Diamond manufacturer Dimexon has achieved the Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWL) certification for its manufacturing facility in Coimbatore, India.
The certification, a voluntary sustainability standard, recognises Dimexon’s responsible waste management. During the first year of ZWL auditing, the company diverted over 133,000kg of waste from landfills as part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts.
Achieving Gold and Platinum Standards
The ZWL certification, awarded in January following an independent audit by TUV India, covers two distinct types of waste: hazardous and non-hazardous. Dimexon attained a gold standard for hazardous waste, with 93.91% of waste avoiding landfill. This category includes materials such as oil, e-waste, batteries, and chemical containers. Given the complexities around recycling e-waste, the standard assumes that 10% may end up in landfill, even when recycled.
For non-hazardous waste, Dimexon achieved a platinum standard with a 98.48% rate of diversion from landfill. Non-hazardous waste materials include cardboard, garden waste, and scrap metals, which were all sent to specialist recycling facilities. An exception was bio-medical waste, which required incineration.
Overcoming Obstacles in Waste Management
Dimexon faced challenges during the certification process, including finding recycling partners who could meet the stringent requirements for waste diversion. Natarajan noted, “Each company also had to be certified and have an audit trail to back up claims. This proved particularly challenging with plastics recycling, and required us to change vendors and find a new partner that could support our goal of avoiding landfill.”
The successful certification reflects Dimexon’s ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability within the diamond industry, aligning with its established reputation for pioneering sustainable practices. The company is also a member of key initiatives and organisations such as the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, the Responsible Jewellery Council, and the World Diamond Council.