Waste to Profit Network Launched

The City of Chicago and the Chicago Manufacturing Center (CMC) have just announced the official launch of the Chicago Waste to Profit Network.

This morning, Mayor Daley and Sadhu Johnston, the City's Department of the Environment Commissioner, gave their blessing to the new network, along with CMC's President, Demetria Giannisis. Baxter International and Cook Composites and Polymers also spoke, with great energy, about their successes with similar programs in the past and enthusiasm for what such a network can mean for both triple bottom line sustainability in Chicago.

The program is currently recruiting potential participants. Once a group of 25 companies have been identified, technical experts at CMC will evaluate the waste and value stream of each enterprise, and review data to identify synergies to share waste material, energy, water, and more. They have ambitiously set a goal of 3 synergistic projects among these 25 companies by the end of 2007.

For more information on how your business can participate, email Karen Wan at the CMC: kwan@cmcusa.org.

This is a very exciting opportunity for Chicago - It creates markets for waste materials, which has big implications for the amount of waste diverted from landfill or incineration, for cost saving and profit generation, as well as job creation.

The most exciting thing is the possibility for new innovation. This model can generate new ideas for incorporating possible waste streams into new product development planning, for existing businesses and new enterprises alike.

This is the first step to truly creating a 'waste = food' business environment in Chicago. Kudos to the City, CMC, and all parties involved.