Zero emissions manufacturing refers to the process of producing goods without emitting any harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, water, or soil. This is an ideal state where manufacturing activities generate no waste products or emissions that are harmful to the environment.
Importance of Zero Emissions Manufacturing
- Sustainability: Ensures long-term ecological balance and resource availability.
- Climate Change Mitigation: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, helping to combat climate change.
- Regulatory Compliance: Helps in meeting increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
- Cost Savings: Efficient use of resources can lead to cost reductions in the long run.
- Public Image: Enhances brand reputation and stakeholder relations.
Methods for Achieving Zero Emissions
- Renewable Energy: Use of solar, wind, and hydro energy to power manufacturing processes.
- Waste Minimization: Implementing lean manufacturing techniques to reduce waste.
- Recycling and Reuse: Repurposing waste materials for other productive uses.
- Carbon Capture: Employing technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions.
- Process Optimization: Utilizing advanced analytics and automation to optimize energy use.
Challenges and Considerations
While the concept is promising, there are several challenges to achieving zero emissions in manufacturing, such as technological limitations, high initial costs, and regulatory hurdles. Therefore, a holistic approach involving government policies, technological innovation, and public awareness is essential for success.
Case Studies
Several companies like Tesla, Apple, and Unilever are making strides towards zero emissions manufacturing, setting an example for other industries to follow.
Conclusion
Zero emissions manufacturing is not just an environmental necessity but also a business imperative. Companies that invest in sustainable manufacturing practices are likely to see long-term benefits, both in terms of profitability and brand value.
2003 Example
In 2003, Oki Electric Industry Company announced its facility in Numazu for development and manufacturing of transportation systems and acoustic positioning systems achieved zero emissions in the second half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2003. The Oki group defines zero emissions as a recycling rate of more than 99% for general and industrial waste. The Numazu plant is the ninth and final major manufacturing facility to achieve zero emissions.
As part of the "Oki Eco Plan21" established in 2001, the company set the goal of zero emissions at its major manufacturing plants, including development facilities of the Oki group companies, by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2005.
"With the achievement at Numazu, Oki has achieved zero emissions in all its major manufacturing facilities in Japan two years ahead of schedule. This proves our commitment, as a leading electronics company, to activities for environmental protection," said Masayoshi Ino, Executive Vice President at Oki Electric, responsible for the Oki group's environmental protection strategies.
The Numazu facility is in charge of system development and manufacturing of bases for an advanced information telecommunication society including transportation information systems. The Numazu facility examined its waste and conducted research on recycling methods for various paper, plastic and metal output by offices and plant exhausts.
The main challenge of zero emissions for the Numazu plant was "accurate sorting of waste" when employees disposed of garbage. By designating aims such as "99.5% overall waste sorting accuracy" by imposing regulations on employees for waste sorting, and conducting regular checks on the manger of sorting wastes, the Numazu plant was able to achieve its goal of zero emissions for the fiscal year ending March 2003. Since Oki set the goal in 1993, the Oki group has promoted waste reduction. In the second waste reduction plan issued in 1996, the recycle rate was 31% (average of all plants and facilities). This improved to 90% in 1999, which enabled Oki to work on achieving zero emissions from 2000. In addition to reduction of waste over the years, Oki has achieved a 45% reduction in its waste disposal fee for the fiscal year ending March 2003, a 170 million yen reduction compared with the fiscal year ending March 1996.
In addition to the existing environmental policies such as "nonuse of toxic substance" and "reduction of CO2 emission," Oki aims to generate environmental technologies from a manufacturing standpoint by adding an active action policy to "create products and manufacturing processes that solve environmental issues."