How to Utilize Waste Management Services to Reduce Waste

Every day, It generates tons of trash. That waste goes to landfills and incinerators, polluting our soil and water bodies with dangerous toxins and greenhouse gases.

Establishing an efficient waste management department is important for any business or organization. Learn how to utilize these services to reduce your waste and improve sustainability.

Reduce

Waste management services can help businesses reduce their overall waste output. For example, an independent waste audit can help you pinpoint your facility’s most significant waste streams and highlight opportunities to cut costs through waste reduction efforts.

If you’re producing hazardous or non-hazardous liquid or solid waste, waste management services can help you dispose of it responsibly while adhering to regulatory compliance requirements. In addition, liquid waste solidification services can make certain types of waste, such as pharmaceuticals and electronics, safe for disposal by converting them into a more solid form that prevents toxic materials from leaching into the environment.

Other waste management services can help you recycle and reuse more of the material your business produces. For instance, a commercial recycling service can turn your discarded paper, cardboard, and aluminum cans into new products like plastic and metal. By implementing an effective recycling and diversion program, you can save money on waste management services while positively impacting the environment.

Start by tracking your waste, recycling, and diversion rates to establish a baseline and set goals for your facility to work toward. ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tool makes it easy to do this, offering a simple user interface and consistent metrics. Then, implement an action plan to increase your facility’s efficiency and sustainability to reduce waste disposal volumes over time.

Reuse

Using waste management services is one way to help your business go green and save money. A good start is to run a waste audit to identify what your facility produces and how much of each type of waste it generates. This information can help you find ways to reduce your facility’s waste volume, divert it for donation or recycling, and cut disposal costs. In addition, reducing your waste can also lower greenhouse gas emissions and positively impact the environment.

Waste reduction, or source reduction, is the first step in the “3 R’s” of sustainable waste management. It involves avoiding or decreasing the amount of materials you produce or consume, such as using reusable coffee mugs instead of disposable ones, purchasing items in bulk, and choosing a mower that mulches grass clippings rather than throwing them away.

The second step is to reuse materials and products by repairing, refurbishing, washing, or simply reusing them. It extends the life of a product or material and helps prevent waste from entering the environment by delaying its final disposal or recycling. For example, repairing or washing used office furniture can save money on replacement costs and reduce landfill pollution. In some cases, reusing materials can reduce the need for specialized disposal methods like incineration, which can produce harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Recycle

The disposal of solid waste is a major problem for businesses. It pollutes water and air, releases hazardous toxins and greenhouse gases, destroys habitats, and can even threaten human health. The most sustainable and environmentally friendly way to dispose of trash is to avoid creating it in the first place by implementing waste reduction strategies.

It means using reusable and durable goods instead of disposable items, making more informed buying decisions, and being conscious of your consumption habits. Reusing products is a cost-efficient and effective waste reduction method that allows you to extend the lifespan of those products by repurposing them.

If you can’t cut back on waste production, the next best option is to use your waste management services to recycle as much as possible. WM offers a variety of recycling options, including organic waste pickup (though it has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and electronic waste recycling services.

Performing a waste audit is an important step to finding more efficient ways of reducing and recycling your business. This process will help you identify where your waste comes from, allowing you to target specific departments and implement more sustainable practices. For example, if you find that most of your waste is regulated medical or wastewater, it’s essential to use a company specializing in these materials.

Dispose

Many facilities are content to arrange trash and recycling removal, but implementing sustainable waste management services is a much more valuable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approach. Sustainable waste management can boost facility image, attract better tenants, reduce operation costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help your organization meet sustainability goals.

Start with a waste audit from an independent third party to identify the types and volumes of your facility’s waste. Once you have a clear picture of your facility’s waste production, you can develop more effective strategies to reduce and recycle. For example, if you know that most of your waste is regulated medical waste, you can contract with specialists to dispose of this type of waste responsibly. Alternatively, you can find out that one department generates excessive waste and target that area to encourage less wasteful practices.

Many waste management service providers base their rates on the volume of waste produced. The most direct way to reduce these rates is through source reduction. It includes reusing products in their present form rather than purchasing new or recycled ones, cleaning and repairing existing equipment and materials, and implementing design and fabrication processes that minimize waste generation and reduce the toxicity of what is produced. It is also possible to convert some non-recyclable waste into heat, electricity, or fuel with a waste-to-energy (WtE) program, such as anaerobic digestion or plasma gasification.