How to Prepare For Minimal Liquid Discharge

Have you recently implemented minimal liquid discharge into your operations? If so, here are some of the projects we would most strongly recommend implementing into your business to create a more cost-effective, efficient business model.

What is Minimal Liquid Discharge?

Minimal liquid discharge (MLD) is the process of extracting liquids and other substances from PPE and absorbent materials by using as little liquid as possible. This revolutionary process avoids disposal of oil-soaked absorbents by refreshing them without any waste. Where traditional methods of recycling or laundering PPE and other absorbents necessitate an enormous waste of water, a MLD approach keeps these processes extremely sustainable and cost effective.

Best of all, minimal liquid discharge even collects the liquids being removed from the PPE or absorbents. Not only does this prevent them from ending up somewhere in the environment where it could do damage, but it also allows industrial launderers with a MLD approach to repackage used oils and distribute them back to their clients. Overall, a minimal liquid discharge program for your absorbents and PPE cut costs, help the environment, and can boost your operational efficiency.

How to Prepare A Minimal Liquid Discharge Program

A minimal liquid discharge program allows your skilled labor force the time to improve processes and increase efficiency. Without spending hours each week sweeping granulated absorbents and dealing with inefficient disposable mats, your team can spend that valuable time on something more beneficial to your organization.

Want to work towards implementing minimal liquid discharge in your business? Follow some of these steps:

1. Organize and Optimize

Assign someone in each department to take inventory and organize each item in their collective workspace. Go deep in storage or often-overlooked areas to account for every tool, cleaning supply, and product. You may find duplicate items or items that were once useful but no longer serve a purpose. Finally, get rid of things you don’t need and put things you do need in easy-to-find places. Follow the 5S guidelines: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.

Organization is crucial to business success, especially if you operate in an industry with a lot of moving pieces. Poor organization could be destroying your organizations efficiency, especially if you work in industries like:

  • Manufacturing
  • Oil and Gas
  • Welding
  • Packaging
  • Automotive

Even if your industry isn’t listed above, organization is the key to success and safety. Keep your employees safe and productive by organizing your facility. This is one of the best ways to make sure you’re prepared to implement a new process like minimal liquid discharge.

2. Instill a Safety Culture

Too often, safety hazards aren’t recognized until an accident occurs. By creating and maintaining a safety culture, you can be more proactive than reactive. Print up-to-date guidelines and post them in highly-visible areas. Ensure that every person on your team understands the importance of following these guidelines by coordinating regular safety meetings. Motivate employees to engage in these meetings by encouraging suggestions and asking questions. Reward your team for improving safety and always include safety as part of every goal.

Need Help Implementing Minimal Liquid Discharge?

We can help! We use minimal liquid discharge on all of our PPE laundering processes.

3. Improve Training Programs

Compare goals with results to identify areas of improvement in each department. If something is constantly being missed, a new training approach may be the key. When was the last time your training plan was updated? Much of today’s workforce responds better to highly visual or interactive training rather than outdated manuals or one-sided presentations. Above all, focus on continuous communication between the trainer and the trainees. Good training practices are going to be key to implementing minimal liquid discharge right. New business processes take time to adjust to—the right training can make that adjustment easy.

4. Find Waste Streams to Eliminate

Take a look at the large waste streams in your facility and ask if there is a way to reduce or eliminate the amount of waste generated. Sometimes, the largest waste streams can be front and center in operations: personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and sleeves are worn by almost every warehouse employee. When these items get dirty, many organizations throw them away, leading to a waste of both materials and money. PPE laundering can help you divert a large chunk of waste from landfills while improving safety and saving up to 80% off the cost of purchasing new material.

Make Minimal Waste Easy

Interested in implementing a minimal liquid discharge process into your business but don’t know where to start? Closed Loop Recycling can help! All of our PPE and absorbent processes use minimal liquid discharge techniques and can help make your business more sustainable while boosting your bottom line. Contact us today to make minimal waste easy.