Finding a cost effective and ethical waste disposal method is a challenge for every company – and its owner. And for small businesses and start-ups, in particular, deciding on the right strategy can be a real challenge.
Did you know, for example, that you could lose as much as 4-6% of your entire turnover just in getting rid of unwanted refuse?
So how do you tackle it?
If companies don’t make the appropriate changes to tackle this problem, those extra costs can really start to bite. And with rising landfill costs, as well as environmental responsibilities being a big concern, you need to take action.
And fast…
Create a waste management solution
Finding the right waste management solution is more important now than ever to future proof your business. So you need to look at the situation seriously and put the right processes in place as soon as possible.
You also have a duty of care to dispose of your refuse properly – so make sure you understand what your responsibilities are.
How to lower the cost for your company
Lowering the cost will obviously be your biggest concern and, to do that effectively, you have to know where you are first. So consider doing a thorough assessment – either by yourself or by contacting waste management professional.
You could also try segregating your waste to help you to analyse, monitor it and make appropriate decisions. Your analysis could be based on volume or the types of materials being thrown out – and then setting appropriate targets.
Measuring the waste
As technology is constantly growing, waste management companies have created online systems that allow you to look at your volume and spend. Using online portals, each business can then get an overview of waste statistics and management information.
Visually assessing the amount of waste you produce is essential, though, before contacting a waste management provider. This allows you to see how much waste you produce within a certain amount of time yourself.
But how do you reduce it?
A great way to reduce the physical volume of waste you produce is to consider installing waste management machinery.
There are a wide variety of recycling balers which compact recyclables into ‘bales’ to be easily stacked and transported for resale to recycling companies.
Reduce your collections
It might sound contradictory, but you could also try reducing the number of collections you have in place – just to test it. If you find the waste you produce decreases, along with those collections, perhaps there are some work culture related issues to blame.
Encourage your employees to look at their behaviours, minimise the waste they produce and instill paperless working practices. And make it a negotiating point with any suppliers you work with that they’ll keep the amount of packaging to a minimum.
We hope this post has been a good place to start if you’re planning your own company’s waste disposal strategy. The success of your business could hang on getting this plans right – so it’s an issue you really should take seriously.
