning out batch reactors and also the management of effuluents disposed of away from the site.
Recycling of treated waste water and reuse of raw materials drums.