Waste Reduction: No longer an option but a necessity

Malaysians are generating waste products at a rather alarming rate, much faster than the natural degradation process and they are using up resources at a speed exceeding the rate these materials are being replaced.

Recycling has almost drawn the universal acceptance as a form of waste disposal but yet our national domestic recycling rate still hovers at around a mere five per cent. A report done by NGO found that about 7.34 million tonnes of solid wastes were generated in Malaysia, enough to fill up 42 buildings the same size as that of the world-renowned Petronas Twin Towers. Thus waste reduction and recycling is no longer an option but a necessity in efforts to protect both the environment and our life quality.

Waste reduction seems to be a very simple concept, but there are many different ways to consider it and to start implementing processes that will ensure it works. Waste can be reduced in almost everything we do in our personal lives, but is also a very important consideration for manufacturing companies and everything they do. Here is some more information about waste reduction in manufacturing.
There are many different processes that can be used to reduce the amount of waste used in any organization or process. First is called resource optimization. This involves using raw materials more efficiently to decrease costs and the impact on the environment. One interesting example is the use of fabric and the way that a garment is designed using computers to make the most out of every piece of fabric that goes onto the production line. This is done by having a computer program arrange the various pieces of a pattern in such a way that it gets the maximum amount of use from a small piece of fabric as possible.

Another aspect is the reuse of scrap material. This is only useful in some cases, but the most common use is that of scrap metal. The properties of most metals allow it to be melted and used again for the same purpose. This process can be challenging to implement and can also be costly, but should always be weighed against the alternative of purchasing more material. The decision to reduce the amount of material is almost always a conscious decision and there are numbers behind the idea to back up the actions.
Other parts of the process, like product design, can also be improved resulting in lower costs. This may require a significant amount of time to be invested in the process and management of the system before it is actually implemented, but it will help give returns on the investment as the process is carried out. The design of the product and the process that will be used to produce it is very important in making the most of the manufacturing process.

Improving the durability and quality of products can also reduce the amount of waste. Many consumers believe that this method is rarely if ever used because most companies are only interested in the short term profits that will come from producing materials to sell to the public. But, making a product more durable and making it last longer will use less material over time and require that people purchase less of the product or a similar product in the long run. It is rare to find companies with this view, but they are out there and many more are joining the cause to create less waste