We’re closing the loop on waste

We strive to keep our materials and components in circulation for as long as possible, recycling and reusing them, sometimes in entirely new and innovative ways – because sending waste to a landfill, even if that’s the last resort, is never ideal.

Since 2021, our “zero waste to landfill” project in Brazil has managed to reduce the amount of waste we send to those destinations from 295 metric tons to nearly zero.

A major part of our approach involves installing biodigesters at sites where we produce organic waste. This allows us to turn the original waste products into a liquid effluent that can be safely delivered to public sewage treatment systems, with a much lower environmental impact than sending it to a landfill. And for some kinds of waste that are not suitable for recycling, we’ve been applying the “waste to energy” approach, in which residue can be used as fuel by concrete plants.

With inorganic waste, we’re devoted to separating discarded materials – metal, plastic and others – and preparing them for recycling in a way that preserves their added value for industry uses. We redefine how we think about waste and see it as a resource.

In order for initiatives like this to work, we actively engage our employees on the benefits of waste reduction. “It’s amazing how much better we get at separating materials for recycling when we work closely with employees and invest in their training,” says Tatiana Novis Lopes Gil, Regional Environmental Manager at Siemens Energy in Brazil.

We also actively collaborate with our partners on new ways to take advantage of circular thinking, such as the co-processing of materials or the development of returnable containers. For example, many of our suppliers use wooden pallets and crates. So, we’re finding new ways of reusing those for our own packaging or returning it back to suppliers. And we make sure they implement environmental safety measures, guaranteeing that recyclable waste won’t end up in our soil or water.

It’s all about finding ways to accomplish reduction goals at the local level with an integrated strategy. Accountability and transparency are key, and relatively simple policies can have a dramatic positive impact on our environmental footprint.

Combined picture and video credits: Claus Lehmann