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When most people think about waste reduction, recycling is one of the first things that comes to mind. We have learned to approach it differently. Instead of asking, “What else can we recycle?” we ask, “What are we throwing away that we do not have to?”
That shift has helped us find less obvious opportunities throughout our Cleveland manufacturing facility. During 2025 and 2026, we expanded our waste-reduction efforts to include multi-material bottle caps, label backing, shrink wrap, and large clear plastic bags.
None of these materials came with an obvious solution. Finding one took research, creativity, and, most importantly, a willingness to ask for help.
Our reusable 5-gallon water bottles are designed to come back to us. We clean, sanitize, and refill them. Then they are sent back into circulation. The caps, however, cannot be reused.
Recycling the caps presented a challenge. Each one contains plastic, a paper label, and a foam liner. Those multiple materials make the caps more difficult to recycle than they might appear. We reached out to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District for help finding an option. That connection led us to Northcoast Recycling.
Before, our caps had nowhere to go. Now, Northcoast picks them up by the truckload. We have enough storage space to accumulate caps until we reach a full load, making transportation more efficient.
This experience reinforced an important part of our approach to reducing manufacturing waste. Just because something is difficult to repurpose does not mean there is no solution. Sometimes you just have to ask the right person.
This might be our favorite waste-reduction initiative. Our one-gallon and 2.5-gallon water bottles use adhesive labels. Once we apply a label, the paper backing is left behind. At first glance, it does not look particularly useful. We certainly did not expect to find such an interesting new life for it.
Today, we collect that backing for SOPREMA, where it is turned into cellulose insulation. It is a great example of why we try not to automatically classify something as trash simply because we no longer have a use for it. Another company may be able to turn that material into something entirely different.
We use shrink wrap around palletized products and wanted to collect it for recycling. But plastic film is extremely lightweight. We could accumulate a large volume without enough weight to make the recycling program worthwhile.
Instead of abandoning the effort, we looked around our facility for other compatible materials. We were also disposing of large, clear plastic bags. By adding those bags to the same recycling stream as our shrink wrap, we could collect more material and make the program practical.
We also wanted to make the process easy for employees. We placed 55-gallon drums where the material is generated. Employees put the film directly into the drums as part of their normal routine. We then consolidate the material for recycling.
It is a small operational detail, but it reflects a much bigger lesson about waste reduction in manufacturing: When a process fits naturally into the work people already do, it is easier to maintain.
This is not a new initiative, but it is so valuable that we had to include it. Cardboard is one of our largest waste streams. We were generating so much that we needed a baler to manage it efficiently.
The challenge was the cost. A baler is a significant investment. We worked with Gateway Recycling to make the numbers work. Our cardboard had value, and we could apply that value toward the purchase of the baler.
Once we had the machine, we could bale the cardboard. That made the material easier for us to manage and more worthwhile for the recycler to pick up. In a way, our cardboard helped pay for its own waste-diversion solution. It also taught us that commercial recycling need not be viewed strictly as an expense. The right recycling partner can help a business find value in materials it already generates.
Our 2025 and 2026 initiatives have reinforced a simple idea: We do not have to reinvent our manufacturing operation to reduce waste. In many cases, we simply look more closely at an existing process and ask whether there is a better destination for the material it produces.
That approach also helps make waste reduction part of our company culture. A recycling program is harder to maintain if employees have to stop what they are doing and figure out what to do with an item. Instead, we build collection points, instructions, and responsibilities into our existing processes.
Over time, waste reduction becomes less of a separate sustainability initiative and more of a part of how the work gets done. For sustainability and operations managers exploring how businesses can reduce manufacturing waste, our experience has taught us a few simple lessons: Look closely at what you throw away. Ask questions. Find the right partners. Make participation simple.
There will not always be an immediate answer. We still have materials for which we are searching for better solutions. That is part of the process. Waste reduction is ongoing, not a project we consider finished. As a fourth-generation Cleveland company, we are proud to keep finding practical ways to reduce waste within our operations. We also hope that sharing what we learn can help other Northeast Ohio businesses and our customers think differently about waste.
How can manufacturers reduce waste beyond traditional recycling and disposal?
Start by examining individual waste streams rather than treating everything as either recyclable or trash. Consider whether a material can be reduced, reused, collected differently, or used by another organization. Recycling companies, local solid waste districts, vendors, and employees can all be valuable resources.
Can plastic shrink wrap and clear plastic bags be recycled?
Some clean plastic films can be recycled through specialized commercial recycling programs. Accepted materials depend on the recycler. We combine compatible shrink wrap and large clear plastic bags to create a more practical recycling stream.
How can businesses find recycling options for difficult-to-recycle materials?
Ask beyond your current recycling provider. Local solid waste districts and specialized recycling companies may know of options that are difficult to find on your own. The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District helped us find a solution for many items.
What are some simple waste-reduction ideas for manufacturing companies?
Start with one material your business regularly throws away. Determine how much you generate, whether you can reduce or reuse it, and whether another organization can repurpose it. Make the collection simple for employees and assign someone responsibility for the process. Once that initiative becomes routine, look for the next opportunity.
Waste reduction does not have to start with a massive program. It can start by looking at one thing you throw away and asking: Does anyone have a use for this?
Watch this video to learn about Distillata’s plastic water bottle recycling program.