Reducing, reusing and recycling

We are working towards absolute material utilisation throughout our manufacturing processes by reusing and recycling waste materials.

We employ waste mapping to track waste streams back to their sources in our facilities worldwide. Using lean manufacturing methodologies, each facility eliminates or minimizes the identified wastes one source at a time, typically starting with the highest-volume or highest-cost waste stream identified through the mapping process. We explore reuse and recycling options for wastes that remain.

Our Resource Management Subcommittee of our Sustainability Committee is helping us move beyond manufacturing to other areas in the company, such as product formulation and raw materials management, where waste can be eliminated or minimized.

We are measuring our performance against two goals:

• A 25% reduction in total waste disposal intensity by 2025 from a 2017 baseline.
• Achieve zero landfill status from process waste at 35% of PPG manufacturing and research and development (R&D) locations by 2025.

We achieved the intensity goal in 2019 but remain focused on waste reduction to ensure continuous improvement. Our 2020 total waste disposal intensity was 2.3 metric tons of waste produced per 100 metric tons of production, which was a 33.8% decline from the 2017 baseline. Reduced production during the pandemic was a significant factor behind this performance.

Reducing the impact of packaging

In the UK & Ireland, we’re also taking steps to reduce the impact of our paint packaging. To support on-site waste management requirements, we can dispose of empty paint cans via our national network of Johnstone’s Decorating Centres. Through the network we are able to recycle Johnstone’s paint cans from both solvent and water-based paints, including cans that have contained emulsions, gloss paints, undercoats and primers woodcare, floor and masonry paints– both metal and plastic!

All waste packaging will be returned to suppliers or our PPG Birstall manufacturing site where it will be sorted, baled and fully recycled by approved third parties under a comprehensive duty of care agreement.

To access more information on the Johnstone’s Decorating Centre Recycling scheme visit our Contact page