Manufacturing has a bad reputation for polluting the environment but there are other things you can do to make your operation eco-friendly.
In many ways, manufacturing businesses are the lifeblood of an economy. As important as they are, manufacturing businesses have also gained a bad rep for polluting the environment.
Now, it is natural that a manufacturing process will have at least some sort of influence over the surrounding ecosystem and the larger environment. However, as technology has progressed, we have developed tools that are designed to maximize output while minimizing the production of harmful byproducts like the smoke of water pollutants.
While employing the latest technology may not always be possible because of budget constraints, there are other things you can do to make your manufacturing operations more eco-friendly:
Most manufacturing processes use a lot of water and after it has been used (and contaminated), it is usually released into the nearby waterbody.
Now, the waste release from one manufacturing plant may or may not harm the ecosystem dependent on that waterbody, but chances are that your plant is in an area where there are several similar plants. The waste from all these plants can seriously harm the surrounding ecosystem, especially if the water that is being released is mixed with oil from machines and the manufacturing process.
We’ve all seen what oil does to birds and other aquatic animals.
The good news is, filtering out the oil from any water body is now not only possible but very pocket friendly, with the help of a roll of water filtration fabric. Such a fabric can hold up to 20 times its weight in oil and does not disrupt the free flow of water.
The best part is that such filters can be reused several times, reducing the cost of the effort involved in cleaning up the oil, while also being an eco-friendly solution.
Just like water consumption, the electricity consumption of most manufacturing plants is very high. So much so, that for many manufacturing plants, the energy bill is one of the biggest recurring expenses.
Just like with water, manufacturing units cannot do without energy. However, with frequent energy audits, you can pinpoint the areas where your plant is wasting energy and optimize them for better efficiency.
With global campaigns dedicated to reducing the consumption of energy, it is no secret that energy consumption is a global problem. The effects of the same can also be seen in the regularly increasing costs of keeping the lights on.
With energy audits, you will not just be doing your part in reducing the energy consumption, you will also be ensuring that your energy bills are lowered.
In today’s world, waste isn’t completely wasted anymore. While it is true that there are manufacturing by-products such as harmful chemicals that cannot be reused or recycled, there are plenty of other ‘waste’ materials that a manufacturing unit disposes of that can be reused and/or recycled.
Thinks like papers and boxes can and should be disposed of with some sense of responsibility. It is also a good idea to install separate dustbins for reusable, recyclable, and non-biodegradable waste across your plant.
Segregating waste at the source is perhaps one of the most efficient ways to ensure responsible disposal of waste and the environment will thank you for it.
Besides all these steps, your business can also promote being eco-friendly among other businesses by only associating itself with environmentally responsible businesses.
This, along with all the other solutions mentioned in this article will not just enable you to reduce the carbon footprint of your business, but will also make for excellent PR material.
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