BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand sends zero waste to landfills
BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand has reached its target of sending zero waste to landfills, and says it is continuing to stride towards eco-friendly behaviour.
The company has found alternative ways to dispose of discarded items responsibly. Waste that was previously sent to landfills has been reallocated. Hazardous waste is now used in blending fuels; canteen waste feeds local animals; and all other waste is either recycled or goes through the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) process.
The company says its decrease in waste consumption benefits the greater community by minimising overall pollution and supporting a greener, cleaner Thailand.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts made by Plant Thailand associates to eliminate the waste that our plant produces,” said Jeffrey Gaudiano, chief executive of BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand. “With less waste production, we can continue to focus on producing top-quality vehicles while decreasing our footprint.”
Currently, the plant is advertising its “3R” awareness campaign to promote the concepts of reducing, reusing, and recycling to its associates. BMW’s “Value-added Production System”, or VPS, also promotes ways to improve business processes and teaches employees to identify and avoid waste.
Similarly, associates participate in corporate social responsibility. A main aspect of the CSR initiative encourages the design and implementation of a community-service project.
A recent CSR project helped reduce the number of gloves that are discarded from the plant; the gloves are now cleaned and donated to local farmers.
While continuing to reduce the amount of physical waste produced, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand is also working towards reducing both water and energy consumption.
Plant associates are also supporting the community through an initiative called “Care for Water”. Through this programme, BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand will fund Bt500,000 to help locals access clean water. The plan is to provide two villages in Khon Kaen and Kamphaeng Phet provinces with 200 water-filtration systems that will support the people through a drought crisis, as well as to provide a lasting source of clean water.
Last year, the BMW Group sold about 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. As of December 31, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action, it says. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
