Take control of your waste
Summary:
Waste imposes a cost on your business. It has been estimated that UK businesses lose up to 5% of annual turnover through avoidable waste. For this reason, it is best to try and avoid waste in the first place – or reduce it as far as is practical. Once this has been achieved you should try and re-use or recycle materials. Your last option is disposal. This order of preference is called the waste hierarchy (see diagram below).
Waste is a cost to your business because it represents materials which you have paid for and under-utilised. It also takes up staff time to physically manage and increases paperwork and disposing of it costs money. Finally, you may have missed an opportunity to sell the unwanted materials.
As many businesses don't know the types of materials, quantities and where they go, the first step in understanding your waste is to carry out a simple audit. Once you have a better understanding of waste streams you can target problem areas through a waste management policy and action plan.
If packaging is a significant part of your waste stream then efforts to reduce or return materials can also be addressed through green procurement initiatives, such as supply-chain engagement.
It is also important that you comply with waste regulations.
Further resources:
Waste imposes a cost on your business. It has been estimated that UK businesses lose up to 5% of annual turnover through avoidable waste. For this reason, it is best to try and avoid waste in the first place – or reduce it as far as is practical. Once this has been achieved you should try and re-use or recycle materials. Your last option is disposal. This order of preference is called the waste hierarchy (see diagram below).
Waste is a cost to your business because it represents materials which you have paid for and under-utilised. It also takes up staff time to physically manage and increases paperwork and disposing of it costs money. Finally, you may have missed an opportunity to sell the unwanted materials.
As many businesses don't know the types of materials, quantities and where they go, the first step in understanding your waste is to carry out a simple audit. Once you have a better understanding of waste streams you can target problem areas through a waste management policy and action plan.
If packaging is a significant part of your waste stream then efforts to reduce or return materials can also be addressed through green procurement initiatives, such as supply-chain engagement.
It is also important that you comply with waste regulations.
Further resources: