Many businesses today feel the pressure. The pressure of proper waste management, that is. As a business, you have certain duties and obligations to fulfill in regards to waste management, and doing it in the proper way can improve your business, not only environmentally and socially, but economically as well.
One of the things you need to do is create a proper action plan for waste. But before you can do this, you need to carry out a waste review first. Afterwards, you can develop a waste policy.
Carrying Out a Waste Review
In order to carry out a waste review, there are certain things you should consider. One of these is finding out the sources of waste you have as a business. What are your primary waste sources? Is it raw materials, or is it simple office waste or refuse? You should also think about how you can reduce this amount, such as using less paper, using fewer chemicals in your industrial processes, or reducing your water consumption. Assess your activities and processes. You can coordinate closely with your staff regarding this, such as asking them how much material (like paper) they use in a month or encouraging the use of emails rather than sending letters by post.
As a business, do you also have products that are simply being wasted or constantly need repair or reworking? If you do, remember that this is a waste of time and energy. Look for ways to solve the issue; perhaps you need to invest in a better product or equipment, for instance. If you manufacture products, you may also want to think about your packaging. You can come up with ways to reduce your packaging needs or consider using returnable or re-usable packaging as well.
You are also responsible for making sure that your business’ waste is stored in the proper manner and will not end up as litter or end up polluting your community. That being said, you also need to assess your waste storage space, whether it’s indoors or outdoors.
Developing a Policy: What to remember
After conducting your waste review, you can already formulate a waste policy and choose the right waste services. Keep in mind, though, that a proper waste policy would include a commitment to complying with legislations for waste, changing or transforming your business processes and practices in order to reduce the amount of waste you produce, and making use of various options for waste management, such as recycling or recovery.
You should also make a commitment to store and separate your business waste according to category and to take measures to label your containers or storage bins properly. Your facilities for storage should also be suitable for the different types of business waste you have, and you should also have your staff understand your objectives (and the procedures to follow) for more efficient waste management.
