Waste Minimization Guidance Documents

G1: Source parts, modules, and other products using returnable packaging.

G2: Build sustainable packaging requirements into part and product sourcing documents.

G3: Can plastic liner be added to prevent contamination?

G4: Reusing LDPE plastic bags.

G5: Material repurposing options for use within building industry.

G6: Incorporate bio based materials into product applications.

G7: Material repurposing options for use within building industry.

G8: Working with your supplier to correct contamination within your incoming product or package

G9: How corrugate fiber quality can limit your recycling and reuse options

G10: Methods to eliminate waste stream contamination.

G11: Proactively addressing package designs that have incompatible materials for recycling

G12: Separating contaminated corrugate from clean corrugate.

G14: identifying and correcting manufacturing plant locations that don’t conform to recycling standards

G15: Achieving the Highest Value for your Recycling Material Using a Holistic Approach

G16: Designing more sustainable corrugate packages

G17: Bailing material to improve continued use options.

G18: Increase material value by ensuring availability of necessary bailing infrastructure.

G19: How to leverage shredding and baling processes to increase material value

G20: Changing suppliers to accomplish sustainability initiatives

G21: How to Leverage Compacting Corrugate to Increase the Material’s Value

G23: Reusing containers in manufacturing operations to reduce plant costs and waste.

G24: Returning portions of containers to suppliers for reuse, financial credits and other benefits

G26: Building holistic business cases

G25: Donate or sell obsolete or gently used corrugate containers to local companies or NGOs for reuse

G27: Sending corrugate loads directly to a Mill to increase value.

G28: Sending Single Material Loads Compared to Mixed Materials to Recyclers to Gain Financial Value

G29: Analyzing contaminants in your corrugate to determine if it can be composted

G30: Analyzing Contaminants in Your Corrugate to Determine if it is Suitable for a Waste-to-Energy Option

G31: How to Work with Local MURFs (Municipal Recycling Facilities) to Determine Recycling Options for Contaminated Corrugates

G32: Using Corrugate Container Scrap Material to Make New Products

G33: Calculate the Carbon Footprint Impact of Waste Minimization Programs and Communicate the Findings to Plant Teams to Encourage Similar Actions

G34: Shredding and bailing your corrugate onsite to gain revenue and targeting it for building applications

G35: Developing a recycling and reuse infrastructure for your waste streams

G36: Leveraging information security systems to increasing second use applications for items containing sensitive company information.

G37: How laboratory testing can help you make informed decisions about your contaminated material

G38: Options for hard-to-recycle materials

G39: Identifying and eliminating contamination in your material

G40: Work with your supplier to return reusable packaging and product materials

G41: Send contaminated material to a waste-to-energy option.

G42: Implementing returnable packaging requirements and policies within your company to limit use of expendable packaging and reduce your carbon footprint

G43: Second-life uses for your corrugate material in the building industry

G44: Implementing policy changes within your company as part of your environmental management system to create product from your waste

G45: How to leverage cost savings and revenue generation by exploring internal reuse options within your company

G46: Exploring external re-use options for your post-industrial materials.

G47: How sending corrugate directly to a corrugate mill can increase revenue for your company.

G48: Exploring the benefits and challenges of composting corrugate and other cardboards.

G49: Importance of verifying whether your material can be recycled according to National, State, and local requirements.

G50: Material processing options that can improve transportation efficiency and increase value.

G51: Achieving product security through several material processing options.

G52: Repurposing plastic packaging materials for plant-based applications

G53: How plastic materials can be repurposed for use in the building industry.

G54: Wildlife habitat initiatives using plastic packaging materials.

G55: How reusing shipping materials can help your company achieve sustainability goals.

G56: How packaging foams can be repurposed for furniture manufacturing

G57: Repurposing packaging containers for Nature Based Solutions

G58: Repurposing plastic packaging containers for local urban farming initiatives.

G59: The Value of Creating a Holistic Business Case for Your Materials

G60: How sending your plastic material directly to a compounder can increase the value of your material.

G61: Exploring bio-based second life product applications for your materials

G62: Exploring petroleum based fibers for next life applications

G63: Analyzing contaminants within your materials during the plastic resin compounding process

G67: Identifying local companies, non-profits, and NGOs that might be interested in container reuse

G68: Finding manufacturers for material reuse as an alternative to recycling.

G69: Working with engineering and suppliers to create plastic products from plastic scrap generated at plants

G71: Repurposing small packaging trays for wildlife habitat applications.

G72: Leveraging your workforce to sort packaging related plastic parts for recycling

G73: Repurpose plastic bottles to enhance wetland and other water way ecosystems for wildlife, infrastructure protection and severe weather damage mitigation.

G74: Recycling plastic packaging shipping aids into baffles, conduits, and other functional black plastic applications

G75: Plastic packaging corrugate can be repurposed into nature-based solutions such as beehive media.

G76: Substituting nylon component material with PET resin

G77: Reutilizing obsolete expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam containers

G78: Repurposing polyurethane convoluted (egg carton) style and other flexible foam packaging

G79: Repurposing polyurethane egg carton style foam packaging.

G80: Using a chipper machine to cut banding into small pieces for densification

G81: Combining two or more waste streams to create a product of value

G82: Working with a suppliers to create building shingles/shakes from metal and plastic packaging and other product material.

G83: Working with suppliers to create wildlife habitats.

G84: Reprocessing Vehicle Seating Protective Film into New Seating Film

G85: Using Special Needs Groups to Process the Reuse of Protective Packaging Plastic Aids Such As Caps and Plugs

G86: Sending steering column lock pin assembly aids back to steering column supplier for reuse.

G87: Recycling PET Plastic for Social Justice Opportunities

G88: Creating a program to process PET water bottles that are collected from waterways into new bottles

G89: Repurposing Plastic Foams for Architectural Applications

G90: Making Your Containers and Components from Ocean-Bound Plastics

G91: Working with a supplier to create architectural building products from repurposed part trays

G92: Creating a program that utilizes thermoset plant part trays to manufacture building lighting shade mechanisms

G93: Reusing Scrap Polyurethane Foam in the Manufacture of New Foam Products

G94: Utilizing corrugate nesting structures to replace other nesting structures made from materials such as polystyrene, polyurethanes and wood

G95: Using clear or translucent plastic packaging instead of colored plastic component packaging

G96: Avoiding User of Glued Foams to Increase Recycling, Reuse and Repurposing Opportunities

G97: Using paper tape to secure corrugated containers instead of plastic tape

G98: Sourcing Paper Bags for Increased Reuse, Compost and Recycling Opportunities

G99: Using Corrugate or Cardboard Sheet Separators to Reduce Waste

G100: Using returnable decoupling dunnage and containers that break down after use

G101: Design bulk container dunnage to allow for multiple uses and dunnage pooling

G102: Separating PVC by product from other materials to increase recycling ease

G103: Using Vacuum Thermoformed HDPE Dunnage Spacers inside Returnable Totes for Parts that Might

G104: Repurposing Wood for Use in the Building Industry through Local Construction Companies

G105: Using rough sawn wood in rustic applications such as shingles, barns, sheds, recreation rooms.

G106: Second Use Applications for Wood Pallets

G107: Repurposing Pallet Planks into Rustic vertical wall shakes

G108: Using certain pallets for rough sawn wainscoting applications

G110: treated Pallets Instead of Pallets Treated with Methyl Bromide when Repurposing Pallets.

G111: Repurposing Smooth Wood to Enable Ease of Use

G112: Using Pallet Recyclers to Rebuild Pallets for Reuse or Total Waste Reduction

G113: Removing contaminated portions of pallets to enable safe reuse

G114: Replacing Wood Packages or Portions of Wood Packages with Corrugated Parts

G115: Using Corrugate in Place of Wood Alternatives

G116: Shredding off-spec (non-conforming) pallets and utilizing them as landscape mulch

G117: Sourcing non-OSB pallet components rather than OSB pallet components

G118: Donate Wood Packaging and Other Scrap Wood to High Schools and Skill Centers for Student Education

G119: Using standard-sized pallets (45" X 48 or 40" X 48") to encourage reusability

G120: Balancing durability and cost of wood species in pallet manufacturing

G121: Using Pallet Manufacturers Pallet Banking Program

G122: Enlisting Suppliers to Reduce or Eliminate the Use of Difficult to Use Materials

G123: Utilizing Hardwood Pallets for Landscape Chips and Mulch

G124: Working with hobbyists to use scrap pallets and wood for making crafts and hobby related items.

G125: Waste-To-Energy Options for Wood

G126: Replacing Wood Corner Supports with Cardboard Pressed/Formed Alternatives for Corrugate Recycling.

G127: Repurposing wood for community-based projects such as raised bed gardens and building fences.

G128: Seeking advice from external wood experts, builders, local woodworkers, and wood recyclers through online educational media to utilize your scrap wood in the most sustainable way.

G129: Seeking advice from plastic experts and recyclers through online and local educational programs.

G130: Repurposing/Reusing Small Packaging Wood Pieces for Construction Applications (Trim, Shims, Spacers, Etc.)

G131: Reusing Cradles and/or Designing Cradles with Different Materials (Wood, Corrugate and Plastic)

G132: Working with Suppliers to Have Packaging Easy to Breakdown for Efficient Material Management

G133: Working With Suppliers to Send Wood Sheeting Back to Suppliers for Reuse

G134: Reusing dunnage sheets inside your manufacturing operation.

G135: Exploring Options with Local Schools to Receive the Wood for Carpentry Education

G136: Working with local NGOs to receive your materials for second

G137: Utilizing your employees to receive sheeting for personal projects

G138: Working with local carpenters to receive your materials for second-life use after sheeting separation

G140: Repurposing Materials in Mini Home Building Applications to Address Homelessness in the Veteran

G141: Repurposing your polyester fleece and shoddy padding to create building insulation

G142: Using Alternative Building Envelope Materials for Mini Homes to Address Veteran Homelessness

G143: Using carpet remnants, cutoffs and padding from home construction projects in tiny homes

G144: Transforming shipping containers into raised bed gardens

G145: Donating Your Excess and Obsolete Paint for Reuse Activities

G147: Using Biobased Packing Peanuts that can be Composted or Dissolved in Water to Eliminate Plastic

G156: Recycling single use manufacturing scrap plastic into pallets and containers

G157: In plant material processing options that can improve transportation efficiency and increase value

G158: Returning non-conforming parts to suppliers

*Guidance Documents not to be reused or redistributed.

This content has been curated by ERA Scientists and is only to be used as an academic resource.

To access any of the above documents:

Click on your desired Guidance Document
Fill out your name and email on the Form page that appears
Check your email to view and download your copy of the Guidance Document