How Businesses Can Achieve Zero Waste to Landfill
Can businesses really cut and manage their waste materials so efficiently that they no longer need to dump waste into landfill sites?
Happily, the answer is yes! Waste management providers (like The Waste Group) are making it easier than ever for businesses to pivot from damaging waste disposal practices to cleaner, more ecological methods like recycling and reusing as much waste as possible.
As companies hone their ability to divert waste, they’re popping less into bins and placing more into sustainable waste collection services. How can you join them? We’ve prepared a handy guide below.
What zero waste to landfill really means
The term “zero waste to landfill” refers to the strategy of reducing the amount of waste that goes to a landfill as much as possible—aiming for zero. The theory is simple, and with the right waste management partner, the solutions can be, too.
Businesses achieve zero waste to landfill by working the waste hierarchy—the classic “reduce, reuse, recycle” steps we were all taught in school. First, businesses attempt to reduce their waste output. Next, the waste produced is reused wherever possible. Waste that can’t be reused is recycled.
Some waste created by companies will be a bad fit for reuse or recycling. Under zero waste to landfill principles, that waste can be incinerated or otherwise used in energy creation. It’s not a perfect solution, but it keeps waste out of our soil, rivers, and groundwater.
Why does zero waste to landfill matter?
Businesses that commit to this type of sustainable waste management create less waste, contribute to higher recycling numbers, and do their part to improve soil and water health. Companies—even small ones—produce a lot of waste, so when it’s managed with sustainable practices, it makes a big difference.
But it’s not all altruism and lofty ideals—companies that implement zero waste to landfill see tangible financial benefits, too. Commercial waste collection services can be costly, so reducing waste means a lower skip hire bill. Plus, reducing and reusing materials saves on purchasing new ones. Even simple steps—like repurposing used paper as rough work paper—can save hundreds of pounds every year.
Companies can also earn environmental credentials for reducing their waste, which gives their reputation a polish. Consumers are happy to spend their money with a company that’s protecting their local environment and embracing ethical waste management practices.
Quick guide to zero landfill waste
You can put your company on a path to zero waste to landfill with a few simple steps. Here’s what we suggest:
Conduct a waste audit
Start by assessing what waste types land in the office skip bins. Take note of whether your employees are using waste-separating bins correctly, and where bins are located. Assess whether bin collection is too slow, and if bins are clearly labeled.
Reduce waste at the source
Look through your buying practices to see whether you’re overbuying. Consider working with vendors who prioritise less packaging or packaging that can easily be recycled or composted. Better procurement and operational changes offer significant improvements to your waste reduction efforts.
Setting up an effective system
Lots of well-labeled and thoughtfully-placed bins can go a long way to improving your company’s waste management. Make sure bins are emptied regularly—overflowing bins encourage employees to dump waste wherever they can squeeze it in.
Set up protocols that tell employees when to reorder stock and supplies so that you’re never overbuying. Take regular inventory so you know exactly what’s in your store room, and give yourself the freedom to repurpose stock and supplies that might otherwise go to waste.
Educating employees on sustainable practices
Most people care about the environmental impact of their waste, and your staff want to know how they can improve waste management at work. Educate your staff on where to place their everyday waste—like bottles, leftover lunch, and used packaging—and encourage them to give feedback on how your system is working.
Partner with waste management services
Skip hire companies are part of the solution, too. We manage the waste streams that keep waste out of landfills, and we offer innovative solutions to tricky waste problems, like disposing of hazardous waste.
Talk to us about designing tailored waste management solutions for your office, warehouse, or business premises. We’ll pinpoint ways to reduce your waste, save money, and use proper disposal methods so your waste never sees the landfill.
