Less Waste, Same Safety: A Practical Guide to Cable Sustainability

A facility manager is under pressure to cut his site’s CO₂ footprint. He is looking at “green” cable jackets. Meanwhile, the maintenance team just sent a 50kg drum of cable—which failed after 18 months in a high-flex area—to a landfill.

In another bay, a bin is overflowing with offcuts and empty drums from a recent installation. The real carbon problem here is not just the jacket material. It is the waste.

The push for sustainability is creating a high-stakes conflict for plant leaders: how to “go green” without compromising on fire safety, compliance, or the operational reliability that keeps the plant running.

The single most effective way to lower the lifecycle CO₂ of cable systems is to focus on durability and efficiency. A cable installed once that runs for 10 years is infinitely more sustainable than a “green” cable replaced every two.

This is a practical guide for cutting carbon without cutting corners.

Consideration 1: Compliance as the Foundation

Before discussing CO₂, the process begins with confirming compliance. Safety is the gate; any sustainability decision follows a successful compliance check.

• Fire Performance: Does the application require Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) materials to protect people and sensitive electronics from corrosive smoke?
• Electrical Safety: Are the voltage, amperage, and temperature ratings correct for the load?
• Approvals: Does the cable meet all local and international standards for its environment?

Sustainability can never be used as an excuse for non-compliance. True sustainability includes protecting the health of people and the operational integrity of the plant.

Consideration 2: Durability as a Primary CO₂ Reducer

The highest carbon cost comes from replacement. This includes the embodied CO₂ of the new cable, the fuel for the service call, the transport emissions, and the energy wasted during downtime.

The most powerful sustainability strategy is to install cables that last.

• Match the Application: Using a static cable in a moving application is a common cause of failure. For cable chains and robotics, high-flex, motion-rated cables like ÖLFLEX® SERVO FD are required.
• Correct Installation: A premium cable can be destroyed by a poor installation. Enforcing correct bend radius, strain relief, and 360° EMC termination with SKINTOP® cable glands is a sustainability habit. It prevents premature failure and wasteful replacement.

Consideration 3: Optimising Material & Sizing (The Bio-Based Shift)

Once safety and durability are met, materials can be optimised. Historically, “green” materials were seen as a risk to durability. That has changed.

The Rise of Bio-Based Cables Innovation has made it possible to replace fossil-based plastics with renewable raw materials without compromising performance. LAPP’s Bio-Based range (such as the bio-based ETHERLINE® FD P) uses materials derived from renewable sources like corn or sugar cane.

• CO₂ Reduction: Because plants absorb CO₂ while growing, the carbon footprint of the raw material is significantly lower than oil-based equivalents.
• No Compromise: Crucially, these cables pass the exact same rigorous durability tests (ISO/IEC) as standard cables. They offer the same resistance to oil, chemicals, and UV radiation.

Other Material Optimisations:

• Right-Sizing: Over-specifying—using a 4mm² cable where a 2.5mm² ÖLFLEX® CLASSIC is sufficient—wastes copper, energy, and money.
• Fibre Optics: For long-distance data backbones, HITRONIC® fibre optic cables can replace massive, copper-heavy bundles, significantly reducing material volume and weight.

Consideration 4: Reducing Waste Through Logistics

The most overlooked source of waste is on the installation floor. This is a logistics problem with a clear solution, aligning with the Circular Economy principles of designing out waste.

The Problem: Ordering 500m drums for 460m of work, resulting in dozens of partial, unusable drums. Installers cutting from bulk drums on-site, creating massive scrap.

The Solution: Kitting & Harnessing

• Accurate Cut Lengths: Ordering cables cut to the exact length required.
• Kitted Deliveries: Receiving a single kit labelled for “Machine 01,” containing all the pre-cut cables, glands, and connectors.
• Pre-Assembled Harnesses: This involves pre-terminated, tested, and labelled assemblies, which eliminates all on-site cutting waste and reduces installation time.

Consideration 5: Managing End-of-Life & Recyclability

Even the most durable cables will eventually be replaced.

• Copper Recycling: Copper is highly valuable and 100% recyclable. The easiest, most impactful end-of-life step is to create a disciplined process for segregating all scrap cable and sending it to a certified metal recycler.
• Jacket Realities: Most industrial cable jackets (like thermoset PUR or rubber) are not easily recyclable. The true circular win is in recovering the high-value copper, which is why reducing scrap (Consideration 4) is so critical.

The Bottom Line: Sustainability Is Just Good Engineering

True sustainability is not about marketing claims. It is the direct result of good engineering and operational discipline.

It means choosing compliant, durable products designed for a long life. It means installing them correctly to prevent premature failures. And it means optimising logistics to reduce transport and material waste. This approach proves that durability and efficiency are the most powerful ways to achieve both “green” goals and plant reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is LSZH “greener” than PVC? LSZH is primarily “greener” for people and assets. Its main benefit is safety—it releases no corrosive gases in a fire. For cables inside buildings or enclosed spaces, it is the responsible choice for protecting both health and sensitive electronics from secondary fire damage.

Are bio-based cables as durable as standard ones? Yes, if chosen correctly. LAPP’s bio-based range undergoes the same rigorous testing as standard cables. They provide the same resistance to oil and motion, meaning you can reduce your carbon footprint without increasing the risk of failure.

What is the easiest, fastest way to reduce our cable-related CO₂? Starting with logistics is often a quick win. By shifting from “bulk drums on-site” to “kitted, pre-cut lengths,” a measurable reduction in material scrap waste (often 5-10%) can be achieved. This is a direct CO₂ and cost-saving win.Want to lower your facility’s carbon footprint?Speak to an engineer today about bio-based options and waste-reducing logistics solutions.