Achieving Both Cost Savings and Carbon Reduction - PVC Glove Recycling
Date: 2024/07/29
Organizer: ESG Committee-Team of Sustainable Supply Chain
Logistics Management Division
The World Bank's 2018 report, "What a Waste 2.0," warned that by 2050, the global waste generated by consumption is expected to increase from 2.01 billion tons in 2016 to 3.4 billion tons. In advanced countries, the prevalence of high technology and industrial development, coupled with massive consumption, has led to significant waste production. For instance, in the semiconductor industry, Taiwan, being a crucial member of the international supply chain, generates a substantial amount of waste daily due to its operations and production processes. The types and quantities of waste, as well as the volume handled and transported, are considerable. In the semiconductor industry, workers frequently come into contact with corrosive chemicals during various process operations. For occupational safety and health reasons, it is common practice to use protective gloves to prevent injuries from harmful substances. Consequently, the use of PVC gloves is extensive in this sector. After use, these gloves are often contaminated with toxic and corrosive substances such as acids, bases, and solvents, rendering them unusable. As a result, they are typically incinerated by specialized contractors.
Proactively Seeking Environmentally Friendly Solutions
In 2024, Winbond's procurement team actively sourced innovative methods for handling semiconductor waste. The identified vendors were then evaluated by the Environmental Safety and Health team, along with the Logistics Management team, to assess their compliance with regulations and their environmental and economic cost-effectiveness. As a result, the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) and Kaohsiung plants initiated a project for the reuse of waste PVC gloves.
A New Life for Waste PVC Gloves
At Winbond’s Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) and Kaohsiung plants, waste PVC gloves generated from cleanroom operations total 8.12 tons annually. In the past, these gloves were primarily incinerated due to contamination with chemical solvents.Starting in 2024, a new process will be implemented. The gloves will be packaged and transported by a treatment company, then subjected to preliminary cleaning, cutting, and shredding. The shredded plastic will be sold to pelletizing factories. Through plastic molding, the recycled material will be transformed into various new plastic products to meet different market demands, giving the waste gloves a new life.
In the future, it is estimated that we can reduce approximately 6 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually, which is equivalent to annual absorption capacity of 500 trees (each tree can absorb about 12 kilograms of CO2 per year). Economically, this initiative could save over NT$240,000 in disposal costs each year, effectively achieving dual benefits.
