Otis Launches ZWTL Program at South Carolina Facility

The Otis manufacturing facility in Florence, South Carolina, has begun a pilot “Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWTL)” program that will help reduce the plant’s carbon footprint and be scaled up to other Otis plants next year, the company has announced. Metal, cardboard and packaging make up most of the waste at the Florence plant. And, while the site already recycled much of its production waste, the facility recently conducted a sustainability analysis to help reduce its carbon footprint and obtain ZWTL certification. Zero waste is a principle focused on waste prevention that encourages the redesign of resource lifecycles so that all products are reused. This program also promotes conservation of resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and recovery of all products — packaging and materials — without burning them and without land, water or air discharges that threaten the environment or human health. Companies attain certification through several means, including having formal policies to limit waste generation and demonstrating reduction efforts through redesign, reuse or recycling. Otis aims to have all its global factories eligible for certification by 2025, part of its recently announced long-term Environmental, Social & Governance goals.