Achieving zero non-hazardous waste to landfill
More than 75% of all of Unilever’s factories around the world no longer send any non-hazardous waste to landfill sites, a significant step forward from 20% just three years ago.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
All European factories have now joined those in North America in achieving zero non-hazardous waste to landfill using the ‘three Rs’ principles – reduce, reuse and recycle.
Reducing waste at source was identified as a key step to help Unilever achieve its Sustainable Living Plan target of cutting the total waste sent for disposal to be at or below 2008 levels by 2020 despite significantly higher volumes.
Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Chief Supply Chain Officer, says: “We have seen a rapid acceleration in converting the network to zero waste. In 2010, 52 sites were there. We have now reached 200 sites. We are on track to hit our revised target of 100% of sites by 2015, five years ahead of the original 2020 target. I am proud of the team effort which has got us to this milestone.”
The knowledge gained will now be used to help factories in Africa make changes so that they too can achieve zero non-hazardous waste to landfill.