Cardboard boxes, plastic wrapping, metal offcuts. Many of the materials leaving a production facility are familiar to anyone who sorts waste at home. The difference is the volume—and the processes needed to make sure each material ends up in the right place.
At Caljan’s largest production facility in Latvia, waste sorting is part of daily work. In the first episode of our new video series, Sustainability in action, Production Manager Didzis Vilnitis explains how the team approaches it, what takes a little more care, and why good habits start with clear instructions.
The series explores the practical challenges and experiences behind Caljan’s sustainability work, alongside our goal of reaching net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. We begin with a task that involves people across production: deciding what happens to the materials we no longer need.
Familiar materials, on a different scale
A production facility receives a substantial amount of packaging with the goods and components it buys. Plastic film, wrappers and cardboard boxes all need to be separated so they can be collected for recycling. Metal scrap is another material stream, while production also generates waste that requires separate handling, such as paint.
The principle is straightforward: sort materials where the waste is generated, rather than leaving the task until later.
“Here in Caljan we sort everything we can and if we cannot then it goes into mixed category,” explains Didzis.
Separate collection keeps recyclable materials apart from mixed waste and prepares them for the next stage. But some items need more thought than choosing between a cardboard bin and a plastics container.
Finding opportunities to reuse
Work on hydraulic components and conveyors can involve cleaning up hydraulic oil. The cleaning towels used for this task do not go into the mixed waste container after use. Instead, they are collected separately, washed and reused.
“If something can be reused we already do that here,” says Didzis.
It is a practical example of looking at what can happen before an item becomes waste. A towel may have finished one job without reaching the end of its useful life.
Mixed materials and other less obvious items also need clear guidance and designated containers. Making these arrangements part of the working environment helps employees know what to do when the answer is not immediately obvious.
Making the right choice easier
Waste sorting takes time to learn. Didzis acknowledges that it was not immediately clear to him either, and that the current approach has developed over several years.
For new employees, that learning starts with their team leaders, who explain and demonstrate the sorting process. Labels on the bins provide guidance during daily work, while standard operating procedures are available whenever someone needs to check how a particular material should be handled.
Together, these measures give employees a practical point of reference:
- Team leaders introduce the process.
- Labelled bins help people identify where materials belong.
- Accessible instructions support decisions about unfamiliar items.
The aim is to make sorting a routine part of the job, with support available when questions arise.
Thinking about waste before it is created
Waste handling also connects to decisions made earlier in the production process.
As Didzis explains, Caljan considers material waste when designing conveyors, including how to minimise the scrap generated when cutting metal parts. Considering waste at the design stage can also make materials easier for employees to separate later.
The same thinking matters for purchased components. Suppliers’ design and material choices influence what arrives at the factory and how easily the resulting waste can be handled.
Preparing materials for their next use
Once the containers in production are full, sorted materials are moved to the collection area outside the building. Plastic film is kept separate, and cardboard boxes are compressed, ready for collection by the waste management company and onward recycling.
The lesson from this first episode is practical: giving materials a second life starts with making waste sorting easy. Clear instructions, separate containers and opportunities for reuse all help turn that intention into everyday action.
Watch the conversation with Didzis Vilnitis to see how the process works at our Latvia facility.
Want to explore the wider picture? Visit our sustainability page to learn about Caljan’s priorities, objectives and progress.