With our increasing awareness of the limits of
the finite resources available on our planet, companies are looking for ways to
implement sustainable business practices in nearly every industry from aviation
to zoological facilities, but most particularly those relating to
manufacturing. Aside from the obvious environmental benefits of integrating
sustainability into their operations, companies are realizing financial
benefits, as well. Because a large part of sustainable practices depends upon
recycling existing materials to give them new life in commercial, agricultural,
residential, and industrial sectors, the exhaustion of natural resources and
fossil fuels is greatly reduced.
What
is sustainable manufacturing?
The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) defines sustainable manufacturing as "the creation of manufactured products through
environmentally-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts
while conserving energy and natural resources." The National
Council for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) adopts a similar definition while adding that
sustainable manufacturing should employ processes that are "economically
sound" for employees, consumers, and communities.
Sustainable
manufacturing does not solely encompass the processes and operations in use by
businesses in the manufacturing industry, however. It also includes the manufacture
of sustainable products for use by other businesses and individual consumers.
While sustainable processes include aspects of manufacturing such as their
choice in supply chain partners and integrating energy-efficient equipment,
sustainable products would include items created from renewable resources,
recycled components, and reduced amounts of raw materials.
Why
is sustainable manufacturing (or any other type of industry) important?
Achieving sustainability
in manufacturing is important because that particular sector draws from the
planet's natural (renewable and nonrenewable) resources and fossil fuels more
than any other. Manufacturing includes such types of business as metal,
mineral, and ore subterranean mining, deep sea drilling and exploration, and
surface (strip) mining of forests and surface minerals. It also includes the
production of an inexhaustible list of items from microscopic medical
components to gargantuan industrial machinery.
Every day of our lives
we use dozens, if not hundreds, of items for a variety of purposes that are the
result of the manufacturing industry. Our constant use of products that are the
result of manufacturing, and the industry's continual need for materials to
create those products, has spawned the need for this sector to both become
hyper-aware of its own sustainable practices and accomplish goals that are
focused on sustainability.
By achieving a
diminished dependence on natural resources, companies are able to spend less on
mining, harvesting, and extracting those resources from the Earth, and the
ability to achieve long-term continuity of their operations. This longevity is
especially important in the manufacturing industry, because our modern world is
able to remain a well-oiled functional machine largely due to the products of
global manufacturing.
Is
sustainable manufacturing possible?
Absolutely!
Technological and industrial advances are being made every day, and innovations
in manufacturing are enabling companies to do more with less and make better, more
efficient use of what they have. Manufacturing equipment is becoming more
energy efficient and creative ways of using residential and commercial waste, harnessing gases released from composting
landfills, and turning more toward renewable and alternative resources are
paving the way toward consistently sustainable practices and operations.
As with any shift in a
way of doing business, sustainable manufacturing should start with a detailed
plan that outlines goals for achieving sustainability. A thorough review of a
company's existing operations can help determine what areas can benefit from a
transition to more sustainable practices. It will also provide the company with
a clearer understanding of how they will reap the financial, environmental, and
operational advantages of sustainable business practices. Not just in
manufacturing but in all types of industry, sustainable operating practices are
the future of business.
Author Bio:
Nicole is a writer for
the manufacturing industry, and has spent many years researching ways to
improve the industry. In her opinion, Statewide Bearings offers some of the highest quality
manufacturing materials she could find.