Lean six sigma at a material recovery facility: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the lean six sigma implementation process and its quantified benefits for the recycling industry. Specifically, the goals of the project were to improve the processes and increase capacity for a government operated material recovery facility (MRF) in Toledo, Ohio, USA. Design/methodology/approach – The six sigma DMAIC methodology was utilized for this study. This included aligning and optimizing processes and the removal of process‐generated defects and errors. Findings – After comparison of the current and future states of the MRF, it is found that by reducing non‐value added activities, productivity was increased by 7.3 percent for paper bales, 12.8 percent for commingled bales and 1.6 percent for old corrugated container (OCC) bales. The project generated over $65,000 in annual savings for the facility. Research limitations/implications – The findings are limited due to the focused nature of the case study and further cost‐benefit analysis can be carried out. Practical implications – This paper may be useful to researchers and practitioners for understanding lean six sigma implementations and its derived benefits for the recycling industry and government operated processing facilities. Originality/value – The paper is a real case study showing lean six sigma implementation and its benefits for the recycling industry; a field that has not been explored to a high degree.