Waste and Recycling

Materials use is a key business issue for Millipore. Waste is expensive – we pay for raw materials that don’t go into the end product, and also pay to dispose of it. Reducing waste not only benefits the environment but also our bottom line. Our approach follows the three R’s (below). Disposal is a last resort, only when those options are not feasible.

Reduce – Decrease the amount of materials consumed through product and process design improvements. For example, at our site in Cork, Ireland, our Process Excellence programs identified improvements to membrane cutting processes that reduce the space between cuts. This change decreased waste and we expect it to save about $200,000 per year. Additionally, eliminating unnecessary chemical testing on membrane through enhanced statistical methods both decreased membrane use as well as chemical use and staff time.

Reuse – When possible, reuse materials. For example, Millipore has installed solvent recovery systems at several of its locations worldwide (see the Air Emissions section). These systems minimize solvent emissions to air and waste water while recovering solvent for further use within the company. Another example of reuse comes from our Cork recycling program (see bottom of page).

Recycle – When reuse is not an option, recycle materials. For example, at our Jaffrey, New Hampshire site, we regrind plastic scrap from our injection molding operations. Although we cannot use this plastic in Millipore products, we sell it to other companies. In 2006 we earned $28,000 and avoided $26,000 in disposal costs thanks to plastic and other recycling.

Currently, Millipore has a wide range of recycling programs, some advanced and others still developing. To promote high levels of recycling companywide, in the second half of 2007, we are launching global recycling standards. These will cover materials such as plastic, metal, cardboard, paper and chemicals.

We are also engaging professional recycling firms to assess how individual sites might improve processes to generate less waste and enhance recycling performance. We anticipate the benefits from this will be both environmental and financial.

Here are a few other examples of our recycling programs.

Product recycling

Our facility in Molsheim, France, is working with recycling vendors to determine ways to recycle plastic from two products, Steritest (used for verifying the sterility of solutions) and Aervent (used for sterilizing applications and removing particles and microorganisms from gases and solvents).

See our Local Efforts: Molsheim page for more information.

Supporting Local Schools

At our Jaffrey, New Hampshire site, we donate used toner cartridges to local elementary schools for toner recycling. The schools return the cartridges to a vendor in exchange for “technology points” to purchase digital cameras and other electronic equipment.

External Waste Management

Millipore belongs to CHWMEG, Inc., a non-profit trade association comprised of manufacturing and industrial companies who collectively seek efficiency in waste management. Among other services, CHWMEG conducts comprehensive, independent reviews of commercial facilities that treat, store, dispose, recycle or transport waste. This helps us improve due diligence and ensure that wastes we send to facilities are properly managed while protecting the company from undue risk.

Cork’s Recycling Program

Our Cork site recycles approximately 70% of the non-hazardous waste generated. Our rate is even higher for Durapore membrane manufacturing, as we reuse or recycle 95% of waste generated from this process. For example, we locally compost cardboard drums which come into the plant as packaging for raw material, we bale and recycle cardboard boxes as well as waste paper, and we wash and re-wind PET file plastic. We bale and recycle waste membrane cuts, and return end walls which are used to transport rolls of mylar to the supplier for reuse.

Metrics

News

» More