Challenging Food Production Byproduct Case Study
Innovative Waste Recycling (IWR) is a waste and byproducts management company that provides sustainable solutions for various industries. IWR partners with food production companies to find operational, economic, and environmentally sustainable solutions. One of the largest canning companies in the U.S. faced a significant challenge with generating a waste dough byproduct. This case study explores how Innovative Waste Recycling provided an impactful solution for handling, collecting, hauling, and recycling this waste byproduct.
The Problem: Hard-to-handle Waste Dough
The canning company produced a variety of canned foods, including vegetables, beans, soups, and noodles. The ravioli line made a significant amount of waste dough. The waste dough, consisting of trimmings and line changeover remnants from ravioli production, was difficult to transport. The dough tended to expand when exposed to warmth, leading to safety issues when handling full totes and spillage in dry van trailers during transportation.
Company Profile
Number of Employees
250
Annual Revenue
$250,000,000
Number of Locations
3
IWR Managed 100% of Organic Waste Streams
All 5 waste streams are properly managed. No more rejected truckloads due to overexpanded dough.
Solving the Problem
The Initial Challenge
Landfills and recycling facilities refused to accept the waste dough due to its handling difficulties. This obstacle presented a unique opportunity for IWR, as they specialize in handling challenging organic waste and byproduct materials. When collected, the waste contains inorganic contamination, such as rubber gloves and pieces of metal. The canning company approached IWR to find a sustainable solution to their waste dough challenge.
Developing a Solution
IWR recognized the need for a comprehensive approach to the waste dough problem. They collaborated closely with the canning company to understand the specific challenges associated with this waste stream, from the plant floor through the material's collection, hauling, and recycling.
Documentation and Training
IWR provided detailed documentation and training to the canning company outlining specific instructions for stacking, loading, and wrapping the totes for transportation. The standard operating procedures helped minimize the risks associated with the expanding dough and ensured safer, more efficient transport. Additionally, IWR worked with the client to address concerns about foreign material contamination in the waste dough. They consulted on waste receptacle placement, trained personnel, and implemented measures to prevent accidental inorganic material in the dough production area.
Continuous Improvement
Significant progress was made over the past three and a half years. IWR and the customer have minimized foreign material adulteration and optimized the handling of the waste dough, making it an ideal component of beneficial compost.
After the Implementation
Long-term Partnership
The success of the waste dough project led to a strong and long-lasting partnership between the canning company and IWR. While initially mandated to address the specific waste dough issue, IWR's expertise in waste and byproduct management extended to other aspects of the canning company's operations, including liquid byproducts. Also, damaged, aged, and rejected canned products designated for destruction by the quality control department are de-packaged and recycled rather than sent to the landfill. IWR successfully manages all organic waste streams, acting as the “easy button” and single point of contact for their waste and byproduct needs.
IWR's Impact
As the partnership continues, IWR and the canning company remain committed to finding innovative solutions for the company’s waste streams. IWR aims to further streamline the handling and recycling of waste materials and byproducts through ongoing collaboration and continuous improvement efforts. The success achieved with the waste dough project serves as a testament to the effectiveness of IWR’s approach and their dedication to economical, sustainable waste and byproduct recycling.
More case studies
Our selection of case studies represents our varied work across markets. While these studies may not directly address your specific needs, they showcase the problem-solving capabilities of the IWR team. Explore how we have successfully tackled challenges and delivered outstanding results for our clients.
