Case Study / 05.14.2020

Eliminating Waste to Landfill Beyond Metals

Data-Driven Analysis Reduces Emissions and Drives Operational Efficiency

Eliminating Waste to Landfill Beyond Metals - Image

The Customer

The customer is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heating and cooling systems, serving both the residential and commercial sector across the world. They provide energy-efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building, contracting and energy services, parts support and advanced controls.

The Challenge

The customer came to Shapiro Metals for help after becoming dissatisfied with their current waste management provider, who had been unable to help them gain traction in their zero-waste-to-landfill initiative. The waste program was growing costly and the customer was still sending a significant amount of waste to landfills…in addition to receiving a subpar customer service experience when they would interact with the previous provider.

Shapiro Metals performed a plant survey to see the customer’s operation and evaluate whether they could benefit from a tailored, comprehensive management services program.

The customer was using 30-yard roll off containers to collect loose trash. Digging into the data, we discovered that each trash pickup consisted of approximately 1.2–1.4 tons of material, which added up to over 400 truckloads per year. When walking the plant, we also noticed that while the customer was baling some of their cardboard, a significant amount was making its way into the waste containers instead of being sorted for recycling.

The Solution

We developed a two-pronged approach to helping the customer: to find an alternative outlet for their trash while also making their process of trash handling within the plant more efficient.

First, we addressed the equipment arrangement that the customer was using for trash. We first provided the customer with larger 40-yard roll off containers as a temporary solution while we worked on a plan to implement two state-of-the-art trash compactors in the facility.

The trash compactors each have a capacity of seven tons, reducing the volume of trash by breaking down the material. This will lead to a dramatic decrease in the amount scheduled services required by the customer. We also helped bring proper handling of cardboard back into focus for the customer’s team—ensuring that it made its way to the baler instead of into the trash.

Finally, we helped the customer find a waste-to-energy outlet for their materials to divert more of them away from winding up in landfills.

The Result

The implementation of the compactors will reduce the amount of truckloads required from over 400 per year to only 85—nearly an 80% reduction in emissions and a significant cost savings to the customer. The waste-to-energy solution will also keep over 560 tons of trash out of landfills.

As the program is fully implemented, the customer’s representatives from Shapiro Metals will visit the site on a routine basis to ensure everything is running smoothly. This customer’s story proves that through data-driven analysis and proper use of equipment, manufacturers can quickly make significant strides toward more sustainable operations.