Vestas by the numbers
Waste management by blade factories worldwide
Blade factories produce the entire blade for a wind turbine. A Blade consists of a spar glued between two shell sections.
A note about the numbers: In most cases, the numbers presented here are based on either annual or four-quarter rolling averages. For example, the total displayed for the second quarter of 2010 actually represents an average of that quarter and the three quarters before it. This is done to smooth out seasonal variations in production and supply, to more accurately show trends in resource use at Vestas. Injuries and employment information are the only aspects not calculated on a rolling basis.
On average over the last four quarters, Vestas blade factories worldwide produced 11.7 percent more waste than they did on average the previous quarter.
On average over the last four quarters, Vestas blade factories worldwide produced 15.3 percent more hazardous waste than they did on average the previous quarter.
Vestas blade factories worldwide recycled about the same amount of waste on average over the last four quarters. The company recycled 27.6 percent of its waste, close to the 27.6 percent recycled on average in the previous quarter
Better waste management
The volume of waste, including the volume of waste sent to recycling, is considered a key indicator of how Vestas affects the environment. Vestas endeavours not to generate any waste. The volume of waste should be viewed relative to the production and delivery of turbines.
The infrastructure for recycling Vestas' waste, which consists primarily of sand, metals, wood, paper, oil, plastic and composites, has not been developed to the same level in all countries in which Vestas operates.
The recycling of composites used in the blades represents the final, huge challenge. About half of Vestas' waste measured in tonnes is sand from the moulding processes. All sand used in the production is reused a number of times before it finally ends up as waste.