Resource detail

Background: Wipro InfoTech is a leading IT giant in the world that provides integrated IT solutions to its clients. It aims at providing technologically driven business solutions to its consumers.

Challenge: A need was felt to have an efficient mechanism in place that would avoid any data security issues emerging out of careless disposal of waste paper and also provide a cost effective and environment friendly alternative. Hence a paper recycling plant was set up with an aim to handle waste paper efficiently and to recycle it on campus itself. The plant has been operational since 2007 with the objective to ensure that not a single waste paper with printed matter leaves the office premises.

Initiative: The waste paper is collected, shredded, made into a paste and then compressed into solid blocks which are then supplied to manufacturers for further production of stationary items like pads, notebooks and the like. These notepads and chit pads are then supplied back to the company.

The plant has been established in an area of 400 square feet with the paper recycling capacity of 200kg/day thus averaging around 4680 kg paper per month. It was set up at a cost of Rs 6,10,000 and the operational cost per month is Rs 9500. per day consumption of power and water is 12.5 units and 600litres respectively. It comprises the following machinery:

♦ A paper crusher motor (10HP/3Ph)

♦ A recycle water pump (3 HP/3Ph)

♦ A paper slurry shifting pump (5 HP/3 Ph)

♦ A hydraulic press pump (1 HP/3 Ph)

Waste paper and water is fed into the hydraulic pulper where it is churned into a slurry pulp that is transported to a hydraulic basket press which coverts the produce into 25 kg cakes at a time. These cakes are then given off to large paper manufactures who then convert it into stationary pads etc.

One operator monitors the plant 8 hours per day for a week or so, depending on the load. Approximately 300kg of waste paper is generated at the Electronic City campus and 150kg more is expected from other BDC locations.

Outcome/Benefits: On an average, about 420 kg of pulp or wet cake is generated per day, costing Rs 2.25 per kg. Thus the per day revenue gained from the same is Rs 945. So the company saves approximately Rs 529 per day by consuming paper that has been recycled within its own premises which implies savings of Rs 13,754 every month (25 days) and Rs 1,65,048 every year.

So far, the company has produced 14 tonnes of paper which is equivalent of saving 39.2 tonnes of dry timber and approximately 1,135,623L of water.

While the company managed to save an admirably huge sum of money by making a small alteration in the way of its waste paper disposal, it also set forward a brilliant example for the world of the benefits of recycling which are multifold. Recycled paper uses 55% less water, reduces water pollution by 35%, air pollution by 74% and saves approximately 60%-70% energy over virgin paper manufacture. There is reduction in emission of greenhouse gases, elimination of toxic waste and a reduced need for new landfills and incinerators for waste disposal. The process of recycling supplies valuable raw materials to industry.