It’s common knowledge that countries the world over need to reduce their impact on the environment. In industry that becomes trickier, but there are ways to make factories more eco-friendly and reduce carbon footprint.
How Can A Factory Be More Eco-Friendly?
1. Become zero waste to landfill. Landfills have extremely negative effects on the environment, contributing to global warming and polluting soil and water. Becoming zero waste to landfill means that a minimum 99% of waste streams are reused, for example in recycling cardboard, re-melting glass, and composting food waste.
2. Use eco-friendly lighting. The energy consumption of an LED light is around 30x lower per year than other bulbs, and one LED bulb can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half a ton. Additionally, LED bulbs last approximately 25 times longer and unlike traditional bulbs, they don’t contain or release mercury.
3. Install an environmentally-friendly heating system. Use destratification fans to distribute heat evenly, reducing gas usage and therefore carbon footprint. You can also install modulating heating controls which decrease energy losses and have high energy efficiency.
4. Conserve water. Water-efficiency programs can be used to conserve water and reduce costs on purchasing, treating and getting rid of water. Conducting a water efficiency audit and comparing the results to industry benchmarks is a good starting point. You can look at ways to reduce water flow, modify or replace equipment, recycle water, and replace water-cooled equipment with air-cooled versions.
5. Use renewable energy. It may be possible to build your own source of renewable energy on your factory premises. Some countries offer tax breaks for doing so, as well as compensation for the energy distributed back into the grid. These on-site energy supply systems can make environmental (and financial) improvements for your factory.
Even industries which you wouldn’t think could be eco-friendly, such as the chemical industry, can contribute to a sustainable future and healthy environment. While there may be an initial cost outlay, efficiencies and long-term savings make eco-friendly changes worthwhile.