Types of Waste Targeted by Lean Methods
Lean methods typically target eight types of waste. Each of these wastes has a potential environmental impact, shown below. It is interesting to note that the "wastes" typically targeted by environmental management agencies, such as non-product output and raw material wastes, are not explicitly included in the list of manufacturing wastes that lean practitioners routinely target.
| Waste Type | Targeted by Lean Methods | Service Sector Wastes |
|---|---|---|
| Defects | Scrap, rework, replacement production, inspection | Order entry, design, or engineering errors |
| Waiting | Stock-outs, lot processing delays, equipment downtime, capacity bottlenecks | System downtime, response time, approvals |
| Overproduction | Manufacturing items for which there are no orders | Printing paperwork, purchasing items before they are needed, processing paperwork before the next person is ready for it |
| Transportation | Transporting work-in-progress (WIP) long distances, trucking to and from an off-site storage facility | Multiple sites outside of walking distance, off-site training |
| Inventory | Excess raw material, WIP, or finished goods | Office supplies, sales literature, and reports |
| Complexity | More parts, process steps, or time than necessary to meet customer needs | Re-entry of data, extra copies, excessive reporting, etc. |
| Unused creativity | Lost time, ideas, skills, improvements, and suggestions from employees | Limited tools or authority available to employees to carry-out basic tasks |