Resource Flow Analysis

A resource flow analysis examines the types and amounts of material that pass a given point over a set period of time. From an environmental management standpoint, a resource flow analysis can help identify critical waste generation data by tracking what materials go into a system, what materials go out, and what materials remain or are converted to waste and/or emissions.

As part of our environmental services package, we will perform a resource flow analysis on manufacturing or refining operations at your facility. We will track and quantify the nature and volume of material input your facility accepts on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis. We will likewise track and quantify the nature and volume of your facility's products and byproducts.

We will be particularly careful to look for "hidden flows," which are inputs not incorporated into your finished products. Such hidden flows represent opportunities for significant savings within a materials reduction plan.

In addition to hidden flows, a resource flow analysis can help quantify:

  • The materials your facility imports, produces and exports;
  • The products your facility imports, modifies and exports;
  • Solid and liquid waste volumes you facility produces;
  • The volume of water your facility consumes, and liquid waste (if any) it produces;
  • Airborne emissions.

Resource flow analyses have been used to help target waste and increase efficiencies in systems as small as single factories and as large as entire countries. As North America's environmental services leader, WM can design and execute a resource flow analysis of your organization's facilities that yields precise, actionable information you can use to reduce your environmental footprint and boost your bottom line.