With more than 50 manufacturing and distribution centers worldwide, minimizing material use and recycling continue to be a strong focus for Avon as it strives to reduce waste along the production cycle. This reduction has a meaningful cost savings as well as reduced environmental impact.
In 2011 Avon’s overall combined recycling rate for manufacturing and distribution centers was 81.1 percent. Recycling rates in manufacturing has been tracked since 2005, and for distribution centers since 2008.
Recycling increased 5.4 percent in global manufacturing locations in 2011, resulting in an overall recycling rate of 79.6 percent. This is an all time high for Avon manufacturing operations. The achievement is due to innovative ideas such as finding reuse options for sludge generated by wastewater treatment. Several facilities have recycling rates near 95 percent, and all sites are focused on achieving zero waste to landfill.
Recycling at our global distribution centers was also at an all time high in 2011, reaching 83 percent through a 3.8 percent increase from 2010.
Total waste generated is on a downward trend after a spike in 2007, and there will be continued focused attention to drive further reductions and achieve targets. The 2011 total waste dropped 7.5 percent from 2010 and is slightly (4 percent) above the 2005 baseline. Waste per unit dropped 3.5 percent year over year and is 6 percent below the baseline level. Within the downward trend, the slight increase in waste registered in the previous years -- 2010 over 2009 -- was partly due to an unforeseen increase in obsolete and expired inventory, which are categorized as waste.
Avon’s overall recycling rate for 2011 increased by 5.4 percent to nearly 80 percent at the company’s global manufacturing sites, a historic high for the company.
Total waste generation (absolute) in Avon's manufacturing facilities in 2011 dropped 7.5 percent from 2010.
Waste generated in 2011 on a pounds-per-unit basis in Avon's manufacturing facilities dropped 3.5 percent from 2010.
Even though Avon's 81.1 percent recycling rate is the highest ever, continued focus will help drive towards the goal of zero waste to landfill. Avon will also continue to work towards a target of 30 percent reduction in waste per unit against the 2005 level, which is one KPI that continues to fall short. While in 2011 Avon only reached 6 percent below baseline, and a year over year drop of just 3.5 percent, the current level is a meaningful reduction from the 2006-2008 levels.
Avon will continue to explore new ways to increase recycling at its facilities and reduce the amount of waste generated. Initiatives the company is currently working on include:
Avon is committed to a 10 percent pounds-per-unit waste reduction at its global manufacturing facilities by 2012, which supports the company's long-term goal of 40 percent waste reduction by 2020. Avon aims to increase recycling in manufacturing, distribution and administrative facilities by five percent by 2012, and is striving toward a zero waste-to-landfill goal by 2020.
Brazil Solid Waste Law
In January 2011, Brazil passed a solid waste law modeled after packaging waste legislation implemented in the European Union more than 10 years ago. The law requires producers to provide mechanisms for recovering product packaging from consumers after use. The intent is to capture more recyclable waste and prevent this waste from going to landfills. As such, companies pay an annual fee for a third-party vendor to collect and recycle packaging waste.80 percent
recycling efficiency in manufacturing sites
and 83 percent
in distribution centers
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