S-Tiles - minimizzazione

PRODUCTION PHASE: MINIMISATION

Waste minimisation means first of all prevention, in particular through reduction of waste at source, by understanding and adjusting processes to achieve this. This concept is also known as ‘process or resource efficiency’. The substitution of toxic materials, in the manufacturing process, with others less harmful to the environment is also considered part of waste minimisation practices.

Unlike other production sectors the ceramic industry, and especially the tile industry, is able to recycle and ‘digest’ the greater part of the waste produced. This can be said for all the tile fragments and dust; tile dust is separated from gaseous emissions in depurators, as is waste produced by the water treatment process. The manufacturing plant directly and indirectly reuses all production waste and fragments, thus saving considerable quantities of raw materials and avoiding large-scale waste disposal.

In the ceramic sector there is a widespread respect for and application of environmental policies on separate waste collection. This is aimed at recovering, recycling and/or disposing of other waste not directly reusable in the internal production process (e.g. used oil, paper, wood pallets, plastic, metal scraps, etc.).

The Integrated Report of 1998 gives an interesting picture of the recycling and reuse flows of plant production waste in the Sassuolo/Scandiano District. The so-called ‘raw waste’ that in 1997 was 719 kg waste/1000m_ of product is entirely reused within the plant or by other sites. Roughly 20% of plants don’t reuse ‘scrap fired tiles’ which are instead sent to dumps or destined for different uses such as stabilizing road foundations. Inert waste from building demolition is often reused in the same way. As far as the depuration waste scrap is concerned, there is more difficulty in their recycling, except for the preparation of the mixture phase. Slaked lime depuration is the most difficult waste to reuse. It is sent to dumps from around 60% of plants. Liquid sludge is reused within the plant or by other plants in 2 out of 3 cases.