Wal-Mart Predicts Zero Waste by 2025
Wal-Mart is looking to reuse or recycle all of its packaging waste in more than 4,000 American stores within the next 20 years. The large task isn’t impossible: Its British stores will be accomplishing the feat by next year.
Wal-Mart already recycles about 180 million pounds of metal, paper and plastic each year by converting plastic into clothes hangers or the stuffing for dog beds, for example. The retailer has also developed a scorecard for its vendors, rewarding more eco-friendly packaging with better placement on store shelves. Wal-Mart deals with more than 61,000 different suppliers worldwide and hopes that incentivizing green packaging will cut its waste by 5 percent.
Currently, Wal-Mart recycles about 180 million pounds of metal, paper and plastic annually. Photo: Operationitch.wordpress.com
“We are looking at everything we have and asking where it goes,” said Mike Hagood, senior director of Wal-Mart’s Sustainable Value Networks. “When I agreed to take this job, I had no environmental background. It’s been hugely gratifying.”
Wal-Mart can use its British stores as a model, where already 65 percent of waste is being diverted. Here are some of the tactics being discussed to reach zero-waste:
- Plastic alternatives for packaging
- Encouraging customers to bring reusable bags to cut down on plastic bag use
- Using waste oil to power shipping trucks
In addition to what it recycles in-store, Wal-Mart locations will often accept recyclables from the public. Many stores offer propane tank exchange, and Wal-Mart’s Tire and Lube Express locations accept used motor oil, oil filters and car batteries for recycling.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
wake up walmart
posted on April 21st, 2009 at 5:32 pm
TAKEN FROM WAKEUPWALMART.COM
THIS IS NOT MINE
THIS IS NOT MINE
The reports of Wal-Mart’s green business model are greatly exaggerated.
Three weeks ago, Wal-Mart unveiled a new Earth Month “merchandising and marketing campaign” in an official press release. While Wal-Mart claims the marketing blitz “takes ‘going green’ mainstream,” the campaign’s keystone is a massive buy of print advertisements, weighing in at nearly one third of a billion pages.
I don’t believe a mountain of wasted wood pulp celebrates the spirit of Earth Day. Wal-mart’s recent ad buy flies in the face of its promise to produce “zero waste.” It seems clear that Wal-Mart’s “Earth Month” promotion is just one symptom of a broader problem—Wal-Mart is greenwashing, and it is getting away with it.
In spite of all the “green” hype at Wal-Mart, the company’s business model presents serious environmental shortfalls. The long-anticipated Wal-Mart sustainability report cited a significant global increase in CO2 emissions in 2006, after the company’s green campaign began. Even worse, at a recent conference, Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott flatly declared “we are not green” to an audience of economists. Despite these facts, Wal-Mart continues to generate positive headlines with it’s enviro-marketing.
I agree with Mr. Scott. Wal-Mart is not a green company. I, for one, would welcome a serious investigation of Wal-Mart’s performance as a steward of the environment.
Tina
posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I have worked at Walmart for almost ten years and I have seen alot that goes on that the public doesn’t know about. This year, about a week after Valentines Day was over , the seasonal department still had ALOT of stuffed bears and toys left over and depite my efforts and some other co-workers efforts to get the bears donated, our co-manager wouldn’t alow it and had all the bears thrown in the garbage! I took pictures of all the toys before they were thrown out and after they were in the garbage and took it to the newspaper. The reporters said they would look into it and do a story but never did. I’m still sick about it everytime I think about it. What a waste! Walmart is one of the most wasteful companies I have ever seen.
Garnet
posted on April 30th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Good for you Tina! Speaking out is a great thing, going to the paper is another. Unfortunately a huge company like Walmart has a lot of pull when it comes to what goes in what papers. Big Money talks. Keep up the good intentions girl!
garnet
John
posted on June 6th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Just a note of good news, Wal Mart here in Chattanooga did donate lots of Christmas decorations and toys to the children’s hospital here.