ENVIRONMENTAL

TECHNOLOGY

BEST PRACTICE
PROGRAMME

WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS TO REDUCE

WASTE
AND SAVE
ENERGY
 ET228
GUIDE

WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS
TO REDUCE WASTE AND
SAVE ENERGY

This Good Practice Guide was produced by the

Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme
and the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme

Prepared with assistance from:

The Institute of Energy

© Crown copyright. First printed March 2000.

This material may be freely reproduced in its original form except for sale or advertising purposes.
Printed on paper containing 75% post-consumer waste.
SUMMARY

Everyone can make a difference individually to the environment by reducing waste and saving
energy. This Guide is about introducing waste reduction and energy saving measures at work that
will make it possible for you to have an impact on a wider scale.

There have been many successful workplace waste minimisation initiatives led by the workforce
rather than management. Employees working together bring benefits to themselves, the company
and the environment. This Guide is for those people that would like to make a difference, but are
unsure where to start.

The Guide will help anyone in the workforce to take simple, no-cost and low-cost measures at work
to reduce waste and save energy. It explains how to form partnerships with colleagues to introduce
effective waste minimisation initiatives that will bring many benefits. It takes you step by step
through taking action to reduce waste - identifying colleagues who can help you, how to convince
people to join a partnership, and how to identify which projects will get the partnership off to a
good start.

The Guide also describes the business reasons for reducing waste that help you win your case with
senior management. It demonstrates how improving environmental performance will mean your
company will have less adverse impact on the environment - and will reduce costs in the process.

It will help individuals who wish to promote waste minimisation policies in their department, or
throughout their company. Above all, it will encourage everyone to feel they can make a difference
at work.
CONTENTS

Section Page

1 Introduction 1
1.1 What is waste? 1
1.2 Why should we reduce waste? 2
1.3 What stops us reducing waste? 2
1.4 How this Guide can help 2
1.5 How to use this Guide 3

2 Why waste reduction benefits everyone 4

2.1 Why should your company reduce waste? 4
2.2 How much is waste really costing your company? 4
2.3 Understanding waste 5
2.4 Where to obtain help 5

3 Gaining support and overcoming barriers 7

3.1 Partnership as a mechanism for action 7
3.2 Building confidence 7

4 How to build partnerships 10

4.1 The people who can help you 10
4.2 Persuading others of the benefits 12
4.3 Gaining senior level support 13
4.4 Partnership building blocks - respect and trust 14

5 Selecting and carrying out a project 15

5.1 Getting started - keep it simple 15
5.2 Selecting a project 16
5.3 Brainstorming - develop ideas together 17
5.4 Prioritising action 18
5.5 Carrying out a project 19
5.6 Publicising a project and its results 20
5.7 Sustaining action 20
5.8 Conclusions 20

Appendices

Appendix 1 Checklists 22

Appendix 2 National initiatives and standards 24

 1 INTRODUCTION

Reducing waste and saving energy do not have to be management-led activities. Members of the
workforce are often aware of wasteful practices and, indeed, are frequently in the best position to section
recognise waste and inefficiencies. However, many feel powerless to change things and don’t know 1
how to take action. This Guide will help those members of the workforce to feel motivated and
more empowered to take action.

The Guide describes the steps that you can take to reduce waste and energy use in your workplace.
Anyone can introduce waste saving practices at work - whether it is just in your office, your building,
or on your production line. Small beginnings can sow the seeds for a waste minimisation approach
to be adopted throughout your company or organisation.

However, it is not possible to act alone. The first steps will involve persuading others to join you.
This Guide describes how to build partnerships with colleagues and associates at work to help
produce excellent results, for both the environment and the company’s bottom line. It describes
how to choose a project, how to win management support and how to measure and feed back
achievements.

Good news travels fast and employees will find that taking even small, simple measures will
encourage others to follow their lead.

1.1 WHAT IS WASTE?

Almost everything we do uses the Earth’s resources. In many instances, this results in waste of
resources or leads to pollution. Common examples of business activities that produce waste include:

◗ water use and generation of effluent;

◗ paper use and packaging;
◗ use of energy for heating, lighting, equipment and processes;
◗ raw material use;
◗ defects in products or services.

1
 1.2 WHY SHOULD WE REDUCE WASTE?
Waste not only costs money, it also represents lost time, effort, work and missed opportunities. We
also affect our environment by producing waste that needs disposal.

Many of our actions can have an impact on the environment. The extensive use of gas, oil and coal
to power our modern society produces ‘greenhouse gases’ (particularly carbon dioxide) which are a
section
major cause of climate change. Therefore, to lessen the impact on the environment it is important
1 to try to reduce waste wherever possible. This can be done through:

◗ the activities we carry out at home;

◗ the activities we carry out at our workplace;
◗ responsible use of the facilities provided at work, such as water, heating and lighting.

You can read more about the reasons for reducing waste in Section 2.

1.3 WHAT STOPS US REDUCING WASTE?

All of us are aware that some activities at work are wasteful and that we ought to do something to
reduce this waste. It is easier to take action at home: usually simple actions such as taking the bus
rather than driving to work, buying loose rather than packaged goods, recycling newspapers and
magazines, or switching off lights when they are not needed. At work, however, things are
sometimes different; how many times have you heard:

‘…it is not my job…’;

‘…there are rules about what we can and cannot do…’;
‘…you need to fill out forms first…’;
‘…the boss/manager/supervisor/specialists wouldn’t like it…’;
‘…I don’t know what to do…’ and so on?

These are the sort of comments made by people who want to do something but find there are
barriers preventing action, such as:

◗ poor systems or working practices;

◗ lack of awareness of the problems;
◗ conflicting priorities, where waste is seen as not being important;
◗ a lack of confidence in their ability to start a waste reduction project.

1.4 HOW THIS GUIDE CAN HELP

There is a gap between being aware of waste and environmental issues and being able to do
something about them. This Guide is for those people who would like to take action to address
waste issues, but don’t know where to start.

The Guide will assist you to bridge this gap by overcoming the barriers, then moving from awareness
to action. It can help you to make an impact at work, improve your company’s environmental
credentials, and reduce costs.

Taking responsibility for waste minimisation, even if it is only within a small department or building,
can make that area more efficient, and it can make your own job more interesting and your working
environment more pleasant. It is these types of incentives that will help you to persuade others to
help you - it is difficult to tackle these issues alone. You will need both to win the support of
management and to convince colleagues to help you, and this Guide will show you how.

2
This Guide is about building partnerships to reduce environmental impact, by minimising waste and
saving energy. You may be an office worker, a team leader, a team member, a manager, a shop
steward, a health and safety representative, you may work in personnel or finance, or you may be
a union official. It does not matter what your role is; so long as you are interested in solving waste
issues through partnerships, then this Guide is for you.

section
A key point to remember is that
you don’t need a sophisticated
1
approach - enthusiasm, a
questioning mind and some
common sense are enough to start
to solve most waste problems.

1.5 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This Guide describes how to start a systematic waste minimisation programme that is led by the
workforce. Section 3 describes how to gain support for your waste minimisation initiatives and
overcome barriers. Section 4 tells you how to build partnerships - which staff to recruit and how to
work successfully as a team. Section 5 outlines how to select a project and begin your waste
minimisation programme for lasting success.

At each stage you will find signposts to further free information that may assist you if you need more
help. All publications mentioned are available free of charge through the Environment and Energy
Helpline on 0800 585794. More details of the Helpline’s services can be found in Section 2.4.

Also included throughout the Guide are Industry Examples that illustrate how savings have already
been achieved in many companies. If you would like to find out if there are any publications that
would be appropriate to your own situation, contact the Helpline, where an environmental or
energy consultant will be available to answer your queries.

3
 2 WHY WASTE REDUCTION
BENEFITS EVERYONE

The first step of any waste minimisation initiative is to understand why it should be undertaken. The
answer is simple - waste minimisation is good for the environment and sound business practice. This
Section explains the business reasons for reducing waste.

2.1 WHY SHOULD YOUR COMPANY REDUCE WASTE?

section

2 There are many benefits associated with reducing waste - business reasons that will appeal to any
company, whatever its size:

◗ financial - reducing overheads increases profits and makes the company more secure and
competitive, fines can be avoided by complying with legislation, and waste minimisation
techniques can make it easier and cheaper to comply with health, safety and environmental
legislation;
◗ marketing - a ‘greener’ public image will enhance the company’s reputation with its
customers, its workforce and its neighbours;
◗ operational - an improvement in the workplace can improve morale and co-operation
between management and workforce.

Reducing environmental impact at work is one of those rare things that allows you to deliver all three
benefits at once. Therefore, you can use all of these benefits to convince others to join you in a
waste reduction project (see Section 4.3.1).

Your company may have programmes such as ‘total quality’, ‘lean enterprise’, ‘total productive
maintenance’ or be working towards an environmental management standard, such as ISO 14001.
Almost any continuous improvement programme such as these will reduce waste and save energy.
Linking your project to any of these organisational initiatives will help you to get a positive response.
If your organisation has joined a national initiative committed to reducing environmental impact (see
Appendix 2 for details), then this will lend even more weight to your cause since you can directly link
your project with this.

2.2 HOW MUCH IS WASTE REALLY COSTING YOUR COMPANY?

Many companies considerably underestimate the cost of waste, viewing it simply in terms of disposal
costs. However, waste disposal costs are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’. There are many other factors
that should be taken into account (see Fig 1), ie the cost of wasted raw materials, energy, labour,
rework, effluent treatment, factory/office consumables and packaging. All of these elements can be
the source of waste in a company.

4
 Direct costs:
eg waste disposal

Hidden costs:
eg wasted raw materials, wasted utilities,
unnecessary packaging, wasted consumables
and rework
section

Fig 1 The true costs of waste are often hidden below the surface
2
In UK businesses, the cost of waste is typically 4% of turnover - in some companies it can be as high
as 10%. Implementing waste reduction measures as part of a waste minimisation programme can
reduce these costs by a quarter.

In the Leicester Waste Minimisation Project, ten companies were asked to estimate their
collective waste. They guessed it to be £500 000 for the ten of them, but following an
assessment by a consultant, this figure was calculated to be £13 million, 26 times higher than
originally thought!

2.3 UNDERSTANDING WASTE

In order for waste to be reduced, first of all it is necessary to understand how waste occurs. Often
the main sources of waste at work are inefficient systems and poor working practices (see Section
5.2.1). But, overall, the best way of reducing waste is to prevent it occurring in the first place.

Waste can be dealt with in a number of ways, but the most effective is by following the ‘waste
hierarchy’: eliminate, reduce, re-use and recycle, in that order. Elimination is at the top of this
ranking system because it is best for the environment. The next best option is to minimise waste
production at source. Below this comes the option to re-use, but if this is not practicable then waste
should be recycled in-house, sold as scrap for reprocessing, or incinerated for energy recovery. The
last and generally least beneficial option for the environment is having to dispose of waste to landfill
or to sewer.

2.4 WHERE TO OBTAIN HELP

2.4.1 Free help is available
The Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794 offers free, confidential advice on a wide
range of technical subjects and on environmental regulation.

The Helpline is run by the Environmental Technology and Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programmes
and they produce free Case Studies and Guides. These Government programmes help UK
companies become more competitive. By calling this freephone number, you can speak to Helpline
advisors experienced in environmental and energy matters, and they can send you the publications
that are most suited to your needs.

All of the methods described in this publication will help the environment and also reduce waste
costs, helping your company to remain viable.

5
 2.4.2 Counselling visits
Small businesses (those employing fewer than 250 people) may be able to take advantage of a free
counselling visit, at the discretion of the Helpline Manager, which includes a short site survey by a
waste or energy expert. This is designed to help smaller businesses increase profits while at the same
time improving environmental performance and complying with environmental legislation. Call the
Helpline on 0800 585794 for more details.

section

6
 3 GAINING SUPPORT AND
OVERCOMING BARRIERS

This Section discusses the partnership approach and gives some examples of how it has worked
successfully in industry. It also outlines some of the problems that you are likely to face as you begin
your waste minimisation programme, and explains how the partnership approach will help to
overcome them.

3.1 PARTNERSHIP AS A MECHANISM FOR ACTION

Partnership is about people working together. Most of us work in teams and these can be the basis
on which to build effective partnerships. Partnerships are formed when teams work together for
mutual benefit, learning from one another. In a waste reducing/energy saving partnership, the aim section

is very straightforward: 3
‘Everyone works together to help reduce waste and save energy, recognising
that everyone can make a valuable contribution.’

Partnerships involve initiatives and projects where both the management and workforce take
responsibility and ownership for waste reduction and energy savings. These partnerships can be led
by the workforce, by the management or, better, jointly.

Managing Director leads partnership to £162 000/year savings

At Varian Medical Systems UK Ltd, in Crawley, the Managing Director took the lead in making the
Company environmentally responsible, but he involved everyone at all levels in the organisation
to make it happen. Everyone was a member of a team that contributed towards improving
environmental performance. Annual savings of £162 000 have been achieved. For more details,
see New Practice Case Study (NC201) Electronic Equipment Manufacturer Benefits from Cleaner
Design, available free of charge through the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794.

3.2 BUILDING CONFIDENCE

Before building a partnership, it is beneficial to discuss some ideas with friends and colleagues.
Gaining support will give you the confidence to start to take action. Why not see if you can get
your idea discussed at the start of a team or quality meeting and gauge the support for your idea?

In a partnership you, personally, do not Unique experiences

need to have all the necessary skills or
take all the responsibility - you will be
sharing these with others. How to do
this is covered in Section 4. Putting
together a multi-functional team of
people who come from different parts of
the organisation will combine everyone’s UNIQUE
OUTLOOK
different experiences and ways of
tackling problems. Every individual
Unique ways Unique
brings their unique perspective to the of solving manner of
partnership (see Fig 2). A partnership problems motivation

makes problems easier to solve and Fig 2 A unique outlook means everyone has something
results easier to obtain. valuable to contribute
7
 It is better to be aware from the start that there may be obstacles that could put you off going
further. Below are some classic myths and the true facts to help you address them.

MYTH ‘Only managers can lead waste/energy use reduction teams.’ ✗

❏
THE FACTS: There are examples from UK industry and commerce, where members of the
workforce have taken the lead in energy saving projects and waste minimisation initiatives. Many
managers actually want members of their teams to take the initiative, and to take pride and
ownership of projects.

MYTH ‘You have to be a technologist to do these things.’ ✗

❏
THE FACTS: Anyone can save energy and reduce waste. You may need to gain a better
understanding of some of your processes, but you do not need a degree in rocket science! You, as
a member of the workforce, have the best understanding of how everything works in your area and,
section therefore, are ideally placed to see where changes could be effective.
3
Workforce initiative saves £100 000
At Perkins Engines in Peterborough, a team set up a ‘Super Savers’ project to reduce the
Company’s impact on the environment. The team was set up by people with a desire to change
things, the leaders being two union shop stewards. Even though they were not specifically
qualified in environmental matters and did not hold senior management positions, as a result of
the initiative of the two employees, it is estimated that Perkins Engines has saved up to £100 000
in waste reduction and energy use since 1997. For further details see General Information
Leaflet (GIL) 54 Super Savers - A workforce initiative to save energy and reduce waste, available
free of charge through the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794.

MYTH ‘Shop-floor workers/middle managers/senior managers

don’t care about the environment.’
✗
❏
THE FACTS: People at all levels in an organisation may have a business reason to care about the
environment, especially when they are made aware of the benefits. Waste reduction techniques can
improve job security and the workplace environment, making it a more pleasant place to work.
There is more about motivation in Section 4.2.

MYTH ‘Managers and workers want different things from the

environment.’
✗
❏
THE FACTS: Everyone wants to work for a successful organisation. An organisation that is
efficient in its use of resources is likely to be more competitive. Also, everyone is interested in
personal recognition for their efforts. Waste minimisation and energy efficiency initiatives provide
everyone with the opportunity to make a difference.

MYTH ‘Waste minimisation/energy efficiency are too boring to

interest my workmates/team/supervisor/director.’
✗❏
THE FACTS: People will be interested if they understand the benefits and feel they can
contribute, feel valued and see results for their efforts in saving energy and reducing waste.
Recognition reinforces the feeling that getting involved will become fun rather than a chore.

8
 Poster campaign gets everyone involved
A frozen foods company in Wales ran an awareness campaign with humorous posters featuring
‘Kill-a-watt’, encouraging everyone to turn off lights and equipment, turn down heating where
appropriate, and report any wasteful practices. This yielded substantial savings in electricity and
involved everyone regardless of their level in the Company, including the refrigeration
contractors. For further details see GPCS 182 Energy efficiency motivation campaign in a multi-
site organisation, available free of charge through the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800
585794.

A waste minimisation campaign is more likely to succeed if it is owned and delivered by a motivated
workforce. A campaign that is started by the workforce has more chance of success than one
initiated by management. Strategy and technology frequently deliver only promises whereas
motivated people deliver sustainable results.
section

9
 4 HOW TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

This Section looks at the various aspects involved in building a partnership. These include:

◗ discovering the people who can help you (your key contacts);
◗ developing the benefits of partnerships;
◗ communicating your project idea to management to gain support;
◗ making the partnership work.

Fig 3 shows the steps you should consider when building a partnership to reduce waste and save energy.

Great
idea for a
project

Agree a What
section programme are the
4 of activities benefits?

Let’s find Who

a senior level can help
sponsor us?

Let’s
get their
support

Fig 3 Building a partnership

4.1 THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU

Section 2 showed you the business benefits of waste minimisation and Section 3 should have given
you some sound arguments with which to back up your ideas. Now it is time to start thinking about
the people that could help you. The first person that you will need to convince is your own manager.
You will need to devote some time to your waste minimisation project, so you will need your
manager’s support and to keep him or her informed of your progress.

One of the first things you will need to discover is whether there is an environmental or energy team
already in existence. The team may be able to help you and you need to make sure you are not
duplicating effort being made elsewhere in the organisation.

Whether or not there is already a team in existence, your priority is to reduce waste and save energy
in your area. You may be in the best position to achieve this because you probably understand better
than anyone how things operate in your workplace.

4.1.1 Who do you work with?

However well you do your job, you are reliant on other people and other people are reliant on you,
so you should also, at this stage, consider the people in your organisation that you may need to
approach if you are to make your waste minimisation project a success. By knowing the right people
and working together, you can solve a lot of problems and work more efficiently.

10
So, who can help you? In every task you carry out, there are people behind the activities, either
directly involved and working with you or helping to make the work possible (see Fig 4). There are
many people outside your immediate work area, and even outside of the company, that either affect
your work or are affected by it. Try to think as widely as possible when drawing up a list of people
you could approach for your partnership. The widest range of ideas and experience will be the best
tools for solving problems. Examples of people you can include are from groups that are:

◗ directly involved - colleagues from your team and other teams carrying out similar tasks, and
teams that directly affect your tasks;
◗ indirectly involved - the maintenance team, finance, office services, dispatch, catering, etc;
◗ suppliers and customers outside the organisation.

Customers
Suppliers
Local government
Investors
Trade associations
Logistics Trade unions
Administration Local community
Office
support section

Team mates 4
Information
technology TASK Maintenance

Other teams

Stores Sales & marketing

Finance

Fig 4 Key contacts inside and outside the organisation

These ‘key contacts’ are people who could be your partners in a waste reduction/energy saving
project. The type of people you eventually approach will depend on which projects you choose to
go ahead with first. For example, who in your organisation would know about how much your
waste disposal costs are? Who would know whether you could start to purchase recycled paper or
energy saving lightbulbs?

Timber change shaves costs

A caravan manufacturer asked its employees for waste saving ideas and, as a result, started
discussions with its suppliers. The timber that was always bought for door manufacture was
larger than necessary and had to be cut to size, resulting in excessive waste and high waste
disposal costs.

By changing the purchase specification, so that the timber was much closer to the required size,
the company saved £26 000/year for no capital outlay. For further details see Case History
(CH64) Increasing Quality and Profits by Designing Out Waste, available free of charge through
the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794.

Think also about the skills you will need in your team, for example, collecting and analysing
information. If you are in a large organisation you may need information from other departments that
you do not normally deal with, such as Accounts or Purchasing. There are personal attributes you
should also consider when drawing up a list of helpful contacts, such as a person’s credibility in the
organisation and their tenacity, or enthusiasm for your project.
11
 Once you have listed your key contacts, you need to interest them in joining your partnership. The
benefits described in Section 4.2 should help you to persuade potential partners to join the team.
Find out what they hope to achieve from the partnership, and make sure they feel part of the project
and share in the benefits.

4.2 PERSUADING OTHERS OF THE BENEFITS

You will need a strong message to convince your potential partners to follow your lead and put ideas
into practice. Communicating the right message is as important as selecting the right people in the
first place. Broadly speaking, most of the benefits for the potential partners fall into one, or more,
of four categories:

◗ increased profit;
◗ increased job security;
◗ recognition;
◗ the ‘feel-good’ factor.

4.2.1 Money, money, money

section It is a fact of life that money motivates many people. However, money as an incentive is also difficult
4 to administer. For example, money saved from waste minimisation and reduced energy use could
be shared among those that contributed. However, this presents several difficulties, some of which
are discussed below.

Firstly, if the money saved goes directly to the people involved, they may not receive the money for
some time and many of them will have forgotten the reason for the extra bonus.

Another situation that can cause problems is deciding who gets the saving bonus. Let’s say that an
overall target of 10% saving in paper use is the target to reach for a bonus. A team that is wasteful
can save 10% on paper much more easily than a team that already has their paper use under control
and perhaps has some form of paper re-use scheme in progress. This means that if the wasteful
team receives the bonus, the system is unfair and will cause more problems than it solves. Be careful
when using money as an incentive!

One way to avoid some of the problems of sharing out monetary bonuses is to donate a proportion
of the savings to a charity of the workforce’s choice. Then the ‘money incentive’ becomes a ‘feel-
good’ or ‘recognition’ incentive.

4.2.2 Job security

Job security is, in part, dependent on the competitiveness of the company. Reducing waste and
saving energy will contribute directly to the profitability of the company, which in turn will safeguard
jobs. Waste minimisation can have many positive side effects. It will enable your organisation to
demonstrate that it takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. This can be important in
keeping existing customers, winning new contracts, or just staying competitive. Everything, from
being able to comply with health and safety regulations to improving relations with neighbours
through reduced pollution, emissions or noise, can be a positive factor that helps to safeguard your
company’s future - and all can be tackled through waste minimisation.

4.2.3 To be famous - recognition

Being a waste Champion may not get your name in lights, but it should at least get you a mention
in company dispatches, such as the company newsletter. Recognition is a powerful incentive. To be
recognised among your peers as someone special can be rewarding.

12
Recognition could be simply an article in the in-house newsletter, but good stories are the basis of
good public relations and pioneering successful environmental initiatives is very good news for your
company. You could even merit an item on the local television news when your efforts have been
successful.

One way of making sure your company’s project is recognised can be to let the Environment and
Energy Helpline know of your results. Your company’s success story could form the basis of a Good
Practice Case Study and help to give other companies the incentive to try to reproduce your good
results. Contact the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794 if you would like to know
more.

Don’t forget that recognition is also saying ‘thank you’ to your partners. It can take many forms,
such as a project team dinner. Recognition is a benefit and it is for sharing between all the partners.

4.2.4 That warm glow - the feel-good factor

When people work on projects which reduce environmental impact, there is also the ‘feel-good’
factor. In your project, you and your partners will be doing something where the sum is greater than
all its component parts. You will be making a difference, safeguarding the future, and doing
something that makes you feel good. This can be a very powerful motivator for many people.
section

4.3 GAINING SENIOR LEVEL SUPPORT 4

Once you have in place a team of people with the relevant expertise and commitment, you should
consider obtaining senior level support. Senior level commitment will increase the chances of your
waste minimisation project being a success. Having senior management support may release time
and money for project activities and when you come forward with suggestions and ideas, they are
more likely to be approved.

If senior management has established an aim to reduce energy use and minimise waste, it will make
your task easier. Check if your company publicises its aims, or perhaps has a mission statement that
mentions environmental goals.

4.3.1 Presenting your ideas

You need to be well prepared when you present your ideas. You may be trying to change attitudes
and will need evidence to support your statements. Concentrate on the cost of waste, the benefits
for the audience and how they can contribute. Here are some guidelines for presenting your case:

◗ emphasise the potential cost savings through improved business performance (have figures
to back up your claims);
◗ emphasise the good publicity - customers, local government, community;
◗ link energy efficiency/waste minimisation to total quality management or other organisational
initiatives;
◗ offer people a chance to make their own contribution to your project;
◗ emphasise the partnership nature of the activity and the resultant benefits.

Rehearse if you are to give a presentation, keep to your allotted time and keep it clear, avoiding too
much detail.

Good Practice Guide (GG125) Waste Minimisation Pays: Five business reasons for
reducing waste is a complete presentation, including slides, that you can use to
present your case to senior management. It is available free of charge through the
Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794.

13
 4.4 PARTNERSHIP BUILDING BLOCKS - RESPECT AND TRUST
So far, the discussions have been on the mechanisms of building partnerships. The mutual benefits
already mentioned are the outcome of partnerships. The teamworking - brainstorming, carrying out
projects and so on - is the cement that holds the partnership together. The building blocks for all
this are respect and trust. Once you have your partners and the support of senior management to
start your project, you have to think about how you work with your project partners.

4.4.1 Respect
The importance of respecting each person’s contribution has already been discussed. Remember
that it is always easy to criticise with hindsight. Be careful not to imply that whoever invented and/or
designed the original system did it badly, otherwise you will lose the support of those who had
previous input. Every decision was probably made in the belief that it was the best option under the
circumstances at that time. It is not possible to predict the future and it must be accepted that in the
light of experience (and possibly more modern technology) things can be improved. You can always
invite the same people to work with you to explore new ways of working, asking them to help you
improve on their original ideas.

By valuing your team and their input, you will gain respect from others in the workforce and they
section are more likely to contribute to your projects or join your project team.
4
4.4.2 Trust
While respect may be gained in a fairly short time, trust takes longer to establish. There are some
ground rules in running your project to build and maintain trust. These are:

◗ always think of solutions that will benefit both parties, ie ‘win-win’;

◗ keep communication channels open and share information;
◗ remember everyone has a valid contribution to make;
◗ communicate clearly and ask for feedback;
◗ keep promises.

It is not always possible to achieve ‘win-win’ in every situation, but keep it in mind and deliver it
whenever possible. When you cannot, do not keep problems to yourself. Explain the issues you are
faced with and ask for support in tackling them.

When you talk to people, make sure they have not misunderstood the issues. Check their
understanding, perhaps asking them to repeat what they think you said.

Keeping promises is the easiest way to win respect and trust from your colleagues. Coupled with
the other ground rules, you should be able to build the foundations of a sound partnership.

Good Practice Guide (GG27) Saving Money Through Waste Minimisation: Teams and
Champions covers setting up teams and initiatives for a waste minimisation programme.

14
 5 SELECTING AND CARRYING
OUT A PROJECT

This Section will help you to choose and prioritise actions. Consider your work area and the sort of
changes you could make there with the help of the partners you listed in the previous Section.

5.1 GETTING STARTED - KEEP IT SIMPLE

Simple ideas are often the best and are usually the ones to start with at the beginning of a waste
minimisation project. There are several ways of selecting a project, but it makes sense to start with
something where you can be sure of success. From this your confidence will grow and you will feel
more able and experienced to deal with larger problems and projects. The best approach is to start
off in a small way with projects that involve only a small amount of time and/or money - greater
commitment will be easier to gain when you have started to produce results. Also, begin with
something you know well. In your own work area there will probably be some very obvious areas
of waste. Consider:

◗ The equipment you use every day - is it set up and running properly?
◗ The facilities in the workplace, eg water, heating, lighting.
◗ The workplace, the site and its surroundings, eg waste disposal bins, water drainage.
section
In Appendix 1 you will find checklists which can help you to identify where waste is occurring in
your workplace and what steps to take as a starting point for action. There are many no-cost and
5
low-cost ideas that will save money. As you walk around your site, you will be able to identify lots
of ways of reducing waste and saving energy.

You will find more ideas that will stimulate projects of your own in ET30 Finding
Hidden Profit: 200 Tips for Reducing Waste and in Focus: the manager’s guide to
reducing energy bills, which is primarily aimed at small businesses and suggests
no-cost and low-cost measures for energy efficiency. Both publications are available
free of charge through the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794.

Also ask the Helpline for relevant information about areas that you might decide to
tackle, such as reducing solid waste or water use. The Helpline has access to a
wealth of free publications that will demonstrate a systematic approach to tackling
all kinds of waste.

5.1.1 A systematic approach

Remember, there is no instant recipe for success. Each problem and its solution will be unique - but
your partnership will be uniquely placed to deal with it. All wastes should be dealt with
systematically:

◗ begin by making a commitment to action;

◗ gather your data and analyse your options;
◗ take action;
◗ feed back results;
◗ move on to the next target.

15
 5.2 SELECTING A PROJECT
Wastes that arise most frequently or cause the greatest problems are good ones to consider first and
put on your priority list. You will probably need to measure the process or collect past data so that
you can make decisions based on facts rather than instinct. Often, just walking around your site will
help you to identify waste and wasteful processes.

Systematic approach leads to correct action

An international chemical company in Worcestershire had identified a cost of £40 000/year for
disposing of one wastewater stream, but no action had been taken to try to reduce this cost.
Through attending a waste minimisation club, the Operations Manager realised the company
needed to take a systematic approach to dealing with the waste.

The lack of precise information about the source of the waste was preventing it being reduced,
so one person was given responsibility for investigating the four possible origins of the
wastewater. Once the cause had been established, a solution was found. Technical alterations
costing £8 000 were made to some process equipment, from which the company saved
£25 000/year in wastewater disposal costs.

5.2.1 Poor systems and working practices

Mistakes are sometimes made, so some degree of rework and other waste is almost inevitable.
However, if the system is faulty, then, regardless of the effort put in or the competence of the
section
workforce, unnecessary waste is still likely to be produced. Sub-standard products and services also
5 create frustration for the end-user, so nobody wins. Alternatively, perhaps there is a machine which
cannot produce the items to the specification required, so product is rejected, resulting in waste.

Look for projects that can tackle poor practices. For example, projects that can improve:

◗ long-winded processes (…‘I need to access three different computer systems to get the sales
information’…);
◗ over-rigid rules (…‘Only the chief engineer can authorise this, he’s away, so you’ll have to wait’…);
◗ bureaucratic processes (…‘You need three signatures, in a particular order’…);
◗ unclear instructions (…‘You wanted this when? Why didn’t you say?’…).

Procedures such as these have probably evolved over the years. If systems are not reviewed or
challenged, they can become cumbersome or unsuitable, but resistance to change (…‘We’ve always
done it this way’…) can hold up progress and improvement.

Process change reduces scrap metal waste

A review of operations at a sports equipment manufacturer in the West Midlands revealed that
over 70% of the scrap metal from the manufacture of golf shafts was being generated from just
one process. A waste minimisation team looked at the potential benefits of a number of process
changes and promising ideas were taken forward for detailed consideration.

Implementation of the most suitable waste minimisation options resulted in a reduction in scrap
metal waste of 64 tonnes/year, and a reduction of £50 000/year in raw material costs. This saving
was achieved through process changes and without the need to invest in any new equipment.

16
5.2.2 Low efficiency
Low efficiency means using more resources than are necessary to do a job. An organisation will use
similar amounts of heating, lighting and water, regardless of its level of activity. Even if the assets
are not being used, wages, and storage of raw materials and finished products still have to be paid
for. In some instances where production levels vary depending on the time of year, assets may be
under-utilised but this is usually taken into account when planning production.

When looking for projects in this area, bear in mind that efficiency depends on:

◗ having the right assets for the job (tools/equipment/people/training/process/systems);

◗ making sure the assets are working as designed;
◗ doing the work ‘right first time’.

Look for projects that will address the problems that lower efficiency. Try to rebuild your team with
people who best know the problem areas, because they work in them.

5.3 BRAINSTORMING - DEVELOP IDEAS TOGETHER

You may have some ideas to reduce waste and feel confident that they are worth taking further.
However, before presenting the case for a project, it is valuable to discuss your ideas with as many
people as possible. You will quickly lose support if you suggest ideas for changes that will affect
people without asking their opinions.

It may be helpful to hold a brainstorming session where you invite a mix of people to come up with section
ideas. If you do this, it is important to bear in mind some rules of brainstorming. Everyone has one
or more of the following needs:
5
◗ to maintain their standing in front of colleagues;
◗ to feel that their effort is worthwhile;
◗ to feel confident that their idea is worth attention.

Therefore, you will need to follow some guidelines for a successful brainstorming session:

◗ never reject an idea or criticise, however surprising or ridiculous it may seem - respect each
individual’s contribution;
◗ generate as many ideas as possible;
◗ be creative;
◗ build on one another’s ideas.

An example from a paint manufacturer concerns the use of hot water to hose down paint spillages.
Someone suggested that they could save energy by using tepid water instead. Another person then
suggested that they look at why the paint spills occurred in the first place. This led to brainstorming
the causes of the spillages and how to reduce them, which ultimately saved even more energy,
reduced contamination in the water leaving the plant and saved raw materials.

In this way, you should be able to generate many ideas about where waste occurs, and the possible
solutions that may form the basis of potential projects. Think about how the current practice came
about and how things might have changed since then.

Armed with this information, you will quickly identify many possible measures and you will be ready
to obtain support for your first project.

17
 5.4 PRIORITISING ACTION
With your team, gather the relevant facts and figures on the various problems. List just a few areas
where there are some practical options for improvement, then try to assemble them in the following
order:

◗ rank the various waste problems starting with the largest;

◗ if it helps, draw up a bar chart to present the potential cost savings graphically - the largest
waste problem may not be the one with the greatest or easiest cost savings;
◗ rank the problems so that the ones at the top are those that will give the shortest payback
with the least effort - these will give you a fast start and quick savings.

If you need more help on prioritising action, contact the Environment and Energy
Helpline on 0800 585794 and ask for Good Practice Guide (GG38C) Cutting Costs
by Reducing Waste: A self-help guide for growing businesses.

5.4.1 Identifying causes of waste

From the steps above you should be able to identify a priority action. If your priority action is a
process you will need to break it down into component tasks and look at where the wastes are
occurring. Sometimes it is not easy to find all the waste components. Use a fishbone diagram
(sometimes called a ‘cause and effect’ diagram), such as the one in Fig 5, to help you identify all the
possible causes. There is often more than one cause for each effect. This diagram is a standard tool
section
for quality improvement and provides a useful record of the ideas generated.
5
CAUSES

EF
Lack of clear Changeover FE
instructions times
too slow
CT
M
et

Poor
Pe

ho

training
op

Too
ds
le

much
process
ls

Supplied Running
er
ria

waste
in

outside too
te

ch

spec slowly
Ma

Ma

Waste of
material Breakdowns
during set-up
process

Fig 5 Fishbone diagram

5.4.2 Finding the root cause of the problem and how to solve it
A good way to get to the root of the problem is by asking ‘why’ a number of times, until you can
identify the root cause. An everyday example is shown in Fig 6.

18
 PROBLEM:
Waste bins overflowing in work area WHY?

Bins not emptied often enough WHY? Check bin emptying rota, is that the real cause?

Bins not big enough WHY? Are we producing more waste than before? Why?

We produce a lot of waste WHY? Can we produce less scrap?

What is causing the defects?

Other departments use our bin Can we re-use or recycle the rest?

SOLUTION:
Investigate the causes and reduce production of the scrap

Segregate the scrap that can be re-used or recycled

Fig 6 Cause and effect techniques in practice

5.5 CARRYING OUT A PROJECT

section
5.5.1 Setting targets
It is worth taking time to think this through, since you will be measured against your targets and
5
this will determine, ultimately, how successful you are. Targets need to be:

◗ realistic;
◗ achievable;
◗ measurable.

Although they should be measurable, targets for your project do not have to be numerical targets,
such as ‘5% energy savings from this process’ or ‘reduce downtime by 12%’, or ‘cut waste by 15%’.
They could be:

◗ ‘increase awareness of the energy and waste issues at work’;

◗ ‘raise the awareness of everyone’s ability to contribute to reducing environmental impact’.

5.5.2 Keep a record of where you are now

If you can provide evidence of your achievements, it will help you to win on-going commitment and
help to convince management to support you with larger projects. Consider taking some photographs
now to prove later what a cleaner and more waste-free environment you have created. Larger projects
may also require greater investment, both in time and money, and may take longer to see results.

You may be able to convince management to allow you to pay for future projects from early savings.
Don’t forget that utility meters are not there just to calculate your bills - you can use them to
measure reductions in use of water, gas and electricity and work out how much you are saving due
to the measures you are taking.

ET210 Waste Account (or the software version, IT249) will help you record your
starting position and allow you to demonstrate the savings you make later on.

19
 Whatever you choose as the target, you need to measure the base-line to act as your first
benchmark. It can be:

◗ readings from electricity, gas and water meters;

◗ awareness levels amongst staff of environmental issues determined from a questionnaire;
◗ the number of full skips sent to landfill each week;
◗ the amount of paper being purchased each month.

5.6 PUBLICISING A PROJECT AND ITS RESULTS

You need everyone’s contribution to save energy and reduce waste, so publicise the results as widely
as you can to all levels of management, and across departments. There are many ways to publish
your results - probably the most effective in motivational terms are the ones where visual indicators
of success are shown, such as graphs on notice-boards, or a feature in the company newsletter.
Providing this sort of feedback will help to win you on-going support.

5.7 SUSTAINING ACTION

After the initial excitement, it can be hard work sustaining people’s interest in a project, especially
as you have your daily work to do as well. Your challenges in running the project successfully are
many. Here are some issues to be aware of:

◗ often there is no shortcut or clever solution, just hard work;

section
◗
5 ◗
do not underestimate the size of the project, it is usually larger than you first thought;
successes do not happen overnight;
◗ at times it will seem that the project is moving very slowly and your team mates’ enthusiasm
has evaporated;
◗ remember that you will need to learn about new topics as you take on more projects;
◗ bear in mind that the partnerships and the team members may have to change over time;
those that were the right choice to start off a project may not necessarily be those that will
see it through.

You can sustain a project by bringing in new ideas and new members to the project team. The scope
of your waste reduction/energy saving initiative will change as it evolves and this is a good reason
to involve other people. In addition, you may wish to consider some activity jointly with other
organisations in the local community, eg other businesses, the local authority, hospitals or schools,
or, perhaps, among your suppliers and customers.

Consider suggesting that your company joins a business or a waste minimisation club. The
Environment and Energy Helpline can assist you in finding a local network. Some of these networks
may lend their prestige and ideas to your partnership. They can also provide training and a useful
exchange of ideas between companies.

5.8 CONCLUSIONS
The partnership ideas discussed in this Guide should allow you to build a relationship of respect and
trust between different teams and different levels in your organisation. It should prove to be an ideal
way of beginning a programme in your company to reduce waste and save energy. The inclusion of
everyone in these activities will generate new ideas, which will enable your projects and many others
to flourish and create a positive culture that supports sustainable development within your company.

20
In addition to the publications mentioned so far, there may be other publications
that can help, as you progress in your waste minimisation and energy saving
programme. Contact the Environment and Energy Helpline on 0800 585794 and
ask for free copies of Guides to help make your project a success.

Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme Good Practice Guides:

(GG106) Cutting Costs by Reducing Waste: Running a workshop to stimulate
action provides guidance for running a waste minimisation workshop; the Guide is
a companion to GG38C.

(GG174) Profiting from Practical Waste Minimisation: Running a workshop to

maintain the momentum builds on the knowledge gained from GG106 but can
also be used as an introduction to waste minimisation.

(IT96) Waste Minimisation Interactive Tools (WMIT) is a simple-to-use software tool

to help you throughout a waste minimisation programme.

(GG256) Green Officiency: Running a cost-effective, environmentally aware office

provides tips and benchmarks for ensuring that your office is both eco-friendly and
economically efficient.

(GG67) Cost-effective Water Saving Devices and Practices gives you ideas on how
to reduce your water use.

(GG122) Waste Minimisation Clubs: Setting them up for success details the benefits section

of belonging to a waste minimisation club, and can also help you to set up a club 5
within a national network framework.

Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme publications:

(ACBE1) Energy saving guide for small businesses.

(GPG 217) Cutting energy losses through effective maintenance (Totally Productive
Operations) is a Guide that discusses how effective maintenance can contribute
towards reduced energy costs.

(GPCS 289) Team building and energy saving is a Case Study featuring Farley
Health Products.

(GIL 54) Super Savers - A workforce initiative to save energy and reduce waste.

21
 Appendix 1
CHECKLISTS

PROMPTS FOR IDENTIFYING WHERE WASTE IS OCCURRING

Department Area Possible waste
Incoming materials Loading docks, pipelines, receiving areas Packaging/containers
Off-spec deliveries
Damaged containers
Spill residue
Cleaning rags, etc
Pallets (non-returnable)
Gloves, overalls, etc
Storage (raw materials, Tanks, silos, warehouse, drum storage, Tank bottoms
parts, final products) yards, storerooms Off-spec materials
Excess materials
Damaged containers
Empty containers
Leaks from pumps/valves/pipes
Out-of-date materials
No-longer-used materials
Damaged products
Production Melting, curing, baking, distilling, Wash water
washing, coating, forming, machining Solvents evaporating
Still bottoms in tanks
Off-spec product rejects
appx Catalysts
A1 Empty containers
Sweepings
Ductwork clearout
Additives
Oil
Process solution dumps
Rinse water
Excess materials
Filters
Leaks from tanks/pipes/valves
Spill residue
Swarf/off-cuts
Sludge
Drag-out from baths
Packaging of dispatched goods
Support services Laboratories, maintenance shops, Chemicals
garages, offices Samples and containers
Solvents
Cleaning agents
Degreasing sludges
Sand blasting waste
Lubricating oils and greases
Scrap metal
Caustics
Filters
Acids
Batteries
Office paper, etc

22
SIMPLE NO-COST AND LOW-COST MONEY SAVING IDEAS

Lighting Select slimline fluorescent light tubes during scheduled replacement

Replace ordinary bulbs with low-energy bulbs
Use daylight wherever possible instead of artificial lighting
Switch off lights when room/site not occupied
Check for discolouring on light shades and diffusers and clean light fittings
Consider motion sensors for areas not continuously occupied (eg toilets)
Heating Don’t over heat, especially areas such as corridors, store rooms and unoccupied areas
Reduce heat settings instead of opening windows and doors
Encourage everyone to keep windows and doors closed when heating is on
Make sure people don’t adjust thermostats once they are set
Locate thermostats and temperature sensors in sensible places
(eg not in a draught or near a radiator)
Make sure your thermostat timers are set correctly for work patterns, eg shifts, holidays
Don’t obstruct radiators and ventilators
Don’t have air conditioning and heating on in the same place at the same time
Make sure cooling systems are switched off before the heating season begins
Discourage use of electric heaters, they are very expensive to run
Reduce draughts by separating heated and unheated areas
(use plastic strip curtains, swing doors, etc)
Fit door closers to all external doors
Electrical Make sure all computers, printers and associated equipment are switched off when not in use
equipment Encourage staff to turn off machinery instead of leaving it in idling mode
Check the conditions of the seals on all refrigerators and freezers
Use cheaper night rate electricity to charge up forklift trucks
Replace old metal kettles with modern jug kettles if only small amounts of hot water are needed
Make sure tea urns are not boiling continuously appx
Fit chiller strips or night blinds to refrigerated display cabinets A1
Water Make everyone aware of the costs of water
Remind everyone to turn off taps properly
Repair all dripping taps as soon as possible
Check regularly for leaks in the water system
Make sure your hot water is not set above 60°C
Make someone responsible for switching off hot water heaters before holiday periods
Check that your hot water control system is set properly
(stop heating one hour before the end of daily work)
Fit time switches to all immersion heaters
Fit flush controls to urinal systems in all men’s toilets
Fit trigger controls to hosepipes
Compressed Make sure everyone is aware how much compressed air costs to produce
air Set up a system for reporting leaks and encourage everyone to use it
Make sure leaks are repaired immediately
Isolate unused compressed air pipework
Check automatic drain taps regularly
Do not generate compressed air at a higher pressure than required
Switch off compressors when there is no demand for air
Maintain and service all filters and air inlets regularly
Draw intake air from outside
Consider using electrically operated tools instead of compressed air power tools

23
 Appendix 2
N AT I O N A L I N I T I AT I V E S
A N D S TA N D A R D S

There are national and international initiatives an organisation can join. These memberships usually
result in a signed commitment displayed near the entrance of the organisation. If your organisation
has one displayed it will give you a very useful starting point for your project. The Environment and
Energy Helpline on 0800 585794 can give you further information.

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Making a Corporate Commitment
(MACC) - under Local Agenda 21

ISO 14001 - An international environmental management standard

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) - A European environmental management

standard

Are You Doing Your Bit? - Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
Tel: 0345 868686

Conservers at Work - The Environment Council

Tel: 0207 836 2626

Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme - National Energy Foundation

Tel: 01908 665555

S/NVQ in Managing Energy - The Institute of Energy Tel: 0207 580 7124

appx

A2

24
The Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme is a Government programme managed by
AEA Technology plc.

The Programme offers free advice and information for UK businesses and promotes environmental
practices that:

■ increase profits for UK industry and commerce;

■ reduce waste and pollution at source.

The Government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme provides impartial, authoritative
information on energy efficiency techniques and technologies in industry, transport and buildings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY HELPLINE

0800 585794
www.etbpp.gov.uk
www.energy-efficiency.gov.uk