A key area of focus for Colgate is reducing the amount and contamination levels of wastewater, an inevitable byproduct of manufacturing. All wastewater is treated prior to release, and the Company continues to invest in more efficient cleaning technologies designed to help reduce the amount of wastewater and wastewater contaminants.
For example:
- As Colgate’s business grew in Huangpu, China, the original wastewater treatment plant was unable to handle greater capacity. With a new advanced bio-process treatment system, Colgate surpassed local requirements while maximizing utilization of the original tanks, facilities and equipment and also reduced costs.
- Colgate’s toothpaste manufacturing facility in Via Anchieta, Brazil, determined that there was an opportunity to reduce water consumption by using treated wastewater in the cooling towers system. This would also reduce wastewater discharged into the public system, a benefit to the environment and a cost savings. After approval by the country’s environmental agency and installation, the result is zero discharge of wastewater to the public system and a cost savings of $137,000 a year.
- In Canelands, South Africa, Colgate has made improvements in the continuous saponification and glycerine plants that have resulted in reducing the salt content of wastewater discharged, thus improving the quality of the wastewater. Improvements have also included better collection of solids in the wastewater, which now settle into a special tank where they are removed twice yearly. These improvements have resulted in a savings of $11,000.
- In Colgate’s Mexico City personal care manufacturing facility, a reverse osmosis unit was installed in 2005 to treat effluent from the biological treatment plant. This water is now reclaimed in the facility’s boiler and is used to generate steam for operations, resulting in the reuse of 210 cubic meters of wastewater per day, achieving over $280,000 in savings per year. This project helped the facility achieve two important environmental objectives: reducing water well extraction to preserve water resources, and reducing the burden to the municipal sewerage system.
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To assess progress on this initiative, the Company is working on implementing an improved data collection process for measuring and tracking the level of pollutants that enter the wastewater systems prior to treatment at each facility, allowing us to identify additional opportunities for waste minimization.
At various sites, raw and treated effluent water samples are tested periodically by trained technicians and the treated water is then typically reused for various purposes such as landscaping, irrigation and gardening, thereby saving water from reservoirs, wells and other limited sources. Pollution control authorities and local communities have recognized and appreciated Colgate’s efforts.
As a result of our focus on wastewater efforts, Colgate reduced wastewater contaminants globally by approximately 18% from 2002 to 2006, more than three times the goal of 5%. Attaining this goal has resulted in both environmental and economic benefits, such as a reduction in treatment costs and fees. In 2006, Colgate implemented a focused wastewater initiative to help identify more best practices while also developing the next generation of goals. Our 2002 to 2010 target is to attain a 30% reduction in wastewater contaminants per unit of production worldwide. In 2007, our wastewater contaminants were approximately 22% less than in 2002. We continue to strive to reduce our overall wastewater contaminants on an absolute basis even as our business continues to grow.
Wastewater Contaminants
Goal: 5% reduction (2002-2006)
Actual Performance: 18% reduction (2002-2006)
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