Zip has been one of the 15 or so Sydney manufacturers
participating in the Industry Partnership Program for "Implementing
Cleaner Production in the Metals Industry", an initiative by the
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW). Zip has received
recognition for its contribution to this initiative through a
certificate of participation.
Zip Heaters is part of a local council environmental compliance
program. Bankstown City Council has an auditing program that
ensures that the industrial component of their constituents is
complying with the State Environmental Requirements.
Some of Zip's Environmental Strategies
include:
a) Waste Minimisation and Energy Conservation Strategies:
i. Reusable container rotation with our local suppliers.
ii. Structured punch press programs with multi component layouts
to reduce the scrap metal components to 2% or less.
iii. Collection and reuse of powder coating powder.
iv. Compressors are on energy saving timers during our unmanned
nightshift.
v. All machine water coolant systems within our manufacturing
facility are recycled.
vi. Installation of a 48 000 litre rain water tank for toilet
flushing.
vii. Moving of car fleet to smaller more fuel efficient vehicles
and the inclusion of some hybrid vehicles.
b) Recycling of Waste:
i. All our metal waste is separated into varying grades and
types. These are then collected in bulk by our recycling service
provider weekly. All our waste metals are completely reused in
recycled metal.
ii. Our cardboard waste is collected in a bulk removable
compactor. This is collected periodically and all cardboard
collected is recycled.
iii. Thinner used in our pad printing cleaning machine is
collected by a thinner recycler who produces lower grade thinners
for use in the panel beating industry.
iv. Other liquid waste products generated in our facility,
amounting to a total of 8000 litres per annum, are periodically
removed by licensed liquid waste recyclers.
v. All printer cartridges are recycled by Close the
Loop recycling.
c) Packaging:
i. Zip uses two primary components in its packaging, corrugated
cardboard and expanded polystyrene foam. We attempt to use the
corrugated cardboard in as many applications as practicable.
However where the products weight cannot be supported by cardboard
constructions and the quality of delivered product cannot be
guaranteed, we are forced to use expanded polystyrene foam.
ii. Both of these raw materials are recyclable with at least
three polystyrene foam recycle depots located in Sydney and most
large centres throughout Australia.
iii. Elimination, where possible, of plastics and polystyrene in
the packaging of our raw materials and components used in our
various assembly processes.
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Zip Industries are currently in discussion with a third-party
consultant to create a comprehensive environmental policy
statement. Despite the current world financial climate, Zip
Industries understands that zero-sum carbon footprint across all
company input/output is a key issue to be addressed within the next
twelve months. Please check back for updates.