Waste is something that all businesses have, and how you manage such waste is important not only for the finances but also for the environment. Everything you’re wasting is actively contributing to your carbon footprint. That’s something you want to try to keep as small as possible, where doable.
With that being said, this helpful guide will look at the cost of waste and how businesses can save money by improving their waste management.
Conduct a waste audit
A waste audit is a great way to help identify potential waste streams and the areas that need improvement. You will likely find that there are certain departments within the business who may be contributing more to the waste than others, so it’s useful to pinpoint who and where these are.
Waste audits give you a starting point when it comes to how to tackle your waste management best. It also gives you an indication of whether or not your waste management is currently effective enough or if it needs adjusting somewhat.
Increase recycling
Recycling is always something to think about more often than not because it contributes to the amount of waste you’re making as a result.
Think about how you could improve your recycling efforts in order to help mitigate the amount of waste you’re accruing over time. Instead, look at what recycling services are out there and how that might translate when it comes to recycling more of the stuff you want to get rid of.
Chances are, there will be stuff that you can recycle, rather than letting it just go straight into the trash and down your local landfill.
Optimize waste management
Reviewing waste management contracts is a good starting point when it comes to finding ways of saving money. Try to find opportunities to negotiate better contracts and alternatives, like reducing the frequency of collection for waste.
You could also look at streamlining collection routes and ensuring efficient waste handling is being done by making use of waste hauler software. This can help to save the business money through the use of waste management strategies that might not be in place as of yet.
Educate your employees on waste
Educating your employees on waste is another important aspect when it comes to improving waste management. Every employee, after all, has a responsibility to make sure they’re utilizing company resources effectively and minimizing the waste they make because that’s money being lost otherwise.
Speak to your employees about how you could improve their own waste usage within the company.
Find new ways to make use of your waste
Finally, consider new ways to make use of your waste. For example, could some of your food waste as a company be used for composting so it can be utilized in garden and exterior maintenance? There might be other ways in which your waste could be used for additional benefits beyond just landing in the waste basket.
These tips will give you all that you need to focus on your own waste management efforts this year.
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