Around 250 types of products are recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission each year. So when you imagine how many millions of individual products need to be pulled back, it's not hard to see why product destruction services can be extremely vital to a company. When you consider that a third of all recalled products are not returned or fixed, it's even more important to keep track of and dispose of each one because businesses can suffer a tarnished reputation if these products are not removed from circulation.
Product destruction and disposal is a logistical hassle that can leave companies in a difficult situation that can become quite costly. Considering this, businesses are choosing third-party logistics providers with value-added services to ensure that those with logistics expertise handle the complexities of product destruction and disposal. This blog examines product disposal and product destruction services, along with how 3PL service providers can help companies by relieving the burden of dealing with both of those concerns.
What is Product Destruction and Disposal?
Many people combine the terms "product destruction" and "product disposal" as one concept, and others use the terms interchangeably. While they both work hand-in-hand to make up the process in which certain products get destroyed and then disposed of to ensure that they are not resold or utilized illegally, each term conveys a separate task. Product destruction is concerned with breaking down the product, and product disposal focuses on removing and putting it in an appropriate place.
Why are product destruction and product disposal needed? Some products need to be removed from the market because they are dangerous, illegal, or are being replaced by an updated version. Let's look at some products that end up under that umbrella:
- Recalled products
- Expired products
- Confiscated products
- Defective products
- Products that are being replaced by a newer product line
- Products with packaging that is no longer used
Most of the products mentioned above need to be destroyed before they can be disposed of, and there are several ways to accomplish destruction and disposal properly.
Incineration
One of the main ways to destroy unusable products is through incineration. This method can be used on combustible products, particularly those that are hazardous if not destroyed. The process involves burning products in a specialized facility. However, certain items cannot be incinerated safely, such as batteries, glass products, and electronic devices.
Waste-to-Energy
While many incinerators release fumes into the atmosphere, others use waste to their advantage. Waste-to-Energy is a type of product destruction that takes non-hazardous waste (slated to go to a landfill) and combusts it internally to generate steam for heat or electricity production. By doing so, businesses can use less energy and reduce their carbon footprint. The leftover ash is processed to recover metal for recycling, while gases are filtered to minimize environmental impact.
Composting
For organic materials, composting is another environmentally conscious way to destroy products. Composting materials results in nutrient-rich soil instead of sending food waste to landfills. In some cases, even hazardous waste has natural compounds that break down into healthy substances that replenish the earth. It is a win-win because it can actively improve the environment while eliminating the organic waste rotting on your premises.
Crushing
Often some products can't be burned or composted. That's where crushing can come in. It solves two problems. Crushing reduces the space the items are taking up in your facility and ensures the product is no longer usable. This method of product destruction works well on large items such as industrial machinery and computer-related equipment. For example, demolishing hard drives eliminates the risk of private information falling into the wrong hands. When it comes to appliances and some industrial tools, destroying them prohibits people from repurposing something that is unsafe or letting it sit around where it could become a danger.
Shredding
Of all the forms of product destruction and disposal, shredding is the one that deals mainly with information in the product rather than the product itself. Outdated documents, such as proof of cold chain custody of temperature-controlled shipments, need to be disposed of, but simply tossing them out in the trash is not the answer. Some paperwork might contain valuable information about clients and your business. That's where shredding is a cut above.
Shredding your files eliminates the risk of your data falling into the wrong hands. The process of shredding turns your papers into scraps that are almost impossible to reassemble.
One of the challenges to product destruction services is knowing the correct method that suits the production. As mentioned above, certain products require a specific process. Also, you must either find a certified partner to deal with the disposal correctly and provide proof the destruction has occurred, or you must choose a 3PL service provider that can handle the logistics of destroying and disposing of your product.
How Can a 3PL Help Businesses with Disposal and Product Destruction?
Knowing all the ins and outs of product destruction and product disposal can be a difficult and time-consuming undertaking. From identifying that something needs to be disposed of to choosing the correct form of destruction and disposal to selecting a partner that is right for the job, the whole process can cost a company quite a bit of time and money to mitigate the problem. But there is a way to put all these procedures into expert hands. Partnering with a 3PL service provider that offers product destruction and disposal as a value-added service can leave the complex logistics to professionals. Outsourcing allows businesses to ensure that their workers can focus on creating value, rather than wrestling over how to break things down.
When Product Destruction Complicates Logistics, Businesses Can Turn to a Top-Tier 3PL Provider: Port Jersey Logistics
If product destruction and disposal are done poorly, it can not only leave a company with a tarnished reputation but could also be extremely costly and put people in danger. All product destruction and disposal must be handled with the utmost care and due diligence. When so many factors are involved in those processes, it can be easy to slip up on one that results in an expensive problem for your company. To make sure that is not the case, you should partner with a 3PL service provider to ensure everything goes smoothly. One of the best in the business is Port Jersey Logistics. Providing logistics services since 1954, Port Jersey Logistics has a staff of dedicated experts and a litany of value-added services designed to meet your needs, including product destruction and disposal.
With Port Jersey Logistics on your side, you can find ways to break down products, recycle products and dispose of them as safely and cost-effectively as possible. To start your path to solving product destruction and disposal concerns and to view all the other services Port Jersey Logistics offers, check out our website today.
