The Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing facility (TIEM) in Columbus, Ind. facility, which is part of Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. The 870,000 square feet factory, which includes a National Customer Center and training center, has been a Zero-landfill facility since 2004.
IndustryWeek asked Ron Allen, Environmental Engineer of Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM), and Dixon Churchill, Environmental Health and Safety manager of TIEM how they were able to achieve the zero- land fill status.
In 2003, the concept of zero landfill was introduced by the then ISO 14001 management representative Tim Hollkamp. His idea was spurred by information presented by Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing's (TIEM) Environmental Action Plan enacted by our parent company, Toyota Industries Corp. This plan set forward a series of medium-range goals of achieving zero emission of direct landfill waste by the fiscal year 2005.
One of the main driving factors behind this initiative was Toyota's philosophy to reduce waste and its associates costs while working to become a good "environmental" citizen.
Working on this directive, Tim Hollkamp created an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for TIEM to meet this goal of zero landfill by April 1, 2004.
In October 2003, Tim Hollkamp, and TIEM's environmental engineer Ron Allen and environmental health and safety (EHS) manager Dixon Churchill began working with United Recyclables sales representative Doug Brown to implement a series of action steps for the program.
The following provides an overview of the program in the making:
Dive Into It -- Literally
On Nov. 1, 2003, TIEM detailed the company's current stream of waste, and went "dumpster diving" to determine exactly what TIEM had been sending to the landfill. Afterward, it created a non-hazardous waste profile and submitted an application to a waste-to-energy facility for the acceptance of waste materials. By December of the same year, TIEM calculated the cost of the project and received budget approval. It determined that the volume of waste sent to the facility would help keep disposal costs down, but that transportation fees would rise from current waste-hauling costs (from zero to $225 for transportation to Indianapolis.)
Start Low and Aim High
By Feb. 2004, TIEM evaluated the contractual relationship with its existing waste hauler, and learned that the hauler already transported materials to the waste-to-energy facility for other industrial groups. TIEM therefore made no change in transportation vendor or procedures. In early March, TIEM shifted its focus to capturing waste, starting with "low hanging fruit" (wood, cardboard, aluminum cans and paper products) in order to reduce waste volume immediately and ultimately achieve the highest recycling impact. TIEM then implemented a Develop Associate Training program, distributing educational materials to management and associates in order to teach Toyota personnel about waste disposal and the negative environmental impact of landfills. Finally, TIEM established recycling locations and procedures for collection by recycling vendors.
Develop a Plan of Action
In early April 2004, TIEM forged a partnership with a waste-to-energy facility and launched its Environmental Action Plan. More than 70 tons of waste was shipped to the facility in the month of April.
This concept of sending the materials to a waste-to-energy facility instead of a landfill did meet Toyota's goal of achieving zero landfill. However, this practice did not technically qualify as environmental waste reduction.
Starting in 2004, Allen and Churchill began implementing efforts to reduce the amount of materials delivered to the waste-to-energy facility.
| TIEM Recycling Facts | |
| Date | Tons (loads) sent for recycling at waste-to-energy facility |
| April 2004 | 70.66 tons (15 loads) |
| Feb. 2008 | 18.85 tons (2 loads) |
| Jan. 2009 | 9.38 tons (1 load) |
Remember the 3Rs
Starting in Oct. 2007, TIEM successfully implemented a 3R program (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) within the facility, which included the recycling of plastics and other small recyclables such as aluminum rivets ends and copper wire scraps. This increased effort was due in part to the fact that recycling proceeds were donated to children's medical charities in Indiana. Another factor that encouraged the recycling efforts was TIEM's placement of recycling containers in high volume areas.
What advice would you have for other companies who are just beginning their "green" journey?
It's beneficial to partner with the best recycling company in the area. Request that the recycling company do a waste audit of your facility, and allow them to do their job by handling the recycling for you. Getting buy-in from a company's associates also is key to a successful recycling program. Employees are the biggest advocates for the pushing forward environmental initiatives.
Seek out quantifiable measurements and third-party validation that your company is on the right track. TIEM, for example was the recipient of Indiana's Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. This award acknowledged Toyota's program for implementing an environmental management system that reduced volatile organic compounds emissions by 33%, reduced hazardous air pollutants by 80%, cut energy consumption by 24.4% and reduced natural gas consumption by 65%.
