Smart waste management makes a smart company

Smart waste management makes a smart company

Posted by:caragh.oneill
Case Studies, Environmental

Smart waste management is massively beneficial for businesses. It makes you legally compliant, reduces costs of waste disposal, educates your employees to make better decisions at work and home, and can reduce rodent infestation and littering through better segregation and storage of waste.

Waste costs

Have you considered the ‘hidden’ waste costs when allowing for waste budgets in the workplace?

The invoices that you pay for waste management services are only a small percentage of the overall cost of your waste. In fact, waste costs the business money twice (buying it and disposing of it). The hidden costs associated with waste management are identified in the image.

 

 

 

visible and hidden costs

(source: Invest NI).

Other hidden costs include the rework of a product. Therefore, think about the principle of ‘right first time’ because reworking impacts the bottom line from wasted time, materials, and generation of waste.

Smart waste means applying the waste hierarchy

Article 4 of the revised Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) sets out five steps for dealing with waste considering the environmental impact. This forms the “waste hierarchy” which can be seen in the image below.

Waste Management Hierarchy

(Source: Government Review of Waste Policy, Defra, 2011)

Legally in Northern Ireland, we are required to apply the waste management hierarchy. The decisions you are legally obliged to make to follow this waste hierarchy include identifying the best approach for the specific waste your business generates. In addition to the environmental impacts of these decisions, you will also need to consider technical feasibility, economic viability, and environmental protection.

Benefits of good waste management

There are various benefits to good waste management, this includes:

Economic Benefits:

An effective waste minimisation and management program can reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills by over 60%. A cooperative approach is vital to reducing costs. As suppliers and producers respond to ‘green’ pressure and streamline their systems to minimise packaging and waste their costs should also decrease. The many potential benefits to be gained from minimising waste can only be realised by the identification of all costs associated with existing disposal systems, including hidden costs.

Positive Public Relations:

Minimising waste is an ideal way to strengthen existing community attitudes and current environmental awareness and education programs. Waste minimisation and management programs are seen by many as an ideal opportunity to do something positive for the environment. These programs can create goodwill within the community, and thus opportunities to promote a positive ‘green image’.

Environmental Benefits:

Minimising waste preserves resources. Preserving resources not only reduces waste, but can also reduce pollution, littering, and potential rodent infestation. As industry consumes fewer raw materials, it uses less fossil fuel and less pollution as a result. An effective waste minimisation and management program can take a proactive approach to lessen the environmental impact of business and neighbouring properties.

 

For further information or to arrange a waste management review of your organisation please contact Quadra on:

Tel: +44 28 90423222

Email: [email protected]

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