In the fight against overflowing landfills and environmental pollution, the zero-waste movement is gaining momentum. Across the globe, communities, businesses, and governments are embracing the concept of zero waste, striving to minimise their environmental footprint and maximise resource efficiency.
Some of the ways in which stakeholders across the globe have incorporated zero-waste include waste reduction at source, composting organic waste, re-use of single use items, recycling.
Governments across the globe have also taken action in the form of extended producer responsibility policies, requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for end-of-life disposal, re-use and recycling of materials and community engagement programmes.
While initiatives aimed at achieving zero waste across all stakeholder levels — including consumers, brands, and government policies — are commendable, they often face challenges in substantiating their claims. Without access to day-to-day data and a transparent means of tracking waste to its source, doubts may arise regarding the efficacy of these efforts. This is precisely where traceability and transparency-based waste management operations software, like Satma CE, becomes indispensable. Such software provides the necessary tools to accurately monitor waste streams, verify claims, and ensure accountability throughout the supply chain, thus bolstering the credibility and effectiveness of zero waste initiatives.
Transparency is the key ingredient for achieving this ambitious goal. The waste management operations software acts as a window into the waste stream, providing complete traceability and chain of command for materials – from the first point of collection to their destination, be it disposal or a new life as a recycled product. This focus on transparency has fuelled success across organisations, and here are a few shining examples:
Hasiru Dala Innovations, India: Through Satma CE’s collection and segregation module, Hasiru Dala Innovations has successfully been able to improve the traceability of collected waste as well as track and report the financial inclusion of their suppliers — mainly the waste-picker entrepreneurs that provide a sustainable quantum of the waste recovered. By capturing data on material origin, composition, and movement, Satma CE empowers decision-makers to optimise waste collection routes, streamline sorting processes, and divert valuable resources away from landfills.
Lucro Plastecycle Private Limited, India: Another notable example of zero-waste success can be found in the recycling and manufacturing sector, where companies are increasingly adopting circular economy principles to minimise waste and maximise resource recovery. One such trailblazer is Lucro, an Indian leader in flexible recycling solutions. By investing in closed-loop recycling systems, it has drastically reduced its environmental impact while driving innovation and profitability.
Satma CE has been instrumental in supporting Lucro’s waste utilisation journey (leaving zero waste to landfill), providing visibility into the lifecycle of raw materials, production waste, and end-of-life products. This enables the company to track the movement of materials from suppliers to manufacturing facilities to customers, ensuring full traceability and accountability throughout the supply chain.
These success stories highlight the importance of transparency in achieving zero-waste goals. Operational software provides a platform for real-time data on waste streams, empowering businesses and communities to identify bottlenecks by identifying areas where waste generation can be reduced, or materials can be diverted from landfills. It further facilitates communication between waste producers, processors, and recyclers for optimal waste management by also building trust and accountability across the supply chain.