SC Johnson has managed to implement a zero manufacturing waste to landfill program across 65 per cent of its global operations, announcing today that they are ahead of schedule to roll-out the program through the entire business by 2021.
Part of the cleaning brand owner’s sustainability platform, the manufacturing waste program has recently been implemented in Saudi Arabia, following a roll-out in Mexico, Vietnam, South Africa, Ukraine and Kenya.
“Our journey to zero waste to landfill is just part of our longstanding commitment to being a leader in sustainability and to serving the greater good,” said Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson.
“I’m proud of the hard work of SC Johnson people at our manufacturing plants all around the globe who have stepped up to help protect the environment for future generations, even in places where it wasn’t easy.”
A few years ago, already five of SC Johnson’s sites completed the zero manufacturing waste to landfill goal. Today, there are 17 factories that are zero manufacturing waste to landfill and 14 of those sites are zero waste to landfill.
Some of its sites compost food waste which can be used for landscaping while wastewater is used as a fertiliser in parks and other natural spaces. Workers at a Kenyan factory were trained to do trash segregation and educated on the benefits of waste management.
The multinational giant finds ways to eliminate waste which could be sent to landfill, focusing primarily on reusing, industrial recycling, on-site wastewater treatment and composting. However, SC Johnson said they still consider incineration as an alternative if zero waste goal isn’t feasible.
“When you look at other landfills outside of industrialised nations, there is some concern about landfill management,” said Kelly Semrau, senior vice president – Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at SC Johnson.
“If we haven’t yet found a way to eliminate or divert waste, incineration provides better control and better technology than the long-term risk of land fill.”
