ABB Reduces its Industrial e-Waste Impact
ABB Energy Industries Service, alongside its recycling partners, is championing the efficient use of resources and enhancing product lifespans through sustainable practices.
ABB is a leading global engineering company that self-styles itself as "energising the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future".
Headquartered in Switzerland, ABB specialises in robotics, power and automation technology, and has a long history of providing solutions to the mining industry, including electrification, automation and digital systems.
Its amalgamation of business and environmental frameworks is a strategic pivot from the traditional 'take-make-dispose' cycle, to a more resource-conscious 'reduce-reuse-recycle' approach.
This shift not only reduces the company’s dependency on raw materials – many of which have to be mined – but also curtails emissions and fosters the rejuvenation of natural habitats.
"End-to-end traceability and extending the lifecycle of our products is crucial, especially in the face of a rising global demand for critical materials," says Marie-Hélène Westholm-Knebel, Global Head of Sustainability at ABB Energy Industries.
She adds: "Without the transformation of production and consumption models to support the circular economy, we cannot meaningfully preserve natural resources and cut emissions.
"Our collaborations with recycling partners ensure that sustainability standards are upheld from the very beginning to the final stage of a product's lifecycle."
ABB: Impressive reduction in eWaste
Since introducing its Parts Circularity programme four years ago, ABB Energy Industries Service and its allied recyclers have drastically reduced industrial electronic waste by 93%, from disposing 214.5kg into landfills in 2020 to only 14.2kg at the close of 2023.
The initiative emphasises repairing, reusing, and recycling defective parts to maximise their usability, thus conserving resources and curbing waste.
By partnering with entities like Stena Recycling in Europe and Ohio Drop Off in the US, ABB ensures rigorous evaluation and certification of each component, reinforcing the sustainability of the materials employed.
Collaboration with suppliers and partners is essential for circularity-driven innovation. Each of us has a distinct role to play in transitioning to a fully circular economy.
By preventing resource waste and reusing materials, we protect the environment and ensure resources for future generations. Let’s move away from linear systems and work together to build sustainable models
ABB also incentivises customers to return defective parts in exchange for remanufactured or refurbished ones. This strategy is not only sustainable but also cost-effective, decreasing reliance on pristine resources.
For irreparable parts, meticulous disassembly, inspection, and cleaning are followed by reassembly into remanufactured components, further bolstering ABB’s recycling efficiency.
"The success of this programme has already been proven at industrial plants around the world where our customers have service agreements that enable them to play an active role in striving for a circular economy," says Paul Sundt, Service Segment Manager at ABB Energy Industries.
"We hope to see this continue as more customers realise the value, and improved sustainability, that can be generated across their supply chain," he adds.
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