Waste consists of unavoidable losses of input material occurring in cleaning, trials, color changes, repair and maintenance, and other non-continuous operations. Other waste sources are packaging materials, cleaning materials, out of shelf life finished goods, and maintenance goods like oils and other utilities.

In total, Sika generated around 85,000 tons of waste (previous year: 80,000 tons), which accounts for around 2.1% of total volume handled by Sika (previous year: 2.0%).

Approximately three quarters of the waste is non-hazardous. The category of reuse describes waste which finds a secondary use at lower value or a way into reprocessing, like metal recycling. Sika manages the disposal of waste through management systems according to ISO 14001 regulating the flow of materials and local documentation. ISO 14001 is in place at all production sites.

Total weight of non-hazardous waste:

  • Non-hazardous: 66,000 tons (2017: 63,000 tons)

Disposal method:

  • Landfill: 29,000 tons (previous year: 27,000 tons)
  • Incineration: 8,000 tons (previous year: 7,000 tons)
  • Reuse/Recycle: 29,000 tons (previous year: 25,000 tons)
  • Others: 0 tons (previous year: 4,000 tons)

Total weight of hazardous waste

  • Hazardous: 19,000 tons (previous year: 17,000 tons)

Disposal method:

  • Incineration: 19,000 tons (previous year: 17,000 tons)

The company strives to increase material efficiency and has set a reduction target of 3% waste per ton of product sold and year. This goal was neither achieved in the current year nor cumulatively over the past 5 years.

However, overall, Sika could reduce the amount of waste per ton sold by putting in place activities such as optimization of the production planning, streamlining the production process layout, and the reuse of production waste. In addition, water from cleaning processes (tanks, bulk delivery trucks and gas scrubbers) was re-used.

Furthermore, filter dust from dosing and bagging stations was recycled into similar products in mortar production. Innovative warehouse management was also put in place to reduce the amount of expired products.

In conclusion, taking into account all acquisitions since 2013, Sika was able to keep the waste rate per ton sold at the same level.

Large amounts of waste are minerals or sand from sand drying, oversized or undersized sieve residues or dust from air-filters and cleaning of mortar facilities. Amounts vary widely over the years resulting in deviations which are difficult to predict and manage. Sika has started to find commercial applications for some materials, e.g. aggregates for roadworks, allowing to take these inert materials off the waste balance. Furthermore, the company strives to reduce the generation of contaminated water, and to reduce the volume on the premises per low pressure distillation.

Sika strives to increase the durability of products. For example, the company has established a recycling regime for used roofing membranes in the USA, and the recycled material is used in the manufacture of new membranes. Within their ISO 14001 management systems, the local companies are bound to find a compliant, cost-effective, and efficient method of disposal and to keep the necessary documentation for the transfer of waste to the disposal endpoint.