Waste
Monitoring waste generation enables Baxter to assess progress toward waste-reduction goals and improve process efficiency, which reduces the cost of raw materials, waste handling and disposal. Waste minimization also reduces the environmental impacts associated with waste disposal and recycling.
Baxter's 2010 goal is to reduce total waste (non-hazardous and regulated) 30 percent indexed to revenue, compared to 2005. Facilities that primarily generate non-hazardous waste focus in that area, while facilities that generate high volumes of regulated waste emphasize reducing those volumes.
Total Waste Performance
During 2006, Baxter's operations generated nearly 61,650 metric tons of total waste, up from 59,850 metric tons in 2005. This represents a 3 percent absolute increase and a 2 percent decrease per million dollars of sales. Baxter must further improve on this trend to achieve its 2010 total waste-reduction goal.
Non-Hazardous Waste Performance
During 2006, Baxter's operations generated nearly 58,000 metric tons of non-hazardous waste, up from 56,000 metric tons in 2005. This represents a 4 percent absolute increase and a 2 percent decrease per million dollars of sales.
Construction debris increased by 600 metric tons (58 percent) and metal waste increased by 250 metric tons (40 percent) in 2006 compared to 2005, due to facility renovation and equipment replacement. Product discards increased by 2,100 metric tons (43 percent), partly due to warehouse consolidations in Europe and the destruction of expired and off-specification products.
Fifty-six facilities reduced non-hazardous waste generation during 2006 in absolute terms, while 56 increased generation.
Baxter’s Mountain Home, Arkansas, facility achieved the company’s largest absolute decrease in non-hazardous waste generation in 2006. The facility found a beneficial reuse for its used glycol, a byproduct of the facility's ethylene oxide air emissions control technology, thereby reducing waste generation by 259 metric tons.
| OFF-SITE RECYCLING OF NON-HAZARDOUS WASTE | ||||||
| AMOUNT RECYCLED (metric tons) |
PROCEEDS FROM RECYCLING (in thousands) |
|||||
| Item | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Plastics | 18,710 | 17,900 | 18,040 | $3,955 | $5,242 | $6,029 |
| Other1 | 4,760 | 3,960 | 7,210 | ($632) | ($495) | ($816) |
| Corrugated | 7,190 | 7,200 | 7,120 | $80 | $98 | $40 |
| Pallets | 3.470 | 1,830 | 2,140 | $80 | $24 | $26 |
| All Paper | 1,770 | 1,420 | 1,380 | ($88) | ($65) | ($84) |
| Metal | 880 | 580 | 840 | $99 | $186 | $151 |
| Glass | 780 | 660 | 480 | ($30) | ($21) | ($9) |
| Electrical Equipment | 210 | 160 | 230 | ($143) | ($112) | ($97) |
| Waste Oil and Fuel | 70 | 90 | 60 | ($35) | ($64) | ($29) |
| Total | 37,300 | 33.800 | 37.500 | $3.284 | $4,792 | $5,211 |
| Percent of Total Non-Hazardous Waste Recycled | 61% | 60% | 65% | |||
1"Other" includesink cartridges, protein paste waste, construction debtis, styrofoam, lamps / bulbs / tubes, scrap wood, and drums.
Of the 58,000 metric tons of non-hazardous waste generated in 2006, Baxter recycled 37,500 metric tons, approximately 65 percent. The 2006 recycling rate exceeds the 2005 rate of 60 percent, primarily due to increases in construction- and metal waste streams that were recycled off-site.
Recycling activities at Baxter generated nearly $5.2 million in revenue. Some recycled waste streams do not generate revenue, but the recycling expense associated with those streams is typically less than the expense of disposal.
Regulated Waste Performance
In 2006, Baxter's regulated-waste generation decreased to 3,650 metric tons, from 3,850 metric tons in 2005.
This 5 percent decrease in absolute terms and 10 percent decrease per million dollars of sales is principally due to the following events:
- The Guayama, Puerto Rico, facility generated 91 metric tons (17 percent) less of a process by-product due to a change in its waste management process.
- Baxter's BioLife plasma collection centers decreased biohazardous waste by 86 metric tons (9 percent), due to the sale of eight collection centers during 2006 as well as a Six Sigma green belt project that standardized waste-generation and collection practices. This project reduced waste generated per plasma donation by 20 percent and produced annualized savings of $30,000.
Baxter also experienced increases in several regulated-waste streams in 2006. Examples include:
- At the Grosotto, Italy, facility, waste chemicals increased by 52 metric tons due to the disposal of raw materials that did not meet Baxter's quality standards.
- The Deerfield, Illinois, facility generated 53 metric tons of asbestos-containing waste associated with an extensive lobby renovation project.
Of facilities that generate regulated waste, 57 reduced regulated-waste generation in absolute terms compared to 2005, while 41 increased generation.
