On March 17, Oshkosh Airport Products, LLC, an Oshkosh Corporation Company announced that the company has achieved TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Zero Waste Certification at the Gold level. TRUE certification is administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), an organization that independently recognizes excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally. GBCI’s work helps facilities define, pursue, and achieve their zero waste goals, cut their carbon footprint, and support public health. Certification is based on a point system — the number of points a project earns determines the level of certification it receives.
The TRUE Gold level certification recognizes Oshkosh Airport Products’ goal of diverting more than 90 percent of the waste generated through processes from the landfill.
“A zero-waste goal goes far beyond increasing recycling and requires a holistic approach,” said Jack Bermingham, business unit director for Oshkosh Airport Products. “Sustainability is a team effort, and this certification requires collaboration from all of our team members. We’re not just working to get the trash to go to a different place; it’s about engaging people, rethinking processes, and reducing waste.”
Oshkosh Airport Products received credit for innovation after researching and discovering alternatives to throwing away plastic film. Team members developed a system to collect various forms of plastic, created training materials, and coordinated with other facilities to maximize impact. The result was a successful diversion of material totaling 29,200 pounds of plastic in the program’s first month.
Other high-impact waste diversion efforts for Oshkosh Airport Products have included collaborating with vendors and suppliers to educate each on the facility’s program, metrics and goals in order to accomplish these goals and identify outlets for recycling or material reuse. Trash Can-tipping events engage our Team Members and provide information that can be used to sort contents into specific waste streams, see where waste is being misplaced, and correct disposal behaviors.
Bermingham added, “Seeking certification isn’t about checking a box or the recognition itself; the activities and requirements of the certifications challenge us to improve. The recognition shows all our team members that their efforts make a difference and move us closer to our waste diversion goals.”
Meeting stringent standards to achieve TRUE certification at the Gold level has provided the Oshkosh Airport Products team with the opportunity to collaborate and rethink waste management processes, serve the environment better, and continually improve sustainable manufacturing practices.
