Unilever achieves non-hazardous waste to landfill status in Europe

All of Unilever's factories throughout Europe have now achieved zero non-hazardous waste to landfill sites status, the company announced yesterday (April 9th). This means that the majority of the firm's factories no longer send any form of non-hazardous waste to landfill sites, a huge increase from the 20 per cent that didn't three years ago. Its European factories have now joined those in North America in having this status.  

This milestone in cutting down the amount of non-hazardous waste being sent to landfill sites has been met with little cost, according to the company. It also means that Unilever is making savings, as it has cut disposal costs by over €17 million (£14 million). 

The step is part of Unilever's plan to cut down that amount of total waste sent to landfills to below 2008 figures by 2020, a significant move as the business has expanded largely in recent years. A large factor in achieving this target is making as many factories as possible zero non-hazardous waste to landfill sites. 

Unilever will be publishing its Sustainable living Report 2013 on April 28th, which will confirm the company's reductions in landfill waste. The report will show that a reduction of 66 per cent per tonne has been made when it comes to total disposed of waste since 2008, which is a significant step in cutting down landfills.

Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Unilever chief supply chain officer, said: “We have seen a rapid acceleration in converting the network to zero waste. In 2010, 52 sites were there. We have now reached 200 sites. We are on track to hit our revised target of 100 per cent of sites by 2015, five years ahead of the original 2020 target. I am proud of the team effort which has got us to this milestone.”

By eliminating non-hazardous waste disposal at landfill sites throughout Europe, North America, most of Latin America and a several other countries, Unilever's global target is in sight, continued Mr Sigismondi.