Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/739842
palletcentral.com PalletCentral • September-October 2016 15 companies work with their suppliers to ensure minimal to no waste is delivered with products; waste is defined as by-products generated in operations and product packaging. Zero Waste is a team sport! Platinum ZWFC at their five U.S. Plants, Earth Friendly Products (EFP) established a Supplier Code of Conduct including a sustainability questionnaire. Negative questionnaire answers require an explanation. With team spirit, EFP trains their suppliers on Zero Waste practices. EFP Vice-President of Sustainability and Education Nadereh Afsharmanesh visits vendor manufacturing plants to witness Zero Waste practices in-place and provide helpful recommendations. The pathway to Zero Waste success is well established with the pioneers open to sharing their lessons learned and best practices implemented. Even with the soft recycling markets, established corporate Zero Waste programs continue to produce cost- savings and improve the bottom line. End markets are solid for clean, source-separated material. In general, manufacturing plants and distribution centers generate sufficient material quantities to justify on-site source-separation versus participating in local single-stream recycling. Contamination inherent within single-stream recycling is costly for businesses, communities and the environment. Zero Waste programs make good business when best practices are followed. With strong industry support from the USZWBC, local and national non-profits and community governments, company stewardship calls for shifting corporate culture from waste management to materials management. Zero Waste practices synergize with an industry who Chooses the Sustainable Way! PC By reusing, repairing and recycling wooden pallets, companies who rely on pallet-packaged deliveries save on landfill hauling and tipping charges, and edge closer to achieving Zero Waste. Holly Elmore is Elemental Impact founder. Article was written on behalf of the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (www.uszwbc.org).