subject: What Does Zero Waste Actually Mean - How Can Your Business Achieve It? [print this page] So, what is Zero Waste and what is all the fuss about - after all it is talked about throughout any Corporate Social Resonsibilty lecture. As it is National Zero Waste Week, I thought it would make a good topic to discuss at length as many people don't really seem to understand what it is and how to achieve it.
Searching around the internet it is however very difficult to find any clear definitions of zero waste. Most articles class zero waste as a goal, concept or philosophy. Wikipedia defines it as 'a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycle so that all products are reused. Any trash sent to landfills is minimal'.
The top dog in the zero waste world is The Zero Waste International Alliance and they work with companies and countries to a World without Waste. Their definition of zero waste is again based upon a vision that can energise people and companies - one that encourages people to change their lifestyle. They say that it's the redesigning of products and processes that will avoid waste - to reuse no dispose of products and waste.
Companies need to set high standards in waste management and recycling and consider not just their CSR, but their responsibility as a human to the planet. Zero waste is about working on a continuous basis towards lowering their waste output. As has been said, zero waste is an aim, and can (for financial reasons) only be achieved slowly.
To aim for 100% of all waste to be recycled or reused is unachievable. So, the aim of zero waste is to encourage producers to think hard about how they can reduce the amound of packaging, unrecycleable materials and other waste they pass down the waste chain. If zero waste is to achieve anything it is this - to prevent from the source, and this helps others achieve their goals too.
The UK will run out of landfill space within the next 8 years. In 2008 a total of 57 million tonnes of waste was sent to landfill sites in the United Kingdom. However, this is a double edged sword - as we are currently using massive natural resources producing products and packing that is used once and sent to landfill. As there is only 650 million cubic metres of landfill capacity left, this problem needs solving at the cause.
Eventually, it will come down to simple economics to force producers of waste to stop creating landfill waste. Resource Management is a key factor, but thats the end problem. The planet is running out of resources, and in the short term these will get more expensive, so we will be forced to build products that can be reused and we will have to recycle everything.
So, is the term Zero Waste a little misleading? Yes, I think so. If a company achieves 95% of their waste is recycled then are they zero? Well, no. But they will have achieved something that 99.9% of businesses haven't and that should be celebrated. Perhaps the term zero should be changed? Businesses should set goals for reducing waste, and for persuading those down the chain to reduce their waste - together we can do it.
We need a clear and concise target and definition for all businesses to work towards and we can get on with helping businesses achieve these goals.
