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Water conservation in our operations.
We are continually evaluating our water use with a consistent, companywide focus on reuse, reduction, and internal recycling, as well as collaboration with our own technical community, channel partners, and civic and conservation leaders in communities where 3M operates.
3M’s total water usage includes sanitary, process, heating, cooling, remediation, and miscellaneous sources. Water usage data is tracked and reported annually on a global basis for manufacturing sites that produce greater than 4.54 metric tons (10,000 pounds) of product per year. The reported data accounts for 99% of sales value of production (SVOP).
indexed to corporate-wide net sales. Results also indicate that the largest share of 3M water use in operations is for processing products in manufacturing and heating or cooling of those processes and associated operations. We continue to improve our data accuracy through monitoring and measurement.
Our water conservation successes have been achieved through recycling, reuse, product redesigns, and improvements to our buildings and manufacturing processes.
A majority of our water-intense manufacturing operations are located in the United States and Europe, in areas that are not water-stressed or waterscarce. However, they also contribute significantly to our conservation efforts. As the company continues to grow globally, thoughtful consideration is placed on the type of operations and availability of water sources.
Groundwater 49.4%
Other sources 10.7%
Public municipal 19.7%
Surface 20.2%
Global water withdrawal 2019 percentage.
In 2019, we continued to expand global project tracking with our new pollution prevention system. 3M employees can place water reduction ideas into this system and list any barriers to implementation. Engineers, developers, and managers can see opportunities across our vast Technology Platforms.
This visibility provides a deeper understanding of water use reduction opportunities across the company. We use this system to create, identify, and share best management practices related to water conservation. As we have for decades, we are continuing our efforts to implement water reduction projects at targeted sites.
Packaging in our operations.
To support our circularity efforts, we work internally and with suppliers so that we can reduce, reuse, or recycle packaging of raw materials we receive. For example, we continued optimizing packaging used for inter-company, international shipping, aiming to shift from single-use wood crate and core to a reusable steel rack and core. This change promoted reuse while amounting to more than 169 metric tons of solid waste reduction in 2019 in sites across Brazil, India, Poland, and Mexico.
For more information on our supplier circularity efforts, see the Suppliers section.
Waste reduction in our operations.
Within each region, business, and division, results are reviewed quarterly and annually against goals and tracking metrics. Specialized teams work on a variety of projects and programs, ranging from basic office recycling to more complex projects, such as developing and capturing intrinsic waste materials generated by a manufacturing line. Through an evaluation process, all aspects of material reduction benefits or risks are reviewed.
Global water withdrawal 2019 percentage 43.3% between 2005 and 2019,
Total water consumption decreased 10 30 40 50 20 2015 2017 2018 2019 2016 2010 2005 0 3M Corporate Environmental Operations measures progress toward raw material usage and waste reduction goals for sites within our global manufacturing footprint. The results and raw data are used to identify, quantify, and prioritize projects to improve, utilizing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology.
Raw material utilization is a measurement of overall product and process yield throughout our manufacturing processes and is a key metric for 3M. This internal metric is tracked at all manufacturing sites and is indicative of operational excellence in our product design and manufacturing processes. Our raw material utilization includes the product, the process, and all byproducts. The first step in waste management is reduction of waste, which also increases raw material utilization. Next are examples of how we continue to reduce waste in our operations.
0.0005 0.0020 0.0025 0.0015 0.0010 2015 2017 2018 2019 2016 2010 2005 0.0000.
Pollution Prevention Pays (3P)
An industry first, 3M’s 3P program, developed in 1975, is based on the belief that a prevention approach to pollution is more environmentally effective, more socially acceptable, and more economical than treatment. In the last 45 years, the program has prevented more than 2.66 million short tons of pollutants and saved over $2.30 billion based on aggregated data from the first year of each 3P project.
In 2019, we continued to expand global project tracking with our new pollution prevention system. 3M employees can place waste reduction ideas into this system and list any barriers to implementation. Engineers, developers, and managers can see opportunities across our vast Technology Platforms. This visibility provides a deeper understanding of waste reduction opportunities across the company.
We use this system to create, identify, and share best management practices related to waste reduction.
Communication on the added functionality of the 3P system was shared throughout 2019 to various stakeholders, including sites, engineering, and 3M Tech Forum.
Global water usage.
Million cubic meters Global water usage.
Million cubic meters per MM $USD net sales.
How we work 150 151 3M 2020 Sustainability Report #improvinglives Circular materials
2.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 0 2015 2017 2018 2019 2016 2010 2005 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2,500,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0.
Total water pollution prevented �
Total air pollution prevented.
Total waste pollution prevented.
Using kaizen events to improve the flow of process stream.
Kaizen is the Japanese word for “continuous improvement.” In 2019, in a continuation of previous efforts, the 3M Environmental, Health, and Safety Department conducted several kaizen events, including site walkthroughs, waste-by-cause analyses, and identification of circular uses for surplus materials. Findings from these events can feed into the 3P system.
Part of the identification and solution process requires utilizing LSS within a site to segregate and manage material flow for material streams and analyze the availability of internal and external by-product handling alternatives.
Our waste reduction results.
Between 2015 and 2019, 3M has.
We have decreased our waste, indexed to net sales, by 32.9% since 2005.
3M’s waste metrics include 3M manufacturing sites with total output greater than 4.54 metric tons per year (10,000 pounds), which represents 99% of sales value of production (SVOP).
Composting materials from our manufacturing sites is an extremely small component of our manufacturing operations. 3M does not have any waste streams that are managed by deep well injection.
3M is also dedicated to operating in accordance with all regulations and managing waste materials safely and responsibly. All 3M sites are required to manage all returned, recycled, and waste materials from the time of generation until reused, recycled, treated, or disposed.
Circularity in our products.
In 2019, we required 100% of products entering our new product commercialization process to have a Sustainability Value Commitment (SVC) to contribute to our aspirations laid out in our Strategic Sustainability Framework.
Examples of commitment considerations include reusability; recyclability; and energy, waste, and water savings appropriate to the specific product throughout its life cycle. For more information, see the Innovation management section.
Reusable, renewable, and recyclable materials in our products.
Through our SVC efforts, we develop reusable products and create products using renewable or recycled materials for our customers. Examples include supporting refurbishment of old products with our Post-it® Flex Write Surface that can cover existing whiteboards and chalkboards and can be wiped clean with water even when permanent marker is applied; using renewable resources with plant-based adhesives in our Post-it® Super Sticky Notes and our 100% plant-based Scotch-Brite® Greener Clean Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges; and making products with recycled materials such as 3M™ Thinsulate™ 100% Recycled Featherless Insulation and Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty and Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges.
60,000 20,000 80,000 40,000 120,000 140,000 100,000 160,000 180,000 2017 2016 2018 2019 2015 0.
Landfilled Treatment, incineration.
Global waste.
Metric tons per MM $USD net sales.
For more examples, see the Our products section and our feature story “Collaborating for a circular economy.”
Water conservation and quality designed into our products.
Through our SVC efforts, we develop water-saving opportunities for our customers. One example is 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates which use.
For more examples, see the Our products section and our feature story, “Collaborating for a circular economy.” reduced the amount of material sent for landfill and incineration by indexed to net sales. 12.6% when compared with traditional agar test methods.
less water 79% 3P global pollution prevention achievements: 1975-2019.
First year total pollution prevention cumulative totals, short tons.
Global waste by disposal type.
Metric tons.
Starting in 2016, waste no longer includes waste-to-energy.
Starting in 2016, waste no longer includes waste-to-energy.
How we work 152 153 3M 2020 Sustainability Report #improvinglives Circular materials
Packaging for our products.
In 2019, we continued our longstanding commitment to efficient packaging design by optimizing product protection with the least amount of materials. We did this by removing and light-weighting material and maximizing product- to-package ratios (removing as much empty air space as possible from the package). To support our circularity efforts, we work to prioritize materials on the front end so that they can be recovered after use rather than being discarded on land or in waterways. We continue to increase recycled content, make our packaging easier to recycle, encourage reusable packaging where appropriate, and increase the use of renewable materials.
Waste reduction designed into our products.
We develop waste-saving opportunities for our customers. Examples include metal-free Filtrete™ Basic and Clean Living Air Filters; abrasives that cut faster and last longer, increasing efficiency with less waste; and aircraft paint preparation that reduces paint and solvent usage.
To learn how we partnered with one customer to understand, in part, how to reduce waste and to gain insight into a product’s journey through a health care system, see the Our customers section.
For more examples, see the Our products section and our feature story, “Collaborating for a circular economy.”
Circularity in our communities.
Reusable, renewable, and recyclable materials in our communities.
One business’s surplus material may be another business’s raw material. When we expand outside of our own value chain, the opportunities can be endless. In 2019, we continued with our company-wide strategy on reuse, reduction, and internal recycling, as well as collaboration with our own technical community, channel partners, and civic and conservation leaders in communities where 3M operates.
Ellen MacArthur CE100.
In 2019, 3M joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Circular Economy 100 (CE100) Network to accelerate the movement toward using recycled and renewable raw materials in our product and package design. To help propel the initiative within 3M, eight internal cross-functional circular economy working groups have been formed in different areas, including polymers, chemicals, packaging, cloths/fibers, and other key materials.
Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition.
As a founding member, 3M supports the newly developed Materials Vision of the Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition, which was finalized at the Coalition’s quarterly meeting held at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota in October 2019. The goal is to eliminate the concept of waste and thus create a circular materials economy. The Materials Vision lays the groundwork for future systems-focused projects. To start, the Coalition will identify one key project to advance as a collective group and create project teams with specialists from across member companies to further define and execute the prioritized project.
Circularity in our packaging 3M continues to convert plastic blister packaging from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), including our Command™ and Post-it® product lines. This not only increases the recycled content of our plastic packaging, but it also increases the recyclability potential since PET is much more readily accepted at recycling facilities than PVC.
Packaging for a line of hearing protection was moved from a plastic clamshell to a paperboard carton, resulting in nine metric tons of plastic being removed from the global waste stream. The carton is made from renewable resources and is readily accepted for recycling at material recovery facilities.
For more examples, see our feature story, “Collaborating for a circular economy.”
One business’s surplus material may be another business’s raw material. When we expand outside of our own value chain, the opportunities can be endless.
in North America had the potential of being recycled, rather than ending up in a landfill.
Because of this change in 2019, a total of more metric tons 41.
Efforts this year yielded a reduction of packaging weight by more than metric tons. 1,300.
How we work 154 155 3M 2020 Sustainability Report #improvinglives Circular materials
For Phase 2 of this work, the Closed Loop Foundation and its sister organizations require external support to lead specific project workstreams. The Foundation requested and was granted $50,000 from 3M to bring on one NGO advisor who will serve as a key thought leader on the project and assess the environmental impacts and tradeoffs of the chemical recycling technologies under evaluation.
Minnesota Multifamily Recycling.
The Recycling Partnership, with support from 3M and the Washington/ Ramsey County Recycling and Energy Control Board, will engage with select multifamily properties and residents in Ramsey and Washington counties in Minnesota to improve recycling collection. Results from the work will be used to create best practices for waste management, collection, and hauling organizations that can be replicated in other cities and states.
Closed Loop Partners 3M initiated our partnership with Closed Loop Partners in 2014 through a $5 million commitment to invest in the collaborative social impact fund that gives cities access to the capital needed to build comprehensive recycling programs and to build access to recycled materials for use in packaging.
In 2019, 3M also sponsored Closed Loop Partners’ Accelerate Circular Supply Chain Initiative. The overarching goal of this initiative is to evaluate and scale technologies that can meaningfully shift plastics supply chains toward more circular material flows. In 2018, Phase 1 of the initiative launched, defining the scope and landscape of technologies that could transform post-consumer plastics into building blocks for new materials and countless end uses. The results indicate that there is a role for these technologies, but significant challenges remain before these solutions can become commercially viable.
The Recycling Partnership.
The Recycling Partnership wants to build the bridge to circularity by “putting the new plastics economy into practice in the United States.” One of the keys to making the circular economy work is curbside recycling — and although it might feel like access to recycling is everywhere, only half of all U.S. households have access to it at home. As a result, only about half of all recyclable materials are captured.1 That reality inspired 3M, along with 40 other major U.S. brands, to become a supporting member of The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit organization that is working to bring curbside recycling to towns across America. Since 2015, The Recycling Partnership has leveraged more than $55 million in funding for new infrastructure, impacted 60 million households, and.
With support from 3M and 40 other major U.S. brands, The Recycling Partnership is also partnering with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition® on ASTRX: Applying Systems Thinking to Recycling, an initiative to build a stronger recycling industry through product and packaging design that reflects the ideals of the circular economy.
1 The Recycling Partnership https:// recyclingpartnership.org/circularity/