Spec Furniture began its journey towards sustainability some years ago, but really stepped it up in 2009. “By properly separating our waste we have increased our waste diversion from 5 per cent to 75 per cent in a matter of months,” says Jed McKie, Design Engineer and leader of environmental initiatives.

Spec Furniture implemented a solid waste management program with the aggressive target of 100 per cent diverted from landfill by 2020. The increase of diversion streams has contributed in large part to their success. For example, particle board is now separated and recycled into bedding for farm animals or burned as bio-fuel by a third party. Diversion of steel, aluminum, cardboard and shrink wrap also resulted in decreases of waste to landfill. Food waste generated on site is now collected and composted either through their vermicomposter or green cone composters, and paper towels are separated and picked up for composting. Disposable cups, plates and cutlery were replaced with compostable alternatives.

Looking down the supply chain and working with suppliers to find waste management solutions offered more diversion opportunities. Offcuts of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) edging used in Spec’s furniture are now separated and recycled by the supplier. Another example is scrap foam, which is now separated and recycled into carpet backing by the supplier.

Reutilization of excess resources has also greatly contributed to Spec’s impressive progress. Plastic laminate offered an innovative reuse project – donation to the local schools, Humber and Sheridan College, for use of students in furniture programs. Excess fabric is donated to a company who makes purses and bags out of them, and overspray powder from the powder coating line is collected and reused on selected parts in products. Solid wood is separated for use by employees as firewood, and employees were given reusable stainless steel water bottles, which has dramatically reduced the use of disposable plastic bottles on site.

Reducing hazardous waste was also targeted by Spec Furniture. Spec recently made the switch to an Ultraviolet (UV) water based finishing system. This new system drastically reduced their hazardous waste and production of air emissions during and after the process, by replacing a toxic solvent with water. In 2008, Spec Furniture purchased 3840 litres of solvent for reducing and cleaning, which has now been entirely replaced with tap water.

Recognizing that these programs are only successful to the extent that they are utilized, all of these initiatives were supported by ongoing employee education. Monthly meetings are held to communicate the company’s environmental goals, and employees are encouraged to create and implement environmental goals on an individual basis. Through lean and green thinking, ongoing education, and easy to understand signage, there are high levels of employee engagement in sustainability programming.

Moving Forward
While Spec Furniture has actively reduced the amount of waste the company generates overall, it has also increased its diversion from landfill rate by an outstanding 73 per cent – from 5 per cent diverted in 2008 to 78 per cent diverted in 2009. This demonstrates how dedication to waste diversion has achievable and tangible results. However, they are not stopping there. Spec Furniture employees are looking towards new projects to help them achieve their 100 per cent waste diverted from landfill by 2020 goal.

Specs has started creating reusable give away bags from scrap fabric generated in its processes, and are also investigating using scrap fabric as packaging, which would replace bubble wrap and other plastics used for packaging. As well, Spec Furniture is currently striving to achieve ISO 14001 certification which requires that all environmental aspects be addressed and a plan implemented for significant impacts.

Beyond the waste generated through the manufacturing processes, Spec Furniture is also considering the waste created from their products when they are no longer needed. Spec has created a Design for the Environment program which encourages the use of recycled materials that can be easily separated for recycling at the end of the product's life.

While diverting garbage from landfills and decreasing the need for fossil fuels by recycling, Spec Furniture’s waste management program saved the company approximately $15,000 in its first few months alone, and will contribute to having their products certified according to the highly stringent Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA) Furniture Sustainability Standard. This is yet another example of how going green makes good business strategy.

Jennifer Taves is a Project Coordinator with Partners in Project Green. For more great case studies, visit www.partnersinprojectgreen.com. You can also subscribe to these RSS feeds to keep up to date: 
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