Waste is a byproduct of operations, but innovative and sustainable practices can reduce waste and use resources more efficiently. At Caterpillar, EHS and paint operations teams in Decatur Illinois decreased waste generated with a solvent reclaim program. The teams worked with a waste vendor to collect used paint, reclaim it and return the solvent to the Decatur site for reuse. This led to an 80 percent year-over-year decrease in solvent waste on site.
Such programs have allowed the Decatur site to use reclaimed solvent in their primary operations, only using new solvent for back-up purposes. When teams work together to find sustainable solutions to existing processes, the results can be both impactful and yield cost savings.