WHITE PAPER
Reaching Your Waste Reduction and
Sustainability Goals
Until recently, waste generators were primarily concerned with waste disposal. Their priority was
making sure that their waste was removed and taken care of properly for the lowest possible
cost. This meant that their waste-management programs and policies focused on delivering
waste to an appropriate disposal facility or ensuring that the waste was effectively treated.
Over the past five to ten years, waste generators have been catching up with the shift in public
opinion on environmental issues and how industries could better manage their waste. Today,
there is a much greater focus on waste reduction and recycling or reusing waste for other
productive purposes.
Supporting this evolution of corporate culture toward adopting green initiatives is the realization
that minimizing waste, recycling waste, and creating valuable byproducts from waste can have
a significant positive effect on a company’s bottom line. Companies that are developing
sophisticated waste reduction and sustainability goals will need to partner with an environmental
services provider that has the experience and expertise to help them achieve those goals.
The Evolving Corporate Environmental Consciousness
Never before has there been such an intense focus on the condition and future of the
environment. Discussions about the significance of the impact of industrial processes on the
planet take place every day, from the highest levels of government to local coffee shops.
These same discussions are also taking place in corporate boardrooms, and the conclusion is
clear: Corporate waste generators understand the business value of reducing waste and setting
sustainability goals.
In order to comply with federal and state environmental regulations or to satisfy concerns about
their public image, an increasing number of companies are implementing waste-minimization
programs. Some companies are even attempting to achieve the highly ambitious sustainability goal
of creating landfill-free facilities by recycling, reusing, or repurposing all of their trash and waste.
© 2014 Nexeo Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
1
Ensuring regulatory compliance and enhancing the image of their brand by “going green” aren’t
the only drivers. Tremendous cost savings can often be realized by reducing waste in internal
processes. One company’s waste can be another company’s raw material. With a bit of effort,
companies that previously paid to dispose of waste may now find a market that pays them for
their waste.
Creating a Sustainable Culture Starts at the Top
Just like any other dramatic change in corporate culture, the move toward environmental
sustainability must start at the CEO and board level. This is true not only because modifying the
culture of an enterprise is difficult and complex, but also because whatever goal the company
sets publicly will require a substantial investment of time, energy, and money.
Unfortunately, there is a widespread misconception that going green is cost-prohibitive for most
companies. The truth is that if a sustainability initiative is planned and managed well, it doesn’t
need to be expensive. Rather, it is a long-term investment that requires a certain amount of
expertise to balance costs, discover areas for cost avoidance, and to create new revenue
streams through beneficial reuse.
Most companies simply don’t have the bandwidth or internal resources to effectively manage such
a comprehensive environmental initiative. If they don’t dedicate the proper personnel and financial
resources, they will face significant implementation challenges that could hamper their efforts.
While some companies lack the staff and expertise, others that have personnel responsible for
environmental health and safety matters find that they are already overburdened by their daily
responsibilities. Whatever your staffing situation may be, it helps to find an environmental
services provider that can take the lead to ensure success.
What to Look for in an Environmental Services Provider
Embarking on the planning, implementation, and management of a waste minimization and
sustainability initiative presents a company with enormous challenges. It’s important to find a
provider that offers a high level of experience and expertise.
You need more than a vendor. You need a true business partner. Here are a few important things
to look for in an environmental services provider:
Financial Stability
One of the imperatives in selecting an environmental services provider is their financial
stability. You want to feel confident that they have the resources to handle your waste
properly and that they are going to still be around in 10 or 20 years’ time.
© 2014 Nexeo Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
2
Managing long-term liability is critical, because laws such as the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), which
created the Superfund Program, grant the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the
power to compel responsible parties to perform clean-ups or reimburse the government for
clean-ups conducted by the EPA.
Remember Love Canal and Times Beach in the 1970s? Since then, there have been
thousands of sites cleaned up through the EPA’s Superfund Program. As a waste
generator, you are responsible for your waste from start to finish. When you have a strong
financial partner, you can rely on them to handle your waste properly and thereby avoid
costly mistakes.
Compatible Waste Minimization Goals
It’s crucial that your company’s goals for waste minimization match your partner’s goals, or
you may never achieve the outcomes you are targeting. The two organizations should have
a shared vision to ensure that you are not working at cross-purposes.
For example, your company has decided to operate a landfill-free facility. If the vendor you
choose to work with owns or has a close business relationship with a landfill, it’s highly likely
that they will encourage you to use the landfill, because it serves their business needs.
Before selecting a vendor, ask them about their approach to waste minimization so that you
can decide if they are a good match. Make sure that they understand your goals and have
the capability to help you reach them.
The Ability to Identify Ways to Generate Less Waste
Remember that waste minimization goes beyond waste disposal. You need a partner that
has experience with internal production processes and can identify ways for your company
to generate less waste.
Ideally, your partner will be able to recommend ways to tighten up your processes by
finding opportunities for cost savings, as well as opportunities to recycle or reuse
materials. This type of waste reduction involves generating less waste that must be treated,
stored, or disposed.
The Ability to Create Revenue Streams with Your Waste
Waste isn’t waste when it has monetary value. Take the case of a semiconductor
manufacturer that uses a particular solvent as a rinse material. Once it’s used, they may not
be able to reuse the solvent, but it may be of use to another company in a different industry
where the lower purity levels are in line with their specifications.
© 2014 Nexeo Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
3
This is an excellent example of the benefit of having an environmental services partner who
entertains all options. Such a partner can create new revenue streams by finding other
companies willing to buy your waste as raw materials for their processes.
Has a Nationwide Resource Network
The right partner is one that has a nationwide resource network. This gives them the ability
to provide services to your facilities wherever they are in the country. Having nationwide
resources also gives your partner greater ability to handle your waste through recycling,
disposal, storage, or reselling because they are not limited to a single geographic area.
Has Onsite Capabilities
Your waste-minimization goals shouldn’t be limited by your current capacity. The right
partner will be able to offer your company onsite capabilities to help you reach your goals,
no matter how aggressively you’ve set them.
Onsite capabilities allow your partner to place its own staff within your facilities to manage
your waste in alignment with your financial and sustainability goals. By being on-site, it can
collect hazardous and non-hazardous waste at the source and manage it properly at an
unmatched level of efficiency.
Delivers Unbiased Expertise
This final qualification is essential. You want to work with an environmental services
provider with an unbiased perspective on your challenges. Vendors that own landfills,
recycling facilities, or waste-treatment technologies may tend to steer you toward using
their own facilities. The right partner focuses exclusively on your goals instead of looking
for ways to earn extra profit.
Nexeo Solutions is the Ideal Environmental Services Partner
Since 1981, Nexeo Solutions’ Environmental Services business has used its nationwide network
of resources to provide a full spectrum of unbiased sustainable solutions to its clients. By taking
a proactive approach to waste minimization, Nexeo Solutions offers customized services that
bring the financial and environmental goals of its clients to the forefront.
Your peace of mind comes from knowing you have partnered with a company that conducts
their own independent, rigorous audits on a continuous basis to ensure compliance with federal
and state regulations. Our team of highly experienced sales consultants are skilled at providing
you the best service across the continent.
© 2014 Nexeo Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
4