ABSTRACT
The Goodwill truck comes by weekly and collects a dozen or more boxloads for sorting, inspection, and preparation for return to suppliers. Without ever looking outside the organization for help, companies can achieve significant reductions in waste. But they can achieve even more by enlisting suppliers, customers, and community organizations in a common effort. The company took a fresh look at way materials were arriving from suppliers and immediately saw opportunities to reduce costs by adopting “pass-through packaging”—the same carton used to deliver components to assembly line also transports the finished to the buyer. Suppliers have been encouraged to stop using glue to bond polyfoam to shipping boxes, enhancing the possibilities for reuse of materials. Other materials returned to parts suppliers for reuse include several sizes of electronic parts trays, anti-static foam, and plastic “bubble-pack” packaging. Items that cannot be returned to suppliers, including various containers, bottles, boxes, reels, and tubes, are made available free to non-profit groups and schools.
